Learn Something New Every Week
Nothing shakes off the winter doldrums quite like immersing yourself in a fascinating new topic presented by a passionate expert. At SCS our University Lecture Series (ULS) is designed to do just that, with thought-provoking discussions that span the worlds of business, publishing, politics, cinema, AI, and beyond.
Each week, scholars and thought leaders bring fresh insights to the stage, inviting you to question assumptions, consider new perspectives, and spark meaningful conversations. Whether you’re passionate about a specific topic or eager to broaden your horizons, the ULS offers an engaging hour of discovery and dialogue.
Join us in person on the St. George campus for this season’s lineup, hosted by the University of Toronto School of Continuing Studies’ Dean Dr. Catherine Chandler-Crichlow. Registration is open now.
This winter’s lectures include:
Date: January 23
Speaker: Mark Blevia, A Senior Executive at Commissionaires Great Lakes
Title: Beyond Service: Integrating Veterans and Reservists for a Competitive Workforce
Canada’s veteran and reservist community represents a significant, often underutilized talent pool. They bring transferable skills — teamwork, leadership, adaptability, and operational excellence — that can strengthen any organization.
Mark will share firsthand insights from Commissionaires, Canada’s largest employer of veterans, and demonstrate how this not-for-profit has thrived for a century in a competitive for-profit industry by leveraging military experience. You’ll leave with practical strategies for integrating veterans and reservists into your workforce and cultivating a strong military-civilian culture.
Whether you’re an HR professional, operations leader, or business executive, this session will help you build a more competitive organization while supporting those who have served.
Biography: Mark Blevis is a senior executive at Commissionaires Great Lakes, where he leads key functions including finance, legal, IT, partnerships, marketing, governance, and facilities. His work builds on a rich background in security, public affairs, and digital communications.
Previously, Mark spent over a decade specializing in brand and reputation management, online advocacy, and litigation support. He was a frequent media analyst on digital influence in politics and public affairs, appearing on CTV, CBC, and in major publications. During this period, Mark conducted extensive Canadian-centric research on digital activism, online movements, and the impact of technology on public opinion.
He co-authored the Amazon bestselling book TOUCH: Five Factors to Growing and Leading a Human Organization, which explores how to bring humanity into tech-driven interactions.
His career has included unique experiences with Canada’s military, including sailing aboard HMCS Calgary and participating in an Executrek program at CFB Petawawa. As one of Canada’s first podcasters (2005), Mark became a community builder, conference organizer, and a voice on digital engagement.
Date: January 30
Speaker: Wendy Cecil, Chair, U of T’s President’s Circle; former Chair, Governing Council
Title: To be announced
Date: February 6
Speaker: William H. Smalley, M.B.A., CSP, FBEI
Title: The Art of Influence: Turning Conflict into Opportunity
Conflict isn’t just inevitable; it’s a powerful catalyst for growth when managed effectively. This lecture will explore how persuasion and negotiation can transform challenging situations into opportunities for collaboration and innovation. Participants will gain practical insights into communication strategies that foster inclusive decision-making, strengthen leadership and relationships.
Biography: William H. Smalley, MBA, CSP, FBEI is an international consultant, trainer, and keynote speaker with over 30 years experience in business strategy, marketing, and domestic and international business development. He is an active consultant and trainer in the private sector on Intelligent Selling™, negotiation, leadership, teambuilding, and presentation skills. He holds an EMBA from the Rotman School and is a Fellow of the Business Excellence Institute.
Date: February 13
Speaker: Steve Orsini, President and CEO, Council of Ontario Universities
Title: Ontario Universities: Partnering for Jobs and Growth
This presentation outlines how Ontario’s universities are partnering with the province to drive talent, innovation, and economic growth at a time of rising student demand and mounting financial pressures. It highlights universities’ contributions to key provincial priorities — from advanced manufacturing and clean energy to life sciences, critical minerals, and AI — while detailing the significant revenue declines stemming from funding and revenue constraints, inflation, and reduced international enrolments. The presentation underscores growing domestic demand, the growing number of unfunded students, and the cuts universities have already made, and it sets out a funding plan to sustain student access, research, commercialization capacity, and Ontario’s long-term competitiveness.
Biography: Steve Orsini is President and CEO of the Council of Ontario Universities. Prior to this role, Steve held several leadership positions in the Ontario Public Service, including Secretary of the Cabinet, Deputy Minister of Finance and Secretary of the Treasury Board, and Deputy Minister of Revenue. Steve also held several leadership positions at the Ontario Hospital Association, including Vice-President of Policy and Public Affairs. Steve is a member of the Fiscal Federalism Policy Network, a Board Member of the Ontario Brain Institute and Canadian Ditchley Foundation, and a Senior Fellow at the C.D. Howe Institute.
Steve holds a Bachelor of Applied Arts in Urban and Regional Planning and a Master’s in Environmental Studies.
Date: February 20
Speaker: Dr. Terri Hewitt, CEO, Surrey Place
Title: To be announced
Date: February 27
Speaker: Joe Wong, Vice-President, International, and Professor of Political Science at the University of Toronto
Title: Inclusive Development: Why It’s the Cornerstone of Democracy
What makes democracy truly thrive? Professor Joseph Wong argues it’s not just free elections; it’s inclusive development. Inclusive development means improving lives through education, healthcare, jobs, and opportunities—ensuring no one is left behind. In his acclaimed book From Development to Democracy: The Transformations of Modern Asia (with Dan Slater), Wong explores why inclusive development is the ultimate foundation for political stability.
Drawing on research in over 35 countries through the Reach Alliance, Wong brings this idea to life. His powerful stories and real-world examples reveal what it takes to “leave no one behind,” and why inclusive development is essential for strong, resilient democracies in Canada and around the world today.
Learn more about the Reach Alliance.
Biography: Joseph Wong is Vice President, International, and Professor of Political Science at the University of Toronto. He previously served as the Ralph and Roz Halbert Professor of Innovation at the Munk School of Global Affairs & Public Policy and held the Canada Research Chair in Democratization, Health and Development.
His research focuses on comparative public policy and political economy, with work published in leading journals such as The Lancet, Governance, and Comparative Political Studies. He is the author of From Development to Democracy: The Transformations of Modern Asia (Princeton, 2022) and several other books on innovation, health, and development.
Professor Wong founded the Reach Alliance and has led initiatives on poverty, innovation, and global development. He previously directed the Asian Institute at the Munk School and received the Faculty’s Outstanding Teaching Award in 2013.
Date: March 6
Speaker: Jessica Mosher, President, Publisher and CEO, University of Toronto Press and University of Toronto Bookstore
Title: Publishing in the Age of AI
This session offers an inside look at how artificial intelligence is rapidly reshaping the world of publishing—from scholarly journals and textbooks to the books we browse in stores. It shows how AI is changing the way research is conducted, how authors create, and how students learn, while also prompting publishers to rethink licensing, workflows, and editorial practices. The talk explores how AI is streamlining distribution, improving metadata, and reshaping supply chain decisions, all of which influence how readers discover new books and ideas. It also highlights the evolving role of bookstores as vibrant, community driven spaces that stand out amid increasingly algorithmic recommendation systems. Taken together, these insights reveal the opportunities, tensions, and big decisions facing the publishing industry as AI becomes woven into every stage of the content journey.
Biography: Jessica Mosher brings more than 25 years of leadership experience in publishing and educational technology to her role as President, Publisher, and Chief Executive Officer of University of Toronto Press (UTP), which she joined in November 2021. UTP is Canada’s largest scholarly press, publishing hundreds of books, and journals across academic, trade, and higher education. Beyond publishing, UTP plays a pivotal role in the broader industry through UTP Distribution (UTPD), which fulfills orders for all English-language Canadian university presses and numerous U.S. and U.K. scholarly publishers, as well as a wide range of trade and educational partners. UTP also operates the University of Toronto Bookstores across three campuses, serving more than 100,000 students and 15,000 faculty members.
Date: March 13
Speaker: Charlie Keil, is Principal of Innis College and a Professor in the Cinema Studies Institute and the Department of History at the University of Toronto
Title: Has Streaming Killed the Movie Star? How Digital Platforms Changed Hollywood
Are movie stars still the kings and queens of Hollywood? Has streaming killed dulled their shine? In the golden age of the studio system, stars like Clark Gable and Bette Davis guaranteed box-office success, and studios built entire films around their power to pull in audiences. Even after the studio system collapsed, stars remained central to film marketing and persisted as cultural icons.
Today, things look very different. Franchises dominate, algorithms rule, and many wonder if the era of the movie star is over. This lecture briefly touches on the rise of film stardom from cinema’s early decades to its glory days during the studio era. It then focuses on the decline of the movie star, exploring how streaming platforms like Netflix have reshaped the economics of fame. Join us to uncover what happened, and what this shift means for the future of film and celebrity culture.
Biography: Charlie Keil is Principal of Innis College and a Professor in the Cinema Studies Institute and the Department of History at the University of Toronto. His research centers on early and silent American cinema, but he has also published on documentary, stardom, and film modernism. His most recent publication is The Oxford Handbook of Silent Cinema and his current projects include an exploration of the origins of Hollywood and an anthology devoted to the work of film scholar David Bordwell.
Professor Keil teaches both undergraduate and graduate courses in film history, analysis, and historiography. He is a recipient of multiple teaching awards, including the University of Toronto’s President’s Teaching Award and the Society for Cinema and Media Studies Distinguished Pedagogy Award.
Date: March 20
Speaker: To be announced
Date: March 27
Speaker: Dr. Rhonda McEwan, President and Vice-Chancellor, Victoria University at the University of Toronto
Title: To be announced
Biography: Dr. Rhonda N. McEwen is President and Vice-Chancellor of Victoria University in the University of Toronto, overseeing its academic and administrative operations. She became Victoria’s 14th president in July 2022. Previously, Dr. McEwen served as Vice-Principal, Academic and Dean at U of T Mississauga, where she led academic programs, planning, and policy. She also directed the Institute of Communication, Culture, Information & Technology, transforming it into a stand-alone unit and launching a professional certificate in digital media and technology.
Dr. McEwen holds an MBA in Information Technology (City University, London), an MSc in Telecommunications (University of Colorado), and a PhD in Information (University of Toronto). A former special advisor on Anti-Racism and Equity, Dr. McEwen’s research focuses on emerging technologies, including mobile communication, virtual reality, social networks, and human-robot interaction.
Register today to secure your spot in the University of Toronto School of Continuing Studies University Lecture Series.
Register for the University Lecture Series today to secure your spot!