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From Loss to Literary Voice: How SCS Helped One Writer Rebuild Her Life

“This program re-opened my world—not just at writing, but at rebuilding my life.” - Melissa Williams, SCS learner

What’s New • Date Posted: 06/12/2025

2024 Excellence in Teaching Award Winners Announced

“These educators do more than share knowledge; they spark curiosity, inspire confidence, and empower learners to reach their full potential.” - SCS Dean Catherine Chandler-Crichlow

Each year, the University of Toronto School of Continuing Studies honours exceptional instructors who exemplify the highest standards of teaching in adult education. The SCS Excellence in Teaching Awards are inspired by nominations from learners who recognize instructors that have gone above and beyond to create engaging, meaningful, and supportive learning experiences.

“These educators do more than share knowledge; they spark curiosity, inspire confidence, and empower learners to reach their full potential,” says SCS Dean Catherine Chandler-Crichlow. “Their unwavering dedication to student success and passion for lifelong learning is truly inspiring. We are proud to recognize and celebrate their remarkable contributions to our community.”

The Excellence in Teaching Award winners for the 2023–2024 academic year are:

Hamideh Bastani-Parizi – Business and Professional Studies
Learners praise Bastani-Parizi for her patience in sharing her wealth of engineering knowledge and her willingness to go above and beyond to help them meet their goals of finding Canadian employment through the successful completion of a Professional Engineering Exam. Their one complaint? They wish they had even more time with her.

Jim Lewis – Business and Professional Studies
Jim Lewis is described by learners as an exceptionally dedicated instructor who creates an engaging and supportive learning environment in his Records & Information Management Strategies classroom. His ability to bring real-life examples into the classroom, drawn from his many years of professional experience, helps learners to bridge the gap between theory and practical application, and his passion for his subject is contagious.

Marcia O’Connor – Business and Professional Studies
Learners say that Marcia O’Connor’s teaching has a profound impact on both their personal and professional growth. While sharing her vast experience in Facilities Management, she takes a kind, caring, and humour-filled approach to teaching, and instills in learners the importance of perseverance, curiosity, and integrity.

Kevin Temple - Arts and Science
Kevin Temple is described as a passionate, knowledgeable, and open-minded instructor by learners in his Philosophy courses. He encourages respectful, lively discussion, and challenges learners to see the deep issues in politics in a way that allows them to understand the news and to participate in civic life more thoughtfully.

Patricia Westerhof – Creative Writing
Learners describe Patricia Westerhof as a kind, positive, and dedicated instructor and mentor with a gift for putting her Creative Writing class participants at ease in what can be a vulnerable space for emerging writers. She fosters a sense of community in her classroom, and challenges learners to step out of their comfort zones to create meaningful work.

Soonae Bac – Languages and Translation
Soonae Bac has an infectious enthusiasm for the Korean language that her learners pick up on immediately. In addition to sharing her impressive knowledge in an engaging manner, they share that she also models integrity, empathy, and respect, creating a classroom atmosphere where learners feel valued and motivated.

Michelle McAdorey – Outstanding New Instructor
With impressive knowledge and experience, Michelle McAdorey leads her Songwriting classes with a style and passion all her own, say learners. She creates a classroom environment that is safe, connective, and brimming with creativity, ensuring her learners feel worthy, respected and eager to share.

Tiziano Vanola – Online Teaching
Tiziano Vanola is described by learners as a patient, humorous and passionate Italian Language instructor. He is engaging, clear, and thorough when explaining concepts and answering questions. Learners who initially had reservations about online learning find that they are progressing faster than they thought possible in his classes.

Shafi Bhuiyan – Career Impact
Learners from Shafi Bhuiyan’s Healthcare classes describe him as a passionate and dedicated instructor who goes above and beyond to help them reach their goals. He is innovative, adaptable, and keeps current with the latest skills and knowledge his learners need to succeed in their careers.

Congratulations to all of this year’s inspiring winners!

What’s New • Date Posted: 05/30/2025

Announcing the 2025 Marina Nemat Award Winners

Celebrating excellence in poetry and fantasy writing at the University of Toronto School of Continuing Studies.

We are thrilled to announce the winners of the final Marina Nemat Award, honouring the most promising learners to complete the Creative Writing Certificate at the University of Toronto School of Continuing Studies.

This year’s award spotlighted poetry and fantasy writing, two genres that exemplify the depth and imagination of our program’s vibrant creative community. From lyrical meditations on memory and identity to richly imagined journeys across time and worlds, the shortlisted projects demonstrated the exceptional talent nurtured by our learners.

Congratulations to the 2025 Marina Nemat Award recipients:

Poetry: Kathe Gray
Car Radio At Night Nearly Home

Kathe Gray is a doctoral candidate in Theatre and Performance Studies at York University in Toronto. She holds a certificate in creative writing from the University of Toronto's School of Continuing Studies, where she was the 2021 recipient of the Penguin Random House of Canada Student Fiction award. Her creative writing has appeared in Carousel, Great Lakes Review, Room, and Versal, and on stage at the Toronto Fringe Festival. She and her family live on the treaty lands and territory of the Mississaugas of the Credit in Guelph, Ontario.

Car Radio At Night Nearly Home tunes into the quiet frequencies of everyday life—absence, memory, and tenderness—flickering between voices, moods, and landscapes. This collection hums with grit, longing, and the uncanny shimmer of the ordinary.

The jury shared the following about Gray’s collection: “With incisive imagery, tenderness, and a wide-ranging sensibility, Kathe Gray’s poetry collection, Car Radio at Night Nearly Home, introduces readers to an original new talent. Gray's lines are keenly measured; her poetics both subtle and highly evolved. It's poetry that at once surprises with its insight (‘you're a boxcar’) and makes perfect sense of an imperfect world: ‘Cirrus sky, a contrail, trace of a traveller gone.’”

Fantasy: Maude Abouche
Where Spider Lilies Bloom

Maude Abouche, writing as Madi Haab, is a queer and neurodivergent writer of Moroccan descent from Tiohtià:ke/Montréal. She has lived and studied in Japan, and draws inspiration from her mixed cultural heritage and identities to explore the liminal and interstitial. Her work has received honourable mentions from the 2023 Penguin Random House Student Award for Fiction and 2024 Janice Colbert Poetry Award, and has appeared in Augur Magazine, Haven Speculative, and more.

Where Spider Lilies Bloom: After a nasty breakup leaves her stranded in the Japanese countryside, Montrealer-turned-Tokyoite Lily has an ill-advised hookup with a mysterious stranger named Tadao in an abandoned temple. Unable to put him out of her mind, she returns to the temple to look for him, but slips into a liminal realm during her search and ends up in feudal Japan. There she crosses his path again, defying time itself. Faced with betrayal, revenge, and the very real ghosts of the samurai family they’re both bound to protect, Lily and Tadao try to make sense of their fateful bond, while their choices not only affect their present, but ripple across centuries.

The jury shared the following: “From the first pages of Where the Spider Lilies Bloom I knew I was in the hands of a confident and gifted craftsperson—the dialogue (internal and external) is sharp and energetic, the characters beautifully drawn and alive on the page, and the setting/world building rich and atmospheric. The emotional connection is strong from the start, and it was painful to leave these people behind, I was already so invested in their lives! Not to mention the very intriguing storylines that have been so elegantly set in motion.”

We extend our thanks to the juries for their time and thoughtful consideration:

Poetry Jury:
Michael Holmes, Executive Editor, ECW Press
Elizabeth Philips, Editorial Director, Thistledown Press
Vanessa Stauffer, Managing Editor, Biblioasis

Fantasy Jury:
Lara Hinchberger, Executive Editor, Penguin Canada
M.C. Joudrey, Writer and Publisher, At Bay Press
A.G.A. Wilmot, Writer and Editor

What’s New • Date Posted: 05/28/2025

5 Ways SCS Makes Learning Accessible

“We are here to help our learners reach their goals, by ensuring everyone has what they need to succeed.” – Amanda Weaver, SCS Director of EDI

At the University of Toronto School of Continuing Studies (SCS), accessibility isn’t just a checkbox. It is a core value that guides our approach to education. We believe learning should be inclusive, supportive, and empowering for everyone who comes through our virtual or physical doors. That’s why we’ve taken intentional steps to remove barriers and foster environments where everyone can thrive.

SCS Director of Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) Amanda Weaver shares five ways SCS is making learning more accessible for all:

Embedding Universal Design for Learning (UDL) Principles
We design our courses with Universal Design for Learning (UDL) principles in mind, which means building flexibility into the learning experience from the start. This includes offering multiple ways to engage with content, demonstrate understanding, and stay motivated. UDL helps us support a wide range of learning needs and preferences, creating an inclusive and effective learning experience for everyone
Fostering Inclusive and Respectful Learning Environments
We are committed to creating spaces that are free from discrimination and harassment. This includes the way we design course content, how we onboard and work with instructors, and how we facilitate interaction among learners. Our goal is to remove barriers and cultivate a sense of belonging so that all learners feel welcome and supported.
Encouraging Dialogue and Respect for Lived Experiences
Learning at SCS is a shared journey, and we believe it is our collective responsibility to engage with one another with inclusivity and respect. We create opportunities for learners to share their perspectives and experiences, striving to ensure that everyone feels seen, heard, and valued. This helps us build a stronger, more connected learning community.
Providing Personalized Support and Academic Accommodations
Every learner is different, and we recognize that success looks different for each individual. That is why we offer a variety of support services and academic accommodations, including accessibility services. We are here to help our learners meet their goals, by ensuring everyone has what they need to succeed.
Advancing Access Through Our New Accessibility Plan
Our accessibility plan reflects our commitment to continuous improvement in access and learner success. The plan outlines how we are implementing the latest Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA) postsecondary guidelines, from inclusive teaching practices to proactive programs and services. It aligns with our purpose: to strengthen human potential one individual, one organization, one community at a time.

Explore how SCS can support your goals and help you thrive in an inclusive learning environment by visiting our EDI page.

What’s New • Date Posted: 05/01/2025

Pal Saqi Creative Writing Award Finalists Announced

This new award celebrates SCS learners writing outstanding fiction.

The finalists of the inaugural University of Toronto School of Continuing Studies Pal Saqi Award for Fiction have been announced. Established by author and SCS learner Rajinderpal S. Pal, and named in honour of his father, the Pal Saqi Award for Fiction provides $2000 annually to a Creative Writing Certificate learner with the most outstanding final project. The award’s recipients are selected by a panel of Canadian publishing industry professionals.

This year’s Pal Saqi Award for Fiction finalists are:

Diana Catargiu was born and raised in Romania and moved to Canada in 2003. She lives in Mississauga, where she teaches at Sheridan College. In 2020, Diana was longlisted for the CBC Nonfiction Award, and in 2019, she won the $1000 Penguin Random House Student Award for Fiction. She was shortlisted for the same award in 2017 and 2018.

The short stories in Catargiu’s collection, Confiscated, are set in the bleak years of communist Romania or shortly after 1989, when communism collapsed. Despite being scarred by living under a totalitarian regime, the characters in these stories navigate life with grit and, often, with a sense of humour.

T.M.B. Park grew up in Saskatchewan and wrote her first short story at the age of 8 on a cutting edge electric typewriter. She happily pursued her U of T creative writing certificate while defending journalists and other creatives as a media and entertainment lawyer and travelling the world. She now balances motherhood and writing in rural Ontario.

She sums up her collection this way: "These stories mostly focus on youngish women who believe they are complicated but who actually take simple comfort in delusion as an antidote to solitude. They have familiar small town Canadian backgrounds but also a worldliness and appreciation for poetic gestures which informs the mini acts of rebellion they often engage in. They are not likeable or sensible, but I hope they are interesting."

Noa Raanan (she/her) is an Israeli Canadian writer. She has published short stories and nonfiction in Hebrew, English, and German. Her writing was displayed in Granta Hebrew Edition, Jewish Women of Words, Frankfurter Rundschau and Emerging Writers Reading Series. Currently, she is studying toward an MFA in Creative Writing at the University of Guelph and writing a novel.

Set in the summer of 2005, Jerusalem Syndrome tells the story of a young Israeli woman who arrives in Jerusalem to study Literature and Philosophy and find love. Naomi possesses a romantic view of Jerusalem, which had emerged from reading well-known Israeli novels, but Jerusalem confronts her with an intensity she was not prepared to face.

Alison Stevenson’s stories have appeared in PRISM international, The New Quarterly, Prairie Fire, Pulp Literature and elsewhere, as finalists in the Alice Munro Festival, Penguin Random House Student Fiction, and Raven Contests, and on the CBC and TNQ/Hinchcliffe longlists. She attended the University of Toronto School of Continuing Studies, the Humber writers’ school, and Iowa Writers’ Workshop summer workshop. She is completing a short story collection. Find her at alisonstevensonwriter.ca

In Groundwork we find characters on the cusp of change, remembering, loving, aspiring, grieving, searching, journeying. These stories span the Victorian era through the 1970s to the present and range from Ireland to London, Thunder Bay to Nova Scotia to Toronto, in worlds realistic and magical and... just weird.

This year’s jury is comprised of: Karen Brochu, Publisher, House of Anansi Press; Hilary Lo, Assistant Editor, Knopf Canada and Alchemy; and Leah Mol, Associate Editor, Park Row Books, Harper Collins Canada.

For more information about the Pal Saqi Award for Fiction, please visit the SCS CuriousU Blog.

What’s New • Date Posted: 04/25/2025

Meet the Finalists for the Inaugural Catherine B. Fogarty Creative Non-Fiction Award

Celebrating bold, true stories and emerging voices from the University of Toronto School of Continuing Studies Creative Writing Program.

We’re excited to announce the inaugural finalists for the Catherine B. Fogarty Creative Non-Fiction Award at the University of Toronto School of Continuing Studies.

Created by SCS learner and award-winning author Catherine B. Fogarty, the award celebrates excellence in creative non-fiction and aims to inspire emerging writers to share powerful true stories that deepen our understanding of the world around us. With a $2000 prize and a jury of publishing industry experts, the award recognizes outstanding final project manuscripts from learners in the SCS creative writing program.

Meet the talented finalists whose work embodies the spirit and purpose of this exciting new award:

Andrew W. Boyd is a graduate of Trinity College at the University of Toronto and UofT’s School of Continuing Studies Creative Writing Program. Andrew holds a master’s in Canadian social history from UofT and a doctorate in Computing from Pace University in New York. Winner of Briarpatch’s 2021 Writing in the Margins contest, he works for a global cloud services provider. Andrew resides in Western New York, in a ruinous century home with his demented rescue cat Lynx.

The Kingdom of the Dead: A senior executive tumbles into addiction and homelessness, losing his family and friends, and winding up on the streets of Toronto. Bouncing between homeless shelters, alleyways and psychiatric wards, he spends two winters on the streets fighting mid-level predators and his own mind.

Elected in 2009 as the first woman and youngest person to represent her provincial rural riding, Michelle Mungall then stepped into BC’s Cabinet in 2017 as the second woman in British Columbia's history to be minister for energy and mining. Known as a go-getter, Michelle led critical files that increased energy production, enabled climate action and supported reconciliation with Indigenous peoples. She did all of this while becoming a new mom and blazing trails for a more family friendly Parliamentary system. Since leaving public office in 2020, Michelle has completed her Creative Writing Certificate from the University of Toronto, wrote her memoir Minister Mom, and started a monthly column in The Vancouver Sun. Michelle works as a Senior Advisor for both the energy storage industry and major projects’ gender safety programs. She and her family enjoy life in Nelson, BC and all that the mountains have to offer.

“Life as a new Cabinet minister and a new mom was a never-ending quadruple loop rollercoaster. I was a pioneer – 11th of only 14 in Canadian history to give birth while a government minister, and the second woman to be a British Columbia minister of energy and mines. I wasn’t just making big decisions. I was blazing trails just by showing up.” Bringing readers behind the cameras and into the lives of the people on their election ballots, this memoir not only tells the story of B.C.’s historic minority government under John Horgan, but dives into the gendered workplace politics where the workplace is politics. Double-standards, glass ceilings, the proverbial hurdles and the old boys’ club are as real as the marble urinals found in the women’s washroom of the BC Legislature – and they only got more challenging once a baby arrived on the scene. This is undoubtedly a unique perspective on politics by someone in the middle of it all and doing things differently.

Based in Tiohtià:ke/Montréal, Nancy O’Rourke is a writer of essays and memoirs. With a PhD in sociology, specializing in human rights and social justice, she has written widely on issues affecting the rights of women and children. An emerging creative writer, she has won several awards for her essays, and is published in carte blanche, Prairie Fire and Dreamers Creative Writing, among others. In her spare time Nancy paints—abstracts and portraits—sometimes of the characters she writes about.

What the Heart Remembers When the Brain Forgets is a memoir concerning the multifaceted relationship between Nancy and her mother, Barb; one that focuses on identity and the intersection of self. In her later years, afflicted by Alzheimer’s, Barb began speaking of Nancy’s past—Nancy’s career and travels—as those of her own. This confusion was not just a quirk of her illness, but a reflection of the enmeshment that defined their connection as a whole. This memoir examines the complexities of a mother-daughter relationship, and how Nancy came to better understand her mother at a point in her life when she was seemingly no longer understandable.

Jury:

Amanda Betts, Executive Editor, Simon & Schuster, Canada

Meghan Macdonald, Publisher, Dundurn Press

Jancie Zawerbny, Editor, Harper Collins Canada

What’s New • Date Posted: 04/16/2025

Marina Nemat Award Finalists Announced

This year’s award highlights outstanding poetry and fantasy writing.

Each year, the Marina Nemat Award honours the most promising learners to complete the University of Toronto School of Continuing Studies Creative Writing certificate. Named for Marina Nemat, a graduate whose final project became the bestselling memoir, Prisoner of Tehran, the award exists thanks in part to her generous support of her fellow writers. It recognizes the most outstanding final projects in the program as selected by an esteemed panel of Canadian publishing industry professionals. Up to two $1000 awards are given annually.

Since its inception, the award has celebrated excellence across genres. This year, as we sunset the Marina Nemat award, we will be highlighting poetry and fantasy writing, showcasing the vibrant range of voices in our program.

This year’s finalists include:

Marina Nemat Award for Poetry

Bradley Alvarez is a communications professional, poet, and writer living in Richmond, British Columbia. He holds a BA in Sociology and Anthropology from Simon Fraser University (SFU) as well as a post-baccalaureate diploma in Communications (SFU). In 2022, Bradley won first prize in the University of Toronto’s Janice Colbert poetry award. He loves long road trips, trudging up mountains, and spending time with his family.

Storylines: Alvarez’ final project, Storylines, is a collection of poems rooted in the experiences that shape us. They are an exploration of family, identity and the landscapes that rise in our memories.

Kathe Gray is a doctoral candidate in Theatre and Performance Studies at York University in Toronto. She holds a certificate in creative writing from the University of Toronto's School of Continuing Studies, where she was the 2021 recipient of the Penguin Random House of Canada Student Fiction award. Her creative writing has appeared in Carousel, Great Lakes Review, Room, and Versal, and on stage at the Toronto Fringe Festival. She and her family live on the treaty lands and territory of the Mississaugas of the Credit in Guelph, Ontario.

Gray’s final project, Car Radio At Night Nearly Home tunes into the quiet frequencies of everyday life—absence, memory, and tenderness—flickering between voices, moods, and landscapes. This collection hums with grit, longing, and the uncanny shimmer of the ordinary.

Kerri Huffman is a Toronto-based poet, whose work has appeared in Acta Victoriana, Contemporary Verse 2, Taddle Creek Magazine, The Antigonish Review and The Fiddlehead among others. She has received the Hart House Review Poetry Prize and was twice shortlisted for the Janice Colbert Poetry Award. Juniper, her first collection of poetry, is being published in Spring 2025 by Frontenac House.

Juniper: Through diary-like reflections, Juniper charts the final months of a transformational, intimate and yet corrosive relationship. A meditation on memory, addiction and longing, the haunting poems in Juniper detail the seemingly insignificant moments between friends that evoke the true meaning of their entanglement.

Jane Macdonald (she/her) lives on the north shore of Lake Ontario where she is currently at work on an oral history of its Commercial Fishery. A White settler, Jane completed her Certificate in Creative Writing with the School of Continuing Studies at University of Toronto, and is a recipient of the Janice Colbert Poetry Award.

Thorn Hedge: Macdonald lives and writes in a rural community on the shores of Lake Ontario, home to the Haudenosaunee, Anishinabek, Wendat, and United Empire Loyalists. And so the spine of her collection, titled Thorn Hedge, runs through snow and water and resounds with grief in poems that linger on the animate and built worlds of small town Ontario, on the hands and lives that produced them and in the remembered understandings of childhood on the Prairies.

Diane Massam writes about aging, anxiety, and the entanglement of nature and mind. With recent/upcoming publications in The New Quarterly, Queens Quarterly, Grain, and Prairie Fire, she won the Federation of BC Writers poetry contest (2021) and the Arc Award of Awesomeness (September 2024). She is a professor emeritus of linguistics at the University of Toronto, where in 2023 she completed a certificate in creative writing at the School of Continuing Studies. With roots in BC, Ontario, and Québec, she now lives in her hometown, Victoria. (IG: @massampoetry)

Ground Cover: Ground Cover explores existential anxiety and the entanglement of nature and mind, through prisms of aging and memory. Firmly rooted in Canadian landscapes, the poems speak of the longing for continuity of ourselves, humanity, and the natural world, in the face of the complexity and strangeness of life.

Jury:

Michael Holmes, Executive Editor, ECW Press

Elizabeth Philips, Editorial Director, Thistledown Press

Vanessa Stauffer, Managing Editor, Biblioasis

Marina Nemat Award for Fantasy

Maude Abouche, writing as Madi Haab, is a queer and neurodivergent writer of Moroccan descent from Tiohtià:ke/Montréal. She has lived and studied in Japan, and draws inspiration from her mixed cultural heritage and identities to explore the liminal and interstitial. Her work has received honourable mentions from the 2023 Penguin Random House Student Award for Fiction and 2024 Janice Colbert Poetry Award, and has appeared in Augur Magazine, Haven Speculative, and more. She is currently seeking representation for her first novel, WHERE SPIDER LILIES BLOOM, a historical fantasy with a strong romantic arc set in feudal Japan.

Where Spider Lilies Bloom: After a nasty breakup leaves her stranded in the Japanese countryside, Montrealer-turned-Tokyoite Lily has an ill-advised hookup with a mysterious stranger named Tadao in an abandoned temple. Unable to put him out of her mind, she returns to the temple to look for him, but slips into a liminal realm during her search and ends up in feudal Japan. There she crosses his path again, defying time itself. Faced with betrayal, revenge, and the very real ghosts of the samurai family they’re both bound to protect, Lily and Tadao try to make sense of their fateful bond, while their choices not only affect their present, but ripple across centuries.

Marica Cassis is a historical archaeologist who teaches ancient and medieval history at the University of Calgary and who digs up medieval peasants in rural Türkiye. She has been in love with history and books since she discovered time travel novels when she was a child. She lives in Calgary with her husband, son, three cats, and Oscar the dog.

Enki’s Amulet: Nick, a 13-year old from Toronto, is sent to spend the summer with his grandmother in Newfoundland where he uncovers a mysterious amulet which moves him back through time and space to ancient Mesopotamia. There he encounters more than he bargained for: evil demons (some with wings and claws), a dark plot to control time, and a buried family secret. Can he and his new friend Bel-Inaan, a smart-mouthed scribal student, depend on themselves and each other to save the world? As long as there is baklava and cheese pies, anything is possible.

Sharon Dawn Selby teaches English Literature and Professional Communications at Fanshawe College (London, ON), which means she gets to roam the realms of other people's stories when she isn't writing her own. She has published several academic book reviews and a monograph, Memory and Identity in Canadian Fiction. Her short story, “Mine Own,” appeared in Mythaxis in December 2020.

Skye: It's Skye’s seventeenth birthday. Her parents are missing, and everyone seems to be in a terrible hurry to declare her an orphan. When a mysterious letter arrives, filled with hints of a family history that she knows nothing about, all the carefully constructed lies that held her life together begin to fall apart. With the help of her two best friends, Skye is determined to find the truth about what happened to her parents. Their quest will take them beyond this world to a place where stories shape reality and the creatures of nightmares are lying in wait.

Jury:

Lara Hinchberger, Executive Editor, Penguin Canada

M.C. Joudrey, writer and Publisher, At Bay Press

A.G.A. Wilmot, writer and editor

What’s New • Date Posted: 04/11/2025

SCS Award Winner Pays It Forward with New Creative Writing Award

The Catherine B. Fogarty Creative Non-Fiction Writing Award Supports SCS Learners Writing Outstanding Nonfiction.

In March of 2021, SCS learner Catherine Fogarty won the School of Continuing Studies (SCS) Marina Nemat Award for Creative Writing for her outstanding final project. Now, the author plans to offer current SCS learners similar encouragement, inspiration, and support with the creation of a new award for creative non-fiction writers.

“I am thrilled to establish the Catherine B. Fogarty Creative Non-Fiction Writing Award at the University of Toronto School of Continuing Studies to recognize and support emerging literary talent within our diverse community. This award will celebrate excellence in creative non-fiction, allowing students to showcase their work and gain recognition for their achievements. When told well, true stories help us make sense of the world. They foster a deeper emotional connection to historical events, personal experiences and social issues. Creative non-fiction can push boundaries, question assumptions and help to spark meaningful conversations,” Catherine explains.

“With this award, I hope to inspire the next generation of writers who will preserve voices and stories that might otherwise be overlooked or forgotten. We must continue to honour our personal and collective histories.”

SCS Creative Writing Program Director Lee Gowan believes the award will do just that. “I’m so pleased that Catherine’s generosity has made it possible for SCS to honour a Non-fiction author each year,” he says.

Each year, the $2000 award will be presented to the SCS creative writing learner with the top creative nonfiction final project manuscript as determined by a jury of publishing industry experts.

What’s New • Date Posted: 04/09/2025

U of T SCS and Wealthsimple Foundation Launch Introduction to Personal Finance Course for Black, Indigenous and Racialized Youth

“This initiative represents the course I wish I had during my university years.” – Course co-creator Martina Simmonds.

The University of Toronto School of Continuing Studies has launched its first personal finance course designed specifically for Black, Indigenous and racialized youth.

Launching this week, the program, developed in collaboration with Wealthsimple Foundation, aims to equip young adults with essential financial literacy skills they may not have had the opportunity to learn in high school or other educational endeavours.

“Youth may be in the early stages of their professional or educational pathways, and/or living independently, and financial responsibility or a budget mindset may not have been part of their lived experiences. This course helps propel them forward,” SCS Assistant Dean, Lifelong Learning and Innovation Juan Mavo-Navarro explains.

The program addresses this gap by providing practical knowledge and skills that will prepare youth for today’s real-world financial responsibilities and serve them well into their future. “When they start making money and having expenses like commuting or buying books for school, or paying rent, that’s when reality sets in,” Mavo-Navarro noted.

"For those involved in a financially literate environment early on, the learning begins by experience. However, without guidance, they may be prone to costly mistakes."

Acknowledging this importance of early financial education, Wealthsimple Foundation has generously sponsored the program, making it free to attend for qualifying learners.

Course co-creator Martina Simmonds says it was particularly important to her to gear the program towards young people from equity-deserving groups.

“I prioritized developing a resource specifically tailored for Black, Indigenous, and racialized youth, aiming to address their financial literacy needs directly,” she explains.

“Integrating culturally focused case studies, peer and celebrity confessions, and practical skills like completing income tax forms, were crucial steps in bridging this gap. This initiative represents the course I wish I had during my university years, and I am thrilled to partner with the Wealthsimple Foundation and SCS to make this valuable resource available.”

The online course is six weeks long and aims to equip learners with the key skills required for personal banking, budgeting, debt management, and smart personal financial planning.

SCS Dean Catherine Chandler-Crichlow says she looks forward to seeing what participants in the program will do with the knowledge they gain through the program, adding:

“We’re so happy to be a part of helping these bright and determined young people gain access to a set of skills and knowledge essential to allowing them to take control of their financial futures.”

Career • Date Posted: 03/26/2025

Why Now is the Time to Invest in Yourself with Continuing Education

Future-proof your career, increase your earning potential, and build resilience in an ever-changing world.

Investing in your education is always a wise decision – but in times of economic uncertainty, it becomes even more essential. Whether you want to increase your job security, prepare for career shifts, or enhance your earning potential, continuing education is one of the most powerful ways to future-proof your career.

At the University of Toronto School of Continuing Studies (SCS), we’ve been helping people reach those goals -and more- for over 50 years, and in that time, we’ve seen again and again how continuing education empowers individuals to adapt, thrive, and take on new challenges with confidence. In an ever-changing world, the ability to learn and grow is your greatest asset.

Here are five reasons why now is the time to invest in continuing education:

1. Increase Your Job Security and Employability

In competitive job markets, employers seek professionals who not only have the right skills but also show adaptability and a commitment to continuous learning. By updating your expertise and staying ahead of industry trends, you position yourself as a valuable and resilient candidate, no matter how the economy shifts.

2. Prepare for Career Shifts and New Opportunities

Economic changes often lead to shifts in industry demand. Some sectors contract while others expand, creating new career opportunities. Whether you want to pivot into a growing field like technology, healthcare, or business analytics – or future-proof your current role – continuing education equips you with the knowledge and credentials to make strategic career moves.

3. Increase Your Earning Potential

Education is one of the most effective ways to enhance your earning power. According to Gallup and Amazon’s American Upskilling Study, 75% of workers who participated in upskilling reported some type of advancement in their careers and 30% were able to move into a new, higher-paying job after upskilling.”

4. Build Resilience in a Rapidly Changing World

Beyond acquiring technical skills, lifelong learning fosters adaptability, problem-solving, and a growth mindset. These qualities are critical in an evolving job market. No matter what challenges arise, an ongoing investment in education ensures you have the tools and confidence to navigate change effectively.

5. Expand Your Network and Access New Opportunities

Continuing Education connects you with instructors and peers from diverse industries and varied levels of career experience, expanding your professional network. Many SCS learners find the connections made in the classroom lead to mentorships, job referrals, and collaborations they might not have encountered otherwise. In a time when professional relationships are more valuable than ever, being a part of a learning community can open doors to new opportunities.

Ready to invest in your future self? Visit our website to see which of our hundreds of expert-led, in-person or online courses is right for you.

Career • Date Posted: 03/07/2025

Expanding Global Reach: Essential Trade Finance Solutions for Canadian Businesses

SCS International Trade & Supply Chain Financing instructor Roberto Puebla shares insights and practical strategies for Canadian entrepreneurs seeking global growth beyond traditional markets.

In today's evolving trade landscape, Canadian businesses must embrace global opportunities beyond their traditional reliance on U.S. markets. With recent discussions on 25% tariffs imposed on Canadian goods, diversification is no longer optional—it’s essential for long-term resilience and growth. Trade finance solutions, including letters of credit, export financing, and government-backed programs, provide the financial security and flexibility needed to expand into new markets while mitigating risks.

The Case for Market Diversification

Historically, approximately 80% of Canadian exports are destined to the US. While this close economic relationship has fueled prosperity, recent trade tensions highlight the importance of reducing over-reliance on a single market. Expanding into regions such as the European Union (leveraging CETA agreements), the Asia-Pacific (through CPTPP partnerships), and Latin America presents significant growth potential. However, entering new markets comes with challenges—including regulatory complexities, currency risks, and payment security—that trade finance solutions can help address.

Leveraging Trade Finance for Global Expansion

To navigate these complexities, Canadian businesses can utilize key financial instruments:

Letters of Credit (LCs): Providing secure payment guarantees, LCs enable exporters to engage confidently with new buyers in unfamiliar markets.
Export Financing: Access to capital allows businesses to scale production, manage cash flow, and offer competitive credit terms to international clients.
Government-Backed Loans & Guarantees: Programs from Export Development Canada (EDC) mitigate financial risks and encourage banks to extend credit for global expansion.

Export Development Canada: A Strategic Growth Partner

Beyond financing, EDC offers essential risk management tools, including credit insurance and bonding solutions, helping businesses protect against non-payment and political uncertainties in emerging markets. Their Export Guarantee Program, direct lending options, and advisory services make them a crucial ally for companies pursuing international opportunities.

Practical Steps for Entrepreneurs

Evaluate Market Potential & Financial Needs – Assess production scaling, logistics, and regulatory requirements before expansion.
Engage with Financial Institutions – Work with banks and advisors to identify suitable trade finance instruments.
Leverage Government Resources – Utilize EDC and other federal programs designed to support exporters.
Conduct In-Depth Market Research – Understand cultural, legal, and economic conditions of target markets.
Implement Risk Mitigation Strategies – Use credit insurance, hedging, and other financial tools to protect against uncertainties.

In a world of shifting trade policies, Canadian businesses that proactively diversify their markets will gain a competitive edge. By leveraging trade finance solutions and strategic partnerships with organizations like EDC, entrepreneurs can confidently expand beyond North America, seize global opportunities, and build long-term resilience.

To explore more about international trade finance strategies, visit our International Trade and Supply Chain Financing course page, or our International Trade certificate page.

Related Certificates

International Trade

What’s New • Date Posted: 02/20/2025

SCS Learner Establishes the Pal Saqi Award for Creative Fiction Writing in Honour of his Father

“There is no doubt in my mind that the courses I completed through the School of Continuing Studies were essential in building the skills and discipline I required to get my debut novel published” – Rajinderpal S. Pal

The University of Toronto School of Continuing Studies (SCS) is pleased to announce a new award for creative writing established by SCS learner and author Rajinderpal S. Pal.

Named for Pal’s father, the Pal Saqi Award for Creative Fiction Writing will provide $2,000 annually to a Creative Writing Certificate learner with the most outstanding Final Project. The award’s recipients will be selected by a panel of Canadian publishing industry professionals.

For Pal, an award-winning writer and performer who recently launched his debut novel, the award is both an opportunity to give back to the program that nurtured his own writing, and a way to honour the memory and legacy of his father.

“2025 marks the fiftieth anniversary of the death of my father, Bishambar Singh Saqi, a renowned Punjabi poet. I only knew him for a short time but his influence—his love of learning, of poetry, and his generosity—still guides me and my siblings to this day—two of my siblings are also published authors,” he explains.

“The opportunity to support the Final Project award seemed to be a perfect venue through which I could honour the memory of my father, my siblings who are my biggest champions, and show gratitude for a program that helped me immensely.”

Pal, who received the Penguin Random House Student Award for Fiction while completing creative writing courses at SCS, hopes that in addition to the financial support, the award will give emerging writers the boost and, the much needed, early recognition to continue pursuing their passion.

SCS Creative Writing program director Lee Gowan agrees that the award will make a difference in the lives and careers of SCS creative writing learners. “Besides giving emerging writers much needed validation,” he says, “this award will spotlight both the winning and shortlisted final projects to publishers and agents.”

The first shortlist of authors for the Pal Saqi Award for Creative Fiction Writing will be announced in Spring 2025 and the finalist will be celebrated at the annual SCS Creative Writing Awards Reception in Fall 2025.

To learn more about Pal Saqi and the award, or to make your own contribution to support emerging writers, please visit the award’s donation page.

Saqi Pal

Rajinderpal S. Pal

What’s New • Date Posted: 02/11/2025

10 Resolutions SCS Can Help You Keep in 2025

Stay on track to meet your goals with expert motivation and guidance from SCS.

About 80% of people who make New Year’s Resolutions give up on them by mid-February, but that doesn’t need to be the case for you! Here are 10 resolutions SCS can help you keep in 2025.

Move Your Career Forward – Prepare for and decide on the next bold step in your career with the help of one-on-one coaching, workshops, and free career-focused webinars offered through our Blueprint Career Services.
Learn a Language – Our language courses and certificates can help you learn or improve your skills in a wide variety of languages, while our popular English Language Program can help you reach your academic, professional, or personal English Language goals.
Improve Your Cognitive Health - Learning new information and skills can help your brain to keep growing and maintain neuroplasticity, which can help with memory, learning, depression, and can even aid in recovery from strokes or traumatic brain injuries.
Build a More Fulfilling Social Life – Growing your social circle as an adult can be challenging! We love seeing our learners connect with people who share a common interest with them and build new lifelong friendships.
Improve Your Project Management Abilities – Project management continues to be an in-demand skill set across sectors. Make 2025 the year you develop this skill set for yourself, or prepare to formalize the skills you already have with a Project Management Institute certification.
Start Your Memoirs – You’ve got stories to tell. Find your writing community and let our expert creative writing instructors guide you in telling those stories in a clear and compelling way. Not quite ready for memoirs? Check out our wide variety of other writing genres to explore.
Update Your Marketing Skills – With the explosion of AI technology over the past few years, there has never been a better time to ensure your marketing skills and toolkit are current and competitive. Our expert marketing and communications instructors are passionate about doing just that and about passing on their up-to-date knowledge to help you future-proof your marketing career.
Become An Effective Leader – Whether you already lead a team or you aspire to take on a leadership role within your organization this year, our leadership program can help you develop the skills and mindset of a great leader.
Earn A Professional Certification or Designation – You know what your skills and abilities are. Now let potential employers know by earning an in-demand designation to add to your resumé.
Whether you are working towards earning a professional designation or certification, or need to maintain your credential with continuing education requirements, we have partner-recognized courses and certificates to help you succeed on your journey forward.
Embrace AI - If your goal this year is to develop your understanding of AI, our Artificial Intelligence certificate is here to help you explore all modern branches of AI, from deep learning using neural nets to reinforcement learning as well as to understand Canada’s cutting-edge AI marketplace – and where you fit best in 2025.