Founded on March 7, 1878 by Bishop Isaac Hellmuth (1817–1901) ‘The Western University of London Ontario’ opened its doors to students for the first time in 1881. Through 12 faculties and three affiliated university colleges, Western today offers its 36,000-plus students more than 400 specializations, majors and minors.
Founded on March 7, 1878 by Bishop Isaac Hellmuth (1817–1901) ‘The Western University of London Ontario’ opened its doors to students for the first time in 1881. Through 12 faculties and three affiliated university colleges, Western today offers its 36,000-plus students more than 400 specializations, majors and minors.
Western University ranks among Canada’s top-10 research universities and is recognized for delivering an academic experience second to none. Western’s dynamic campus community is characterized by an expanding array of opportunities for intellectual, social and cultural growth, and a reputation for attracting and developing leaders who make a difference at the local, national and global level.
“Canada’s best student experience at a research-intensive university”: this bold statement has made Western the envy of other leading universities. For 12 consecutive years in the Globe and Mail’s survey of student satisfaction, thousands of students graded Western at the top of its class on a wide range of measures: from the high quality of our teaching, to the outstanding facilities and residence experience, to overall campus atmosphere and student satisfaction. The most distinguishing element of Western’s unique identity is its unwavering commitment to outstanding student engagement across the spectrum of the university student experience. Curious to see more of campus? Take a virtual campus tour.
Western University ranks among Canada’s top-10 research universities and is recognized for delivering an academic experience second to none. Western’s dynamic campus community is characterized by an expanding array of opportunities for intellectual, social and cultural growth, and a reputation for attracting and developing leaders who make a difference at the local, national and global level.
“Canada’s best student experience at a research-intensive university”: this bold statement has made Western the envy of other leading universities. For 12 consecutive years in the Globe and Mail’s survey of student satisfaction, thousands of students graded Western at the top of its class on a wide range of measures: from the high quality of our teaching, to the outstanding facilities and residence experience, to overall campus atmosphere and student satisfaction. The most distinguishing element of Western’s unique identity is its unwavering commitment to outstanding student engagement across the spectrum of the university student experience. Curious to see more of campus? Take a virtual campus tour.
Shad2022 runs from July 3 to July 29. Please make your travel arrangements so that you can arrive for registration on-campus between 2:00 p.m. and 6:00 p.m. The first meal provided by the program will be dinner at 6:00 p.m.
As a courtesy, a free shuttle will operate on July 3 from the airport in London to residence. The shuttle will collect Shads who are scheduled to arrive at the airport after 1:00 p.m. and before 5:00 p.m. Don’t worry, the shuttle will continue to operate later if flights are delayed. Please do not plan to arrive to the airport before 1:00 p.m. Also, please do not plan to arrive to the airport after 5:00 p.m. because there will be no shuttle and because Shad Western programming begins promptly at 6:00 p.m.
We will also assist with arrangements to get to and from campus via London’s bus station or train station.
Delaware’s unique aerial shape as an “X” marks the spot in the heart of the Western campus! Open since 1965, it is traditional style residence. Shads and the campus team will be living in Delaware Hall, using the second floor of a multi-story building. Shads will be living in double rooms, with room assignments being assigned before your arrival at residence. Two wings (of the X shaped building) will be designated for male participants, with other two wings for female participants. Each wing is equipped with communal washroom facilitates. Each room will have a bed, desk and chair, closet, dresser with drawers, for each participant, and a common mirror and window that opens.
You will be provided with bedding, pillows, towels and a facecloth. You will be able to change dirty for clean towels once a day at the front desk and there will be a bed linen change once a week. While these items are provided, you may wish to bring your own pillow and towels. To avoid confusion with residence property, if you choose to bring your own items, we suggest choosing a color other than white.
The residence is air-conditioned and cold inside the building during the month of July. You are advised to bring casual warm clothes for use inside the building.
Most of our meals will be eaten on campus. Keep in mind that it is a university, so the food may not be like your home-cooked meals. There will be a variety of food that accommodates most tastes.
Please ensure you let us know of any dietary requirements or allergies if you have not done so already.
You will be given residence keys for which you will be responsible. More information will be shared by your program director.
We recommend that you bring some pocket money with you for transportation to and from the airport, laundry, and purchasing souvenirs. There are no additional mandatory expenses.
There are bank ATMs available on campus should you need to withdraw additional funds.
You have an option to bring a laptop, tablet, or another personal computing device for research, word processing, and other tasks related to the program. Wi-Fi access is available in residence and elsewhere on campus. Shad team members will assist you with Wi-Fi setup upon arrival. The University and Shad Canada do not take any responsibility for lost/damaged/stolen valuables or property.
There will be pay-per-use washers and dryers available. Laundry detergent is available on campus. If you have any allergies to certain types of detergent, please bring your own.
While there are no irons in the rooms, if needed, an iron can be borrowed for use.
Program Director
Her leadership has “provided wings to many outstanding ideas and helped students flourish in their own development.” Smith received the Vice-Provost Innovation Award in 2010 and the Western Award of Excellence in 2017.
In addition to her work with the Scholars community, Smith is an engaging facilitator who trains faculty, staff and students in various wellness and social impact topics, including safeTALK, ASIST and a new program co-created by Smith in partnership with Western’s Director of Health Services. The Leadership in Wellness program is a proactive and research-based training designed to educate faculty, staff and other campus leaders on how to promote wellness in their professional roles.
Smith has served as the London Sidewalk Talk City Leader since 2016, where the message is simple: you talk, we listen. Here educational background focuses on Sociology and Religious Studies. As a dedicated life-long learner, Rebecca is currently completing her work in Grief, Loss and Bereavement studies. In her free time, she enjoys staying active with her husband and two daughters and traveling to sunny destinations.
Program Manager
She is currently a dual-degree master’s student at Ivey Business School, studying International Business & Resource Economics. As part of the program, Shukri has had the opportunity to study abroad in Norway. Western University holds many fond memories for Shukri as she began her undergraduate journey there. Shukri has been involved in undergraduate and master’s level research within biology and economics. She continues to involve herself in volunteering across the London, Western and Ivey Community.
Every year, Shukri is inspired by the Shads’ curiosity and energy for learning. She believes in designing the best possible Shad experience for all youth across Canada. In her free time, you can find Shukri exploring nature with friends and family, sharpening her photography skills, and playing ultimate frisbee.
(Highly recommended, but not mandatory)
A diverse and inclusive community is an important value of the Shad program. You will meet students from across Canada, with different lived experiences and backgrounds. Some of you have experience with complex, high responsibility activities such as traveling or being away from home, while for others, this may be your first time being apart from family. Respect for all individuals is a requirement for a successful community.
Community must be preserved and protected in the Shad program. There are no exclusive relationships at Shad, whether for the purposes of romance, clique, gender, ethnicity, or any other reason. Relationships that exclude (or attempt to exclude) others will not be accepted. Intentionally excluding others is a form of bullying and could result in dismissal from the program. The month at Shad provides you the opportunity to make connections with a community of other exceptional students. We hope that this tight-knit community that forms at Shad will continue for many years after the program.
Shad is a supervised community. Every member of the program team is charged with the responsibility of ensuring your safety and protection. We take this responsibility seriously! This means that we will need to know approximately where you are and what you are doing at all times. This level of awareness ensures that in case of an emergency, we can account for your whereabouts quickly.
You are also a partner in ensuring your own safety and the safety of the Shad community. You are expected to ensure that your behaviour is always aligned with the Shad values.
Just because the community is supervised does not mean that you won’t have freedom to engage in a range of activities across the university campus. We take advantage of many of the various programs, departments, recreational facilities and spaces on campus to ensure that you enjoy an exciting university experience.
You can expect life at Shad to be busy, but don’t worry, we have downtime and recreational activities built into the program as well. Each day, you can expect a different combination of lectures, workshops, recreational and cultural activities, as well as unscheduled time that you can use to connect with your peers, work on your design project, and reflect on what you’ve learned and accomplished so far.
The ability to rapidly access relevant information can be key to innovation. There is no question that effective use of technology can be a useful tool. That said, the appropriate use of technology is essential for an effective learning/teaching/cooperative environment. There is etiquette for the use of technology. Rather than provide a long list of rules that will define acceptable use of technology, our technology policy is governed by the same core values as Shad.
All use of technology — including cell phones, notebooks, tablets, translators and the like — must uphold the principles of excellence, responsibility and creativity. While you might be an exceptional multitasker, maintaining devoted attention to a task at hand is a hallmark of responsibility and maturity. When it comes to the use of technology, know what’s right, do what’s right and be respectful!
We have time set aside for recreational activities. These include cultural events, field trips and many opportunities to take in the beautiful scenery of the area.
Shad is most enriching when we have sufficient energy to be fully engaged in all program activities. After a long and busy day, everyone needs adequate rest. We also need to respect others and allow them to re-energize themselves by getting the rest they need. Please manage your energy levels appropriately and allow others to do the same by going to bed at the appropriate time.
Our values are what make Shad the incredible program that it is. At our Shad campus these values are vigorously embraced – just like they are at each of the other campuses across Canada. Being a Shad means accepting these values fully into everything you do! Adherence to these values determines how successful your Shad experience will be. They are sacred trusts.
We aspire to excellence in all we do.
We value diversity and open discussion.
We cherish the freedom to explore, create, and innovate.
We are committed to the respect, cooperation, and shared fun that builds a powerful, supportive community, while remaining mindful of the safety and well-being of that community.
Our behaviour is always governed by respect for others and the highest standards of ethical conduct.
What happens when a diverse group of high school students from across Canada come together in the spirit of science, technology and entrepreneurship? Shad Open Day is a day to put your campus and your accomplishments on display for the community.
On Thursday, July 28th, family, friends and community members are invited to join us for a day of demonstrations and exhibits. You will get the chance to showcase your team’s innovation and your own special talents for the extended community.
We understand that some of you will be traveling far from home to attend Shad and therefore it will be more difficult for your family members to make it for Open Day. Do not worry – there will be many of your fellow Shads in the same position and you will still enjoy the magic of Open Day!
The program ends on the morning of Friday, July 29, and some may need to leave very early to catch a flight or bus.
On departure day, a shuttle will operate from residence to London’s airport. You must depart residence by 12:00 p.m.; all Shads must be transported to the airport by that time.
If you have a bus/train/plane to catch, you will need to make arrangements to get from the campus with plenty of time before your scheduled departure time. If your parents/guardians are picking you up by car, they should plan to do this before 12:00 p.m.
Please note that the Shad program concludes at 12:00 p.m. on July 29 and Shad will no longer be responsible for you after this time.
During the program, you will be asked to give a 3 to 5 minute presentation on a topic that you are required to select – the topic is your choice, so select something that you are comfortable with and you think you can get others interested in. Please start thinking about your idea now.
You are also asked to prepare, in advance, a bio-tile that creatively and graphically depicts who you are. We expect creativity in your bio-tile, as we expect in all aspects of the program! Make sure that you have your bio-tile ready upon your arrival. We will post some pictures of last year’s tiles on our Facebook page in the coming months.
Q: I have a special accommodation request. How do I submit my request and will you be able to help me?
A: You will need to inform us of the special accommodations that you require ahead of time. We will let you know what we can do to support you as best as possible. We want to help make sure your experience here is exceptional.
Q: Can I have visitors during Shad? Can my parents take me off campus for a non-emergency reason?
A: No. Visitors are only welcome to come to Shad on Open Day on Thursday, July 28.
Q: How can my parents contact me during Shad?
A: Your parents can contact you on your cell phone (although you may not be able to answer due to program activities).