FEATURES

3:35 P.M.
The Fashion Zone is one of the university’s 10 business incubators, providing collaborative space for emerging entrepreneurs.

4:51 P.M.
A business class at TRSM.

5:46 P.M.
The Student Learning Centre is Ryerson’s “library of the 21st century.”

One of this year’s winners is Headache Sciences Inc., a technology that could change the way headaches are diagnosed, through an objective technology that can diagnose migraine sufferers with 93 per cent accuracy. A mature student, CEO Wes Leewis chose to develop the business through the master of engineering innovation and entrepreneurship program after a long career as president and founder of various tech companies. “As a seasoned engineer, I want Canada to be successful, and I want young people to be successful,” he says. “The tools now available to engineers significantly reduce development cycles and project risks. I think the opportunities for young people are unbounded, and I think it’s the responsibility of my generation to help them.”

Ryerson University is at the forefront of health-care education innovation. At t he Daphne Cock well School of Nursing, Jasna Schwind teaches “humanness-of-care” using various creative self-expression approaches, such as mindfulness, metaphoric reflection, storytelling, drawing and reflective dialogue. Schwind describes the state of nursing curricula of two decades ago, when she first started focusing on creative teaching approaches, as a camera on a tripod: “In nursing curricula we did a great job of pulling out the legs of knowledge and skill, but the leg of caring was often left to chance. Today, holistic nursing education and practice are more balanced and integrated.”

A key component of Schwind’s teaching philosophy is to “start with ourselves.” To that end, she guides students to discover who they are as “instruments-of-care.”

Schwind believes that mindfully engaging in meaningful creative activities, and reflecting on these individually and with peers, not only supports professional practice, but also builds stronger communities. “It’s a way of being,” she says.

1993
Ryerson is granted full university status by the Ontario government, opening the door for graduate programs and funded research

2000
Ryerson launches first graduate programs