Sheridan College (Ontario)
EN-3: Student Life

1. ENACTUS (HMC Campus) ENACTUS mission is: (a student-driven organization providing opportunities to future leaders through project initiatives. We accomplish this by identifying social, economic and environmental gaps that students bridge through social entrepreneurial action) The ENACTUS run CHANGEMAKING 101 which is a workshop to explore how creative ideas can transform communities.The students discussed how to: develop ideas and understand what resources are available at Sheridan, Get tools to begin creating solutions to social and environmental problems they care about and explore how to apply entrepreneurial thinking to real world challenges. https://www.sheridancollege.ca/news-and-events/events/changemaking-101.aspx 2. Sheridan Social Justice and Action Committee - SJAC (Trafalgar Campus) This club aims to educate, engage and empower college students world-wide to become active local and global citizens. The Sheridan Social Justice club runs several awareness-raising campaigns each year in hopes of making all students at Sheridan think “we” instead of “me” and become agents of change. The club explores issues such as homelessness, poverty, human rights, etc. in an engaging and exciting way. The Social Justice Club carried out a campaign to make Sheridan a plastic bottle free campus. https://www.facebook.com/SheridanSJAC/

1. The Sheridan Business Council (SBC) spearheaded the first vegetable garden at the Davis campus. The Sheridan Community Garden was the first step in SBC’s “Be the Change Project” in which they wanted to create a social enterprise among students. The student-run club called on students from various programs to help build the garden beds and plant the vegetables, fruit, and herbs. http://speakingbiz.sheridancollege.ca/2016/09/get-involved-at-the-davis-campus/ 2. With the use of synthetic dyes, the textile industry is one of the largest polluters worldwide. In order to further promote the use of natural dyes, the Textiles department has established an on-campus natural dye garden, just outside of the studio. Some dyes will be harvested and made on-site as opposed to relying on purchasing, and shipping of dyes. 3. Sheridan students are encouraged to participate in the Sheridan Community Garden at Trafalgar Campus. Aimed at providing an applied outdoor learning experience, the Community Garden provides participants with the opportunity to learn how to grow and harvest local, organic, in-season food for personal consumption, almost entirely free of charge (purchase of additional plants or materials is up to gardeners’ discretion). The Community Garden is designed to help foster collaboration and community involvement by providing participants the opportunity to teach, learn and mentor each other in groups. Students, staff, and community members, of experience levels from first time planters to dedicated gardeners, are all welcome to participate in the Community Garden activity. http://missionzero.sheridancollege.ca/get-involved/community-garden/

The SSUI Board of Directors consists of 12 elected student members who represent the SSUI membership of approximately 19,000 full-time and part-time students at Sheridan College. The Board is responsible for maintaining contact with the student population and bringing student feedback to Board level. With your feedback, the Board will continue to develop a long-term strategic vision, and exercise good corporate governance. The SSUI have held sustainability-related campaigns and events which include area clean-ups, tree planting, and the promotion of the Sheridan sustainability initiatives.

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The following are some examples of sustainability conferences and speaker series aimed at students as their intended audience held at Sheridan over the last 3 years: 1. Dr. David Suzuki, the popular host of CBC’s Nature of Things and co-founder of the David Suzuki Foundation held a keynote to address how the Sheridan community can get involved in environmental initiatives and make a difference. He also discussed the COP21 Climate Change Negotiations in which took place in Paris at the end of November. The COP21 aimed to create legally-binding and universal commitments for over 190 nations around the world to halt global warming. https://www.eventbrite.com/e/dr-david-suzuki-at-sheridan-presented-by-mission-zero-tickets-19229829939 2. Renu Mandhane, the Chief Commissioner (Ontario Human Rights Commission) held a keynote about A Rights-Based Approach to Poverty Elimination.The event was a day of learning and reflecting on what it means to lead with a human-rights based approach in poverty elimination work. The day included a panel presentation followed by a Q & A and afternoon break-out sessions that gave attendees the opportunity to delve deeper into various practice areas. https://www.sheridancollege.ca/news-and-events/events/rights-based-approach-to-poverty-elimination 3. Julie Marshall, the United Nations World Food Programme's Canadian Spokesperson in Canada, was the keynote guest speaker in the Sustainable Development Goals Youth Training hosted at Sheridan Mississauga campus for students. The training was developed for the students to gain a deeper understanding of the Sustainable Development Goals and be connected with organizations through which the students can be the SDG Advocates. Participants received a certificate for the training from the Foundation for Environmental Stewardship. The event was sponsored by the Sheridan Student Union Inc. https://www.evensi.ca/-sustainable-development-goals-youth-training-sheridan/236407919 3. As part of #EarthWeek celebrations, Sheridan hosted a Sustainability Conference on Wednesday, April 26, 2017. The conference was organized by the Office of Procurement with the support from the Office for Sustainability. It included presentations from four companies that are recognized in Canada and throughout the world as leaders in sustainability(Global Furniture, HP, Coca-Cola and The Co-Operators Group). Each of the four companies delivered a concise 50-60 minute presentation.The goal of the conference was to give attendees a better understanding of the broad scope of sustainable initiatives undertaken by world-class market leaders as well as what colleges and universities could be doing to promote sustainable purchasing at their institutions. Representatives from over 15 colleges and universities across the Province attended. https://www.sheridancollege.ca/news-and-events/events/sustainability-conference

In April 2016, two illustration students and one from industrial design converted a large-scale foray into experiential design. The project was to re-imagine and re-invent an everyday space to enhance people’s health and well-being. It captured Sheridan’s cultural character and adds a visually-rich and freely accessible artistic experience to campus and to the City of Brampton.The Woven Stories consists of a series of custom designed and printed vinyl applications and blinds that wrap 112 glass panes found on the building’s exterior. The window treatment resembles long pieces of twine when viewed from the street and depicts hands working with rope inside the space itself, conceptually representing the way that the programs that are delivered in the building work together to serve, protect and help the community. With the vinyl in place, only 37 kilowatts are needed to achieve the desired effect, resulting in a peak reduction of 33%. http://curiosities.sheridancollege.ca/unpacking-the-value-of-public-art-and-placemaking/

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The Office for Sustainability offers Work Study, internship, part-time, and co-op positions to students who will have an opportunity to work on sustainability issues and initiatives. Additionally, they assist in the promotion Mission Zero’s sustainable initiatives within the Sheridan community such as students, faculty, and staff. Depending on the type of placement, the positions are open to current students in all programs as well as recent graduates.

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Sheridan’s Office for Sustainability recruits students to join the Zero Waste Volunteer Team. Students earn a co-curricular record when they volunteer for at least 12 hours a semester. The volunteer description is as follows: “Zero Waste Volunteers provide support to the Office for Sustainability by assisting in the promotion and implementation of the Zero Waste initiatives that take place on campus. Working in a team, Zero Waste Volunteers increase the awareness of the Zero Waste program through a variety of activities, including talking to the members of the Sheridan community during busy times to inform, educate and guide students, faculty and staff on how to sort waste at the Zero Waste stations as well as providing support for various community events. Training is provided to all Zero Waste Volunteers. The minimum participation hours is 12.” Students may also earn co-curricular record by volunteering at the Sheridan Community Garden.

This credit spans many departments at Sheridan. Questions about a specific program identified in this credit can be directed to Anna Pautler, who will point you to the appropriate person.