Cornered by Ann Choi
Drinking the Ocean by Saad Omar Khan
The Alchemist’s Seal by Karin J. MacHardy
Behind God’s Back by Sabrina Ramnanan

The Marina Nemat Award is a $1000 cash award for the top final project submitted by a graduating Creative Writing Certificate student in the past year. The award is made possible thanks in part to the generosity of writer and Creative Writing Certificate Graduate, Marina Nemat. Her final project, the international best-selling memoir Prisoner of Tehran, has now been published in 28 countries. She has since authored the follow-up memoir After Tehran.

The winner will be chosen by an esteemed panel of Canadian publishing industry professionals: Diane Turbide, Publishing Director at Penguin Group Canada; Mark Medley, Books Editor, National Post; and Melanie Little, Senior Editor, House of Anansi Press.

Previous winners include Ken Murray, Anne Perdue, Janice Colbert, and Kate Braithwaite. Anne Perdue’s final project was published by Insomniac Press in 2009 as part of her story collection I’m a Registered Nurse Not a Whore.

Please take time to explore our course offerings and see what else is new and exciting as we prepare for the upcoming Winter 2012 term. You now have a number of ways to find the courses you’re looking for: you can download an interactive PDF of our course catalogue, browse via via the left navigation menu or the top drop down menu, or search via an interactive course calendar. This feature allows you to sort based on the decision factors that are important to you. Just select the subject, stream, term, and location of interest to narrow the results to suit your needs.

We also welcome you to try our new Live Help option, where you can have a live chat with one of our helpful agents, and have your questions answered on the spot.

Now, it is easier than ever to discover opportunities to expand your horizons. Whether you wish to advance your career or deepen your engagement with the world of ideas, the School of Continuing Studies makes it easier to learn more.

An award-winning poet, Ken Babstock has been teaching poetry at the School of Continuing Studies for ten years. This summer he will lead the poetry workshop at our popular U of T Summer Writing School from July 16 – 20 and in September he will teach the Poetry Master Class (1689 – 009).

Congratulations, Ken, from all of us at the University of Toronto School of Continuing Studies.

For more information about the Griffin Poetry Prize please visit: http://www.griffinpoetryprize.com/.

Recently, SCS Instructor Thomas Holmes was presented with the Fellow Certified Human Resource Professional award. It is a distinguished title that recognizes exceptional HR Professionals in Canada who have made outstanding contributions to the human resources profession and their communities. The FCHRP is a Leadership Award held by only five individuals in Canada. We congratulate Tom on this distinguished designation.

Thomas Holmes is an HR specialist, executive, and public speaker. He runs his own Executive Search practice, and is active on both the HRPAO and Toronto Board of Trade committees. He teaches SCS 0987 Human Resource Management and SCS 0988 Organizational Behaviour at the School of Continuing Studies.

The Canadian Council of Human Resources Associations is a collaborative effort of human resources associations from across Canada. The Human Resources Professional Association (HRPA) is the governing body for the province of Ontario. Daphne Fitzgerald, Chair of the HRPA, presented Tom with the prestigious award.

9 March 2012

Westoll’s account of the months he spent volunteering and becoming acquainted with thirteen rescued chimpanzees in an animal refuge in Quebec also made the 2012 Canada Reads Top 40 and is a finalist for the BC National Award for Canadian Non-Fiction.

The Charles Taylor Prize is awarded yearly to the author whose work of Canadian literary non-fiction displays excellence, elegance, and subtlety of thought and perception.  115 books were submitted this year by 35 publishers around the globe.  The prestigious book award was established in 1998 to commemorate the life and work of the late Charles Taylor, celebrated author of literary non-fiction. The award enhances appreciation of the genre, and encourages excellence in style.

Westoll will be teaching  SCS 1691-029 – Creative Non-Fiction: Introduction this semester, and the new SCS 2697-001 – Writing True Stories offered at the School of Continuing Studies in Scarborough in the Spring. He will also teach SCS 1664-169 – Creating Writing: Introduction in the Fall.

 5 March 2012

The New York Times Knowledge Network is an initiative that offers adult and continuing education in the form of online courses, programs, and webcasts. Making the tailored, practical programs available online allows students greater learning flexibility while working full-time.

Building on decades of educational involvement, the NYT Knowledge Network offers a wide range of degree and credit programs. “The New York Times Knowledge Network has been growing its co-branded online offerings with colleges and universities, and the ability to offer a new way for professionals to enhance their existing careers or branch into new fields is an exciting addition,” said Felice Nudelman, executive director, education, The New York Times Company.

The School of Continuing Studies has offered courses through the Knowledge Network since 2009. “We have students in these courses from all over the world,” says Lee Gowan, Head of the Creative Writing program at SCS, “It’s exciting for emerging writers to be able to refine their craft in a global classroom.”

SCS Courses offered through the Knowledge Network:

• Creative Writing: Introduction
  January 23 – March 30, 2012
  April 9 – June 15, 2012, Registration closed.
• Memories into Story: Introduction to Life Writing
  April 9 – June 15, 2012, Registration closed.
• Mystery Writing Workshop
  April 16 – June 22, 2012, Registration closed.
• Poetry: Introduction
  April 16 – June 22, 2012, Registration closed.
• Screenwriting: Introduction
  February 6 – April 13, 2012, Registration closed.
  April 23 – June 29, 2012, Registration closed.
• The Art of Fact: An Introduction to Writing Nonfiction
  January 23 – March 30, 2012, Registration closed.
• The Great Escape: Writing Fantasy
  April 16 – June 22, 2012, Registration closed.
• Writer’s Talk: Writing Through Reading
  April 9 – June 1, 2012, Registration closed.
• Writing for Children: Introduction
  April 23 – June 29, 2012, Registration closed.
• Writing Short Fiction: Introduction
  April 16 – June 22, 2012, Registration closed.
• Writing the Novel II
  April 16 – June 8, 2012, Registration closed.
• Writing the Novel: Introduction
  January 23 – March 30, 2012
  April 9 – June 15, 2012, Registration closed.

24 February 2012

Westoll’s account of the months he spent volunteering and becoming acquainted with thirteen rescued chimpanzees in an animal refuge in Quebec also made the 2012 Canada Reads Top 40 and is a finalist for the BC National Award for Canadian Non-Fiction.

The Charles Taylor Prize is awarded yearly to the author whose work of literary non-fiction displays excellence, elegance, and subtlety of thought and perception.  The winner of the $25,000 award will be announced in March.

Westoll will be teaching  SCS 1691-029 – Creative Non-Fiction: Introduction this semester, and the new SCS 2697-001 – Writing True Stories which will be offered at the School of Continuing Studies in Scarborough in the Spring.

Marina Nemat graduated from the SCS Creative Writing Certificate program, where she developed her debut book Prisoner of Tehran, before becoming an instructor with the School. Prisoner of Tehran will be defended by Arlene Dickinson, CEO of a major marketing company and panellist on CBC’s “Dragons’ Den.”

Dave Bidini’s first book, On a Cold Road, will be defended by Stacey McKenzie, Canadian model and judge on Canada’s Next Top Model. Bidini, singer/songwriter of The Rheostatics, is scheduled to teach Songwriting (SCS 1720) beginning in April 2012. Marina Nemat will teach Writing the Memoir (SCS 1769) in the upcoming Spring/Summer semester.

Congratulations to our accomplished instructors.

The School of Continuing Studies’ Creative Writing Program is an emerging hub for Toronto’s literary community. If you would like to find out more, please visit our website, order a free copy of our course catalogue, or call us at 416-978-2400.

25 November 2011

Each year, SCS staff has increased its total donation to this worthwhile charity. In 2007, the inaugural year of the campaign, staff contributed a total of $1055 plus food and unwrapped gift items. 2008 saw $1125 in assistance, followed by $1725 in 2009. Last year’s donation totalled $2575. This year, SCS has continued the tradition of surpassing previous years with a grand total of $2720! That is a 157% increase in donations from year one.

Money is raised amongst the staff with two Jingle Bells raffles. The traditional raffle includes prizes donated by generous friends of the School, with a number of secret hot ticket items reserved for the Jingle Bells Mystery Raffle.

Thank you to the volunteers on the Jingle Bells committee for bringing the spirit of giving to the School of Continuing Studies.

2 December 2011