Our goal is to enhance your #SheridanLife!
Through our services, initiatives and events, we want to make your time at Sheridan the best it can be. We also work with our student leaders to advocate for the things that are most important to you.
Here is a look at some initiatives we worked on last year:
New Student Orientation
We’ve made it our mission to advocate for the best student experience starts from the start!
To prepare first-year students for success, our student leaders and staff facilitated online presentations and workshops in collaboration with various community partners and Sheridan College. The Orientation workshops were conducted in SLATE Virtual Classroom and helped students learn how to access Health and Dental Insurance, get involved with clubs at Sheridan, attend virtual events and find ways to stay connected while off campus.
Throughout the year, SSU and Sheridan College worked together to create a New Equity and Inclusion Training. This training rolled out to first-year Sheridan students in the Fall 2021-2022 academic year and will align with our mission to make Sheridan a more inclusive and safe environment for all.
Virtual Food First Program
Worked with Sheridan College’s Student Advisement team to pivot our Food First program. Students can now email askanadvisor@sheridancollege.ca when they are in need of support. So far, we have been able to provide nearly 1000 students with $50 grocery gift cards since the beginning of the pandemic.
Black History Month
February is officially recognized as Black History Month and this year we honoured this through the theme of “Learning and Unlearning. We worked with Sheridan College and the Black History Committee to place a spotlight on the strength, complexities and perseverance of the Black experience through storytelling. Several events were planned to celebrate Black culture and art, engage in conversations on Black leadership and career development, and provide space for critical discussions on navigating and confronting anti-Black racism.
This year, we have also introduced a new volunteer opportunity for Sheridan students to become The Black History Committee Student Representative. In this student leadership role, students can help in the planning of initiatives and events throughout the year and will also providing feedback and analysis on a variety of topics discussed in committee meetings.
Student Awards & Bursaries
We have also continued to support multiple academic awards at Sheridan and celebrate students demonstrating outstanding academic achievement. The effort and commitment it takes to succeed academically, especially given the current times, will continue to be celebrated.
For the 2021 - 2022 academic year, we donated $250,000 towards new scholarships, bursaries and awards for Sheridan students requiring financial support. This year's funding is an extension of our commitment to supporting and recognizing the needs of Sheridan students, as well as an acknowledgment of the social challenges students may be facing at this time.
Building Positive Space Committee
In addition to the implications of the global pandemic, this year Pride was another important opportunity to reflect on how each of us can help foster a sense of belonging, respect, and equity for all members of our community – to educate ourselves, and to amplify marginalized voices. The SSU has been working with the Building Positive Space Committee at Sheridan, which is comprised of students, staff, and faculty from the 2SLGBTQ+ community, as well as allies, and planned Sheridan Pride 2021 with a focus on providing resources and support, while also offering opportunities to connect online!
We worked with 4 talented Animation students to create Pride Sticker Sheets, and introduced a $25,000 award, Sheridan Student Union Proud To Be 2SLGBTQIA+ Awards.
We are proud to work with students, staff and faculty and will continue to support the 2SLGBTQ+ community through advocacy, art, and student-led projects.
Dimensions of Wellness
We’ve come together with student leaders and staff from across Sheridan College - including Athletics, Library and Learning Services, Counselling Services, Financial Aid, The Office for Sustainability, Sheridan Career Centre, SheridanLife Radio and more - to develop free online engagements, blog posts and resources in support of all 8 dimensions of wellness for Sheridan students!
Student Refugee Program
In collaboration with the World University Service of Canada (WUSC), Sheridan College and the UNHCR, our Student Refugee Program helps students who have been displaced by war or other events succeed with both resettlement and a postsecondary education. This year, we welcomed three students who competed in the 2021 Toyoko Olympics to Canada and Sheridan through our Student Refugee Program. This marks the first year we have welcomed more than one refugee student, and proudly welcome and support all three Olympians from the Olympic Refugee Team as they start their life in Canada and studies at Sheridan’s Trafalgar Campus this Fall 2021.
FOR MORE ABOUT SHERIDAN' STUDENT UNION’S ADVOCACY, VISIT: THESSU.CA