This spring I’m going to be planting a small bundle of explosives near my home in Montreal, Quebec. I’ll be burying them in the soil at Dante Park, where I often go to sit on a bench, drink a thermos of tea, and talk to my good buddy, the bust of Dante. I’ve been a… Read more »
The new school year is in full swing and kids are delving into another year of “reading, writing, and ’rithmetic”. But the sense of optimism for a new school year is overshadowed by the growing voice of those who question the quality of children’s education. The K-12 curriculum and the teachers who deliver it are… Read more »
In her January executive blog, AUSU president Shawna Wasylyshyn asks, “who are the students of AU?” In her capacity as student union council president, Wasylyshyn interacts with countless people in the post-secondary education community. Some, she feels, view AU students as “disadvantaged”, “marginalized”, or people with “no other choice” but to attend AU. Like Wasylyshyn,… Read more »
It was a good year for The Voice Magazine. Not only did we get a brand new website that helps you find good things to read rather than fighting you every step of the way. We also gained a bunch of new writers near the end of the year, and kept most of the ones… Read more »
Dr. Neil Fassina is the 8th President of Athabasca University. He earned a BSc in Psychology from the University of Calgary and PhD in Management from the Rotman School of Business at the University of Toronto. He is an active researcher in the areas around applied decision-making. He was installed in mid-January, 2017 and works… Read more »
University students, why are you pursuing a higher education? For most of us, the answer is simple: we want to gain the skills required to get good jobs in our chosen fields of expertise. We go to school so we can reach our full potential and achieve our goals. Since we’ve been sentient, we’ve been… Read more »
It is getting to be that time of year when students nearing the end of their program are trying to decide whether to make the pilgrimage to Athabasca for convocation or not. I decided early that I wanted to make it there, I wanted to walk that stage and be handed the degree I had… Read more »
Does wisdom expire? Well, some words of wisdom go cliché—like worn-out metaphors. For instance, I sigh when I read how leaders should act as servants. I nod-off when I read the 80-20 rule. There’s nothing new in either. But some wisdom we can’t escape. Consider the guilt felt when we fall behind in courses. Or… Read more »
Sshhhhh draw the curtains closed unplug thoughts and plans slip softly, slow-ly deeply down into a silken silence enshrouded in night-time noiselessness soul sealed in a velvet envelope captured in the present moment the chaos of life dissolves from Ambition! Action! Achievement! to a world condensed to taciturnity luxurious lullaby of unspoken words… Read more »
If you plan to make gym-going a lifestyle, learn the etiquette. First rule for new gym-goers? Don’t chat—especially if you’re female. You want to keep training for as long as possible, right? Then, don’t get duped by Ed the gym playboy. Truly, he doesn’t mean well. I’m in my fifties or sixties, you might think…. Read more »