Nipissing WUSC committee wins award

Nipissing University’s local World University Service of Canada (WUSC) committee was recently honoured with the Local Committee of the Year award for their work with student refugee sponsorship and international development.

The award was presented at WUSC’s 64th Annual Assembly in Ottawa. Nearly 400 students, alumni and prestigious guests from across Canada attended. The Local Committee of the Year award recognizes Canadian students who have demonstrated an outstanding commitment and contribution to international development. It is awarded by the WUSC Board of Directors.

Formed in 2003 with six members, WUSC Nipissing has been very active in raising awareness of international development issues.   The committee recently welcomed its third sponsored student through WUSC’s Student Refugee Program, and is working to increase financial support in order to be able to welcome a refugee student every year.

Other notable achievements include two Shine a Light Flashlight mobs, a weekend-long educate-a-thon for HIV and AIDS and the university’s annual International Food Fest, which raises thousands of dollars for the WUSC Student Refugee Program.

Several WUSC Local Committee members participated in the WUSC Annual General Assembly in early November, in which Nipissing’s achievements were recognized.  Also attending from Nipissing were Dr. Katherine Bergman, Vice-President Academic and Research, and Karen Strang, international services and programs administrator, who established the WUSC Local Committee at Nipissing U in 2003.

“The energy level and unlimited creativity of our students and the participation of our extended community reflects the local WUSC committee’s achievements,” said Bergman. “Congratulations to the Nipissing students on winning the 2010 Local Committee of the Year award.”

About World University Service of Canada:

WUSC is a non-profit organization dedicated to human development and global understanding through education and training. WUSC has local committees in more than 80 university and college campuses across Canada, along with development projects in 22 countries overseas
 
WUSC Local Committees are comprised of students, staff and faculty members at Canadian universities. This WUSC website explains the missions and activities of local committees: www.wusc.ca/en/campus/students

The Nipissing University Local WUSC Committee invites the greater Nipissing community to become involved in our committee. We are seeking new members including students and also interested staff and faculty to join. Read on to explore what we are doing and how you might become involved.

The slogan for the Nipissing University Local WUSC Committee is Students for a Better World.
 
For more information about current initiatives and to join the Nipissing University Local WUSC Committee, please visit the website: www.nipissingu.ca/international/  and click on WUSC
 
Nipissing University Local WUSC Committee meetings are scheduled for 11:30 a.m. –12:30 p.m. in room A201, in the International Resource Centre, on the following dates in 2011:

Jan.  13, 18, 27
Feb. 1, 10, 15, 24
March 1, 10, 15, 24, 29