This weekend, the McMaster figure skating team hosted their first meet in several years. The team, led by one of Mac’s captains Emma Bonafiglia, came in fourth place overall. Ontario University Athletics gold medalist Belvina Mao came in first once again for the Senior Silver Solo Dance category.
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We caught up with the two Marauders below:
Belvina: Third year, kinesiology.
Emma: Fourth year, kinesiology.
B: My main reason was for the kinesiology program because it’s one of the best in the country. I was also really attracted to the fact that everyone who came to Mac loved the community feel it had.
E: I originally decided to come to Mac to join the [synchronized swim] team in my first year. I also chose Mac because it is close to home and I heard about its reputable Kin program.
Tell us a bit about the McMaster Invitational.
E: It’s a lot of work to host a tournament, but this year myself and the other captains wanted to host one. The process was a bit challenging, but overall we ended up figuring everything out and it ran smoothly the day of. In terms of skating, we came fourth overall, which is good but it’s still the beginning of the season so we have a lot to work on.
B: It was really nice because alumni, family and friends were able to come out and support [us]. Normally, they’re not able to because competitions are so far. So to be able to perform in front of them was really nice. Even though there was pressure being on home ice, it felt more like a showcase than an actual competition.
As the defending OUA Senior Silver Solo Dance gold medalist, it’s no surprise you came in first in the same category this weekend. Tell us a little about that.
B: The person who was behind me was a little close for comfort, but I was still able to skate to the best of my abilities so I was really proud of myself.
If you had to tell us one thing about yourself that people don’t know what would it be?
B: I am part of the McMaster Musical Theatre and it’s really fun to be part of something outside of school and skating. (MMT upcoming show “Company” is Feb. 22)
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E: I don’t like chocolate, but my go-to sweet treat is anything sour.
Lastly, what are your goals for this season?
B: I am hoping to defend my title as OUA champion for the Senior Silver Dance and to continue to just skate the best that I can.
E: For the team, our goal is to come top three at the OUA championships in February, and for myself, I hope to come first in my solo dance event.
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Next up, the McMaster Figure Skating team will head to the University of Toronto to take the ice.
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By: Elizabeth DiEmanuele
The Student Success Centre is pleased to launch the Undergrad Peer Tutoring Network (UPTN), a new network for students to access affordable, quality student tutors, both in-person and online. The platform is powered by TutorOcean, a relatively new start-up company that was selected in partnership with the McMaster Engineering Society. Differing from other academic services available, this network is a chance to connect with another student who successfully completed the course; tutors must have received an A- to provide services.
“Through the Student Life Enhancement Fund, all McMaster undergraduate students who access the network receive a subsidy for the first seven sessions, meaning they only pay $9 per hour,” says Jenna Storey, Academic Skills Program Coordinator for the Student Success Centre. “Tutors are available from all Faculties and an important part of this service.”
Gina Robinson, Director of the Student Success Centre, adds, “Providing quality and affordable tutoring is an important objective of this initiative. Finding sustainable funding for subsidy will need to be part the plan moving forward.”
Understanding that there are a number of gatekeeping courses (mandatory courses for students to complete their degree), the Student Success Centre continues to work with Faculties to ensure that these courses are available on the network. The Student Success Centre has also incorporated measures to ensure that tutors are well-prepared, offering a number of different sessions for tutors to become “McMaster Certified.”
As Jenna shares, “Students are encouraged to find a tutor who has a ‘McMaster Certified’ badge on their profile, indicating they have completed the tutor training session in accordance with best practices. This training focuses on running an effective session, ethical standards, and communication skills.”
The Undergrad Writing Centre continues to be another support available for students, and can be used at any stage of the writing process. All Writing Tutors have undergone training through the Student Success Centre, which has been externally recognized by the College Reading and Learning Association (CLRA).
Students can book up to ten appointments per semester for free. This semester, new drop-in writing support is also available Tuesdays and Wednesdays from 3:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. The Undergrad Writing Centre is located in the Learning Commons on the second floor of Mills Library.
Jill McMillan, Academic Skills Program Coordinator of the Student Success Centre, shares, “Writing remains is a key academic and life skill requirement. We are thrilled to have received certification recognition that demonstrates the quality of this peer based service. Students are supported in meeting their writing potential.”
Students looking for quick study tips and other academic support can connect with Academic Coaches, located in the SSC Lounge as well as in the Learning Commons on the second floor of Mills Library every Monday-Friday from 2:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Learn more about the Undergrad Peer Tutoring Network here.
Learn more about the Undergrad Writing Centre here.
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By: Emma Mulholland
With the end of the academic year approaching, students are beginning to look for summer jobs and employment opportunities in places ranging from retail to research. The government of Ontario, however, wants to give students the opportunity to become entrepreneurs over the summer, through a program known as Summer Company.
“The goal of Summer Company is to introduce students to the world of entrepreneurship … to [help students] turn a hobby into a business idea … [and] to provide training and mentoring to the students so that they get a greater understanding of the business world,” said Dragica Lebo, Business Development Officer with the Hamilton Small Business Enterprise Centre.
Students apply to the program with a potential business idea and can receive up to $3,000 of funding from the provincial government to support their business. In the application process, students state how much money they initially require to start their business. According to Lebo, “no matter what the business is, all students have the same rules and regulations … the province will only give $1,500 so anything beyond that has to come from the student … if a student needs more … they will need to supply it themselves, or prioritize what they need … they have up to $1,500 [though], so we really try to help them take advantage of the whole $1,500.”
“Most of our students who participate in this program have never taken a business course before. Most of them just have a hobby or an idea … and want to see if it can be a viable company.”
After successfully completing the program, which requires students to attend training sessions, meet with local business mentors and properly keep track of receipts and invoices, students can receive an additional $1,500. Whether or not students decide to continue their business after the program ends is usually dependent on the situation, says Lebo. Many students who participated in the program in Hamilton continue part-time during the school year, and then pick it up again the following summer.
Several McMaster students who went through the program have also continued their businesses, either full time or part time. “The most helpful part was probably the connections that [Summer Company] helped us to establish … they put us in contact with people that could help with the legal aspects [of the business],” remarked Dylan Kiteley, a former participant who used the support of the program to establish a permanent retail location for his company, Oracle Nutrition.
In addition to providing financial support for students, Summer Company also aims to provide students with mentorship and business literacy skills. Summer Company itself sees a wide variety of business plans, but a common theme is that many students applying to the program do not have business backgrounds.
“Most of our students who participate in this program have never taken a business course before. Most of them just have a hobby or an idea … and want to see if it can be a viable company. This program gives them the opportunity to test the waters out,” explained Lebo. Bi-weekly meetings with community business leaders offers students everything from moral support and encouragement, to practical advice on navigating the business field. “[The mentor’s] role is to assist and guide the students from beginning to end of their companies within the program … to encourage the students in the world of business … and to help them through each phase and ensure that the [students] are on the right track,” said Lebo. Several prominent community leaders from a variety of fields, including McMaster professors, have volunteered time during the summer to work as mentors in the program.
Summer Company has been running in Ontario since 2001, and while it is open to students from age 15 to 29, Lebo notes that an interesting demographic shift has been taking place in the past few years. “About five years ago [the program] was very college or university [student] dominated … but in the past few years it’s been very 50/50 [between high school and post-secondary students] … I think that the entrepreneurial bug is embedded in students in a younger age … there are more business classes in high school than before … a lot of [high school] students are showing interest … they see that they can apply what they know, try something different, and see what it’s like operating a business.”
As classes come to an end and the hunt for summer employment begins, with a little help from the Ontario government, some students will be spending the summer hoping to break into the business world.
Photo Credit: Kareem Baassiri/ Photo Contributor
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Hamilton has long been synonymous with the "Steel City" moniker, but a growing market for entrepreneurs is helping to re-shape that perception.
This, along with the growing popularity of online crowd-funding models like Kickstarter have allowed developers like Nathan Dworzak, Parker Martin and Michael Huynh to gather support for their own online action role-playing game they're calling Dragon of Legends.
The three are founders of Thrive Games, which they initially began in 2013 as Thrive! Entertainment. The project, their first game developed from scratch, is described on their Kickstarter page as a "2D online [action] RPG inspired by Celtic and Norse mythology" and resembles the style and art reminiscent of video games in the early 90s.
"If you grew up playing the Super Nintendo, it's kind of tapping into that aesthetic," explained Dworzak.
"But we're also adding more advanced mechanics, like being able to play the game on any device."
At the time of writing, the game had accumulated nearly 500 backers and $18,000 on their Kickstarter with a couple weeks left in their campaign to reach their $60,000 goal.
While the team made the decision to briefly shut down the campaign as they didn't expect to reach their end goal, Dworzak went on to explain that an investment firm had very recently stepped forward to cover 80 percent of their costs.
The campaign is expecting to re-launch on Kickstarter before the end of February with a more modest goal of $12,000 for the project to be fully funded.
The project follows in a style of games that have grown in familiarity in recent years. Cult-hit titles like Shovel Knight, and more recently, Undertale, have demonstrated that independent developers like Dworzak and his team can experience critical success with their games, despite having a minimalist approach to the game's aesthetics.
However, the team at Thrive has certainly spared no expense in attempting to flesh out the world that they're promising on their Kickstarter page, and the wealth of information they've provided on the world and the mechanics of their game indicate just how serious they are.
With a team that Dworzak has estimated to have involved up to 25 people, the input and background of the team has had a variety of influences as well, both within and outside Hamilton. While Dworzak graduated from Wilfred Laurier University with a degree in music composition, Martin graduated from McMaster University with a background in Multimedia/Theatre & Film.
However, the three co-founders have grown up as friends in Hamilton since middle school, and have shared a passion for video games that they've been able to turn into more than just a passion project. They’ve had the opportunity to collaborate with The Forge, a start-up accelerator associated with McMaster, as well as McMaster’s Innovation Park.
“For me, it was just a passion, and I’ve always wanted to make games,” Dworzak explained. “But as a composer, I was limited … I managed to be lucky with the people I knew.”
“We shared the same vision in what we wanted to do; we wanted to create a gaming company that would create heartfelt experiences.”
With their Kickstarter set to re-launch, they’re hoping that others will share in their passion for these experiences.
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By: Sophie Hunter
It is baffling to me that a company exists whose sole purpose is to teach men how to objectify women. Yet here I am, reading up on how to “propel my dating life into a carnival of sexual abundance” with the help of professional pick-up artists who pride themselves on their womanizing prowess. There is a very large part of me that wishes I had stumbled across a parody site and that this is all some sort of horrible joke.
Real Social Dynamics is a company that claims to specialize in “attracting women,” providing their services to insecure men around the world. Their “instructors”— and I use this term reluctantly— travel across the globe to deliver seminars on the most effective ways to get a woman into bed, and for a fee will even join you on a trial run in order to give you one-on-one coaching in the field. The company has recently been brought into the spotlight because of the controversy surrounding one of its instructors, Julien Blanc, a man who has become known for his encouragement of violence against women as an effective “pick-up” technique.
What is incredibly troubling about this company’s existence, other than its shockingly misogynistic and down-right offensive instructors and platform, is the fact that there are men willing to pay in order to acquire the services that it provides. The company exists because there is a demand for its services. Men want to learn how to become more confident when talking to women, and are willing to follow the advice of men who are self-proclaimed “experts” on sleeping with large numbers of women through manipulation and coercion.
Why is it acceptable for companies like this to exist? Teaching men that dehumanizing and violating women is okay devalues women as a whole, and significantly contributes to the negative ways that men treat women in their everyday lives. Attitudes such as this move beyond the bar scene, where they should not exist in the first place, and impact women in the workplace, in their personal lives, and even when simply walking down the street.
The existence of a company that relies on the objectification of women in order to sell a misogynistic message to men shows that our society still has a very long way to go before women are fully valued as human beings. We have made significant progress in regards to the rights and protection of women. But Real Social Dynamic provides a startling wake-up call. There is still more work that needs to be done in order to properly educate people about the rights that women deserve.
Men need to be taught how to treat women with dignity and respect. Women do not want to be catcalled, women do not want to be a reward for an effective pick-up line, and women definitely do not want to be physically intimidated. Women are not objects to be won or obtained.
Women want and deserve respect. And that is something that truly needs to be taught.
