New faculty members enjoy whale of a good time
This year, new faculty orientation organizers from the Centre for Teaching and Learning Services (CTLS) decided to take Concordia’s newest professors a little further afield — four-and-a-half hours to be exact — to Rivière-du-Loup for a whale-watching excursion on the St. Lawrence River.
Last year, new faculty members took in some of the best sights, sounds and tastes of Montreal. “This year, we thought, why not show them some of what makes Quebec an exciting place to live,” explains John Bentley, program coordinator and instructional developer at the CTLS. A dozen new faculty members boarded a bus in Montreal and by mid-afternoon they were out on a tour boat watching in wonder as enormous fin whales frolicked in the frigid waters of the St. Lawrence.
“It was almost as though they had been commissioned to put on a performance for us,” said Susan Cahill, an incoming assistant professor in the School of Canadian Irish Studies. “I had never seen anything like it!”
The weather was spectacular, and the group enjoyed lots of whale sightings. For many of them, including Cahill, it was their first time seeing the giant cetaceans. But Cahill said the trip also provided a great opportunity to meet incoming faculty from Concordia’s other departments in an informal setting. “I sat beside Erin Barker from the [Department of ] Psychology on the way up, and we got to know each other quite well.”
For Young-Chul Jeong, incoming assistant professor of management in the John Molson School of Business, the whale-watching trip was a welcome reprieve from the hustle and bustle of the city he adopted as his home just two months ago. “I think I will definitely go there again,” he said. “It was amazing.”
Jeong says he’s still adjusting to life in downtown Montreal, adding that it’s quite different from the small, college-town life of Champaign, Illinois where he held his last teaching post. “Still, I love it here,” he said. “And the weather is great. Though I’m not sure about winter!”
While orientation events are not mandatory for new faculty members, Bentley says attendance is usually very good. “We just tell them what’s on offer, and most of them come out, which is great.”
A more formal orientation for new faculty members is scheduled for August 31 on the Sir George William Campus. The event features a full day of activities, including an introduction to the services offered by the CTLS, workshops on teaching and learning, and a question and answer session with several of Concordia’s award-winning professors.
When: Wednesday, August 31 from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Where: Room EV-2.184, Engineering, Computer Science and Visual Arts Integrated Complex (1515 Ste-Catherine St. W.)
Related link:
• Centre for Teaching and Learning Services