Innovate to Educate
Join us for a multi-day online professional development opportunity to provide value to the guidance and educator community, and support our partners in student success.
Learn. Connect. Network.
Take part in your choice of virtual talks and workshops designed to connect you with thought leaders from our faculties, fellow guidance and education professionals, and our Recruitment & Admissions team.
Explore topics such as how to support the next generation of STEM innovators, trends in sustainability education, anti-oppression practices in student advising, and more. Review sessions below.
Questions? Get in touch with us at guidance@yorku.ca

Tuesday January 25
9:00 am - 10:00 am ET
Welcome Session
Join York's Recruitment and Admissions team as they welcome you to our Innovate to Educate event. In this session, we will review the agenda for the event, discuss what's new at York University and provide more information about upcoming engagement opportunities.
Presenters: Keshia Gray, Director Recruitment & Admissions, Associate Registrar , Travis Westlake Assistant Director Recruitment & Admissions and Katherine Elliot, Manager Student Recruitment
12:00 pm - 1:00 pm ET
Innovating Opportunities in STEM
Complex societal challenges require diverse perspectives! The k2i academy at the Lassonde School of Engineering is working with partners to create equity-focused programs to inspire the next generation of STEM innovators and problem-solvers. We must work alongside K-12 educators to create opportunities in STEM; inspire, recruit, and support the next generation of STEM-ready students; and dismantle the inequities in our education system that continues to prevent diversity in STEM. Join us as we discuss the innovative ways we are collaborating and designing programs that equips students with the skills and knowledge they need to pursue a career in STEM.
Presenters: Lisa Cole, Director of Programming, k2i academy - Lassonde School of Engineering & Michelle Tsui-Woods, Associate Director of Operations and Development, k2i academy - Lassonde School of Engineering
1:00 pm - 2:00 pm ET
Approaches to Educating for a Sustainable and Just Future: Ecosource and York’s Advanced Teacher Training Program
Learn how Ecosource and York's newest Faculty of Environmental and Urban Change are empowering educators to integrate sustainability education, environmental justice and climate action into their school communities. This session is adapted from Ecosource's Advanced Teacher Training Program. Participants will receive curriculum resources to share with their students.
Ecosource is an Ontario-based organization that empowers the community to become more environmentally responsible through creative public education.
Presenters: Arielle Navarra, Waste Reduction Manager, Ecosource; Rohini Chaba, Recruitment and Liaison Officer; Lily Piccone, Strategic Enrolment & Communications Officer, Faculty of Environmental and Urban Change
Wednesday January 26
9:00 am - 11:30 am ET
Drop-In Virtual Coffee Chat with Recruitment & Admissions
Bring your questions, thoughts or just say hello! York University's Recruitment & Admissions team will be available from 9:00 - 11:30 for you to virtually pop by to chat or ask questions about students.
Representatives: Travis Westlake Assistant Director Recruitment & Admissions; Katherine Elliot, Manager Student Recruitment; York University Student Recruitment Officers
12:00 pm - 1:00 pm ET
Academic Success in Post-Secondary
The transition from high school to post-secondary can be challenging for most students, but students don’t need to feel alone in this journey. This session will introduce some of the keys to success at the post-secondary level and highlight the academic support initiatives available, to help students with their transition.
Presenters: Cathy Boyd Withers (PhD), Learning Skills Specialist, Learning Skills Services; Mona Frial-Brown (MEd), Manager Student Success & Access Programs, Faculty Liberal Arts & Professional Studies; Catherine Salole, Executive Director, Markham Campus Student Services. Together Cathy, Mona and Catherine have over 25 years of experience fostering academic success at the post-secondary level.
Thursday January 27
12:00 pm - 1:00 pm ET
Future Skills: Being Human in the Age of Automation and Virtuality
More than ever, our lives are governed by algorithms, platforms and apps. How do we create permanence and maintain our humanity despite the automation of our lives? This lecture explores the concept of 'future skills' to illuminate how humanity endures and thrives. Developed by the Government of Canada with economists and universities, 'future skills' identifies skills for now and the future. As you will learn in this lecture, being human is essential for today and tomorrow's skills. In this session you will also discuss how to address student anxieties as they try to determine their major for university.
Presenters: Lily Cho, Associate Dean, Global & Community Engagement
1:00 pm - 3:00 pm ET
Restructuring Pipelines: Challenging Barriers to Post-Secondary Access
Drawing on anti-racist and anti-oppressive theories, this interactive session explores research and practice aimed at restructuring educational pipelines to post-secondary education. We will explore issues of bias and systemic injustice in schooling practices and offer ideas to create different options for all students to have choice, access and opportunities.
Presenters: Vidya Shah, Assistant Professor, Leadership & Education and Gillian Parekh, Assistant Profeseor, Canada Research Chair in Disability Studies in Education
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