Well-being hours: employees learn about honey and how to extract it
November 6th, 2024
As part of the College’s Well-Being for All initiative, the Sustainability department offered a Honey Extraction workshop Oct. 30. The initiative has been set up to allow employees to have a break from their work routine, to promote inclusivity, to build a sense of community, and to improve collaboration between employees as well as promoting learning and growth. Keeping in mind those goals, the Honey Extraction workshop really fit the bill.
Led by Jennifer De Vera, the workshop was chock full of interesting information and hands-on experience. The 12 employees in attendance learned about the life cycle of bees, jobs they do such as nurses, builders, cleaners, etc., and how honey is made and how it can be extracted. Besides all the interesting information Jennifer gave us, she also invited us to extract honey from the honeycombs. We uncapped a couple of frames then learned that the honey is extracted using a machine that uses centrifugal force. A few gave that honey a spin then a couple of people scraped the honey to the bottom, and we poured it into small jars. Each participant was able to take home one jar of honey.
Dawson recently began to raise and take care of our bees. We no longer have an outside company to do this. This means more work (for Jennifer) but the experience of doing this really has brought us closer to our bees.
It only took a mere one hour for all of us in attendance to have a newfound respect for what these small insects are able to accomplish in their short lives and really care about the thousands of bees we share our beautiful property with. A great way to learn about these amazing insects and form a strong bond with the world around us.
─Submitted by Carey-Ann Pawsey
October 24th, 2024
The Mental Health Fair is a student event happening on Wednesday, Nov. 13 from 11 AM to 2 PM in the Lower Atrium. Its purpose is to bring a diverse array of community-based resources to Dawson students to promote and support their well-being and mental health. Organizations providing support in the following areas will be…
October 24th, 2024
Food Justice is a core tenet of well-being-for-all. This is why the Office of Sustainability, the Peace Centre, Student Services, and the Dawson Student Union (DSU) have teamed up this year to expand free and healthy accessible meals to our community up to four days a week. Since Sept. 9, the Dawson Community can grab…
Honey extraction workshop Oct. 30
October 24th, 2024
Did you know we have two honey beehives on Dawson's rooftop?
The Office of Sustainability recently led a honey extraction workshop with Brian Mader's Biology of Sustainability course and next week employees are invited to harvest their own honey.
Approximately 30 biology students came last week. They had to get their hands dirty, or should I say their fingers sticky, and help extract honey from our bee frames located in the 4H rooftop hives.
Our bees are still young, but still produced a lot of honey thanks to our many pollinating flower gardens on campus, which are all maintained by our very own Sustainabili-team student and employee volunteers.
We will be offering a honey extraction workshop to employees on Wednesday, October 30 from 11 AM to 12 PM in the Rose Lounge (7C.5) This can be a great use of well-being hours for employees! The fun-filled hour will include uncapping honeycomb cells, hand-spinning honeycombs in the centrifugal extractor, and filtering the raw honey before jarring and labelling it.
All employees will leave with a little sample jar of Dawson's honey. To sign up, please fill out this .
Space is limited. The Office of Sustainability will send you a confirmation email.
─Submitted by Jennifer de Vera
Dawson community has now identified 1,000 species on campus!
October 10th, 2024
The Dawson community has now reached the goal of identifying 1,000 species on our downtown Montreal urban campus!
One of the species identified was the Red-Shouldered Hawk, photographed by Doug Smyth (Faculty, Physical Education).
Students, graduates, faculty and staff gained so much from the project.
Dawson Environmental Science graduate Ruisi Yang said: "This project boosted my confidence in the potential of making urban environments more sustainable and friendly to both people and the local biodiversity."
Current Dawson student Graham Alain said: "This project made me realize how many species could truly make use of such a small area. I would've initially guessed that fewer than 200 species would've inhabited the campus...This project will hopefully have an impact on how I treat my local environment, such as my lawn and back yard. I'm rethinking how important these places are..."
Teacher Adamo Petosa said: "We are surrounded by something extraordinary. We simply have to take the time to explore. Taking part in this project was akin to finding the key to "a secret garden", waiting to share its secrets. We are not alone on campus. Rather, we are less than one in a thousand.
"The 1000 species project gives hope. In the midst of concrete and traffic, exhaust and bustle, a tiny campus besieged by a battalion of buildings manages to sustain life at a scale I could have never fathomed. Over 1,000 species here, within this tiny oasis - living, growing and thriving. I'm also incredibly grateful to those who made such a campus possible and to those who ensure its upkeep."
More to come on the impact of this extraordinary project that has inspired Dawson and many outside of Dawson to connect to Nature.
Petition still collecting signatures for Indigenous rights
September 26th, 2024
is still open. At time of publication, the signature count was at 2,303.
The National Day for Truth and Reconciliation on Monday, Sept. 30 is another good opportunity to share it on social media and invite people you know to sign the petition as a concrete gesture of solidarity with Indigenous peoples in Quebec.
It is expected that the deadline may be extended to give more time to widen the mobilization and get more signatures.
English petition:
French petition:
Insightful mental health information on Station SME website
September 26th, 2024
We often encounter students who are in distress, but we, as staff members, don’t always know how to address them. You can find insightful mental health information on the , which was developed as a part of the Ministère de l'Enseignement supérieur’s .
Station SME is a mental health resource divided into two sections that includes (1) mental health tools for students and (2) information for staff members on how to support student mental health. You can explore different themes, like crisis management, access toolkits and view initiatives from other higher education institutions.
Visit the link to go to the Station SME website.
─Submitted by Caroline Blouin
September 26th, 2024
This is a reminder of the mandatory Sexual Violence Prevention Training: Systems of Oppression and Intersectionality. All employees are required to complete this 15-minute module as part of our ongoing efforts to foster a respectful workplace. Please ensure you complete the training by following the instructions below: Video Training Link: Click here to access the…
September 26th, 2024
Contents of an Inclusion Kit Sound Blockers: noise cancelling earmuffs that improve students’ focus. Fidget Toys: a small object (preferably one that fits in the student’s hand), that can be squeezed, pulled, or moved around as a student is sitting and listening, or writing a test. Timers: visual or digital timer that helps students to…
Save lives by donating blood Oct. 1-2 at Dawson
September 26th, 2024
HÉMA-Québec will be running a blood drive on campus in 3C.1 on Tuesday, Oct.1 and Wednesday, Oct. 2 from 9 AM to 3 PM. You can make an appointment in advance by visiting the link or calling 1-800-343-7264.
Donating blood can seem intimidating, but it’s an easy and painless process that can help save someone’s life.
No reservation is necessary this time; walk-in's are welcome. Free snacks and feel-good feeling guaranteed!
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Last Modified: November 6, 2024
