ShadAnywhere The Void Campus Information Guide
ShadAnywhere
in partnership with Athabasca University
ShadAnywhere participants are joining us virtually at Athabasca University (AU) from all across the country, and maybe even beyond—just like all AU students!
As one of the world’s foremost and fastest-growing online and open post-secondary institutions, AU serves more than 38,000 students across 81 countries. It is the second-largest university in Alberta, and one of four comprehensive academic and research universities in the province.
Headquartered in the boreal forest of Athabasca, Alta., AU provides high-quality learning, scholarship, and research environments and strives to ensure that everyone can have access to a university education. The university is dedicated to the removal of barriers that restrict access to and success in university-level study and to increasing equality of educational opportunity for adult learners worldwide.
AU offers bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral programs alongside courses for both personal learning and professional development. It is uniquely founded on the principles of flexibility and openness, giving students control over their studies so they can learn whenever and wherever is right for them. The research community at AU is open and online by design, with research focused in four thematic areas: environmental and societal dynamics of sustainability; disruptive pedagogies; society, culture, health, and well-being; and digital futures. AU is home to four Canada Research Chairs and several other research chairs in business, science, humanities, and health disciplines.
We’re proud to partner with Shad Canada to offer this opportunity to all our future ShadAnywhere alumni. Welcome to AU!
Athabasca University respectfully acknowledges that we live and work on the traditional lands of the Indigenous Peoples (Inuit, First Nations, Métis) of Canada. We honour the ancestry, heritage, and gifts of the Indigenous Peoples and give thanks to them.
Shad Program Team
Mindy Tindall
Campus Lead
Mindy (she/her) joined ShadAnywhere during its inaugural launch in 2023 as Academic Mentor! She is an experienced entrepreneur, investor, and philanthropist. Mindy loves supporting future leaders with mentorship and business ideation and development – especially within Shad’s unique, energizing, and socially impactful environment.
She studied nursing and has worked in healthcare for 20+ years, returning to study architecture, psychology, and cognitive neuroscience to understand how design impacts health and wellbeing. Mindy is Founder & CEO of Biotecture Inc., an interdisciplinary design studio and biotechnology startup, and is working on her Executive MBA in Innovation Leadership. She has several other companies under development, each focused on innovation, accessibility, and human-centered design.
Mindy loves giving back to her community. She volunteers with Alberta Innovates, the Alberta Strategy for Patient-Oriented Research Support Unit, and the University of Alberta as a Research Advisor. She serves the City of Edmonton’s Design Committee where she reviews and provides recommendations to applicants and the city regarding private development applications and key City of Edmonton projects.
In her spare time, Mindy loves painting, gardening, swimming, playing racquetball, hiking with her family and three dogs, attending concerts, learning new languages, and travelling internationally.
Heather Grenville
Tech and Community Campus Coordinator
Heather Grenville (she/her) is a secondary educator in southwestern Ontario. She loves teaching biology and other life sciences courses. She also works with students to help them find success in the classroom, explore post-secondary school opportunities, and feel like part of the school community. She coaches both boys volleyball and ultimate frisbee at her school as well. She is the proud mom of two children, and an apiarist in her free time. This will be her second summer at Shad Canada and she is so excited to get started!
Luke Burt
Design and Community Campus Coordinator
Luke Burt (he/him) is a teacher living in St. John’s, Newfoundland and Labrador. Originally, he studied English and Business Administration at Memorial University of NL. He then went on to complete his Bachelor of Education and Bachelor of Special Education, also at Memorial University of NL. After a few years teaching, he then completed his Master of Education in Critical Studies at the University of New Brunswick. He has been working for 9 years as a Special Education teacher, Departmental Head of Special Services, and most recently a Vice Principal with the NLSchools school district. This will be his eighth year working with Shad, and his first with ShadAnywhere. Outside of Shad, he loves to play pickleball and hang out with his wiener dog, Joey.
Arriving at Shad
Shad Timing
ShadAnywhere 2025 runs from June 30 to July 25, 2025. The digital program will take place from 11:00 am to 5:00 pm Eastern Time, Monday through Friday. There will be no scheduled programming outside of these dedicated times.
The program will be in session on July 1.
You have committed to full-time participation in the program and we look forward to you joining our Shad community!
Arrive on screen every day, on time, eager to learn, and excited to engage with peers from across the country. We look forward to seeing you and hearing from you, so plan to have your camera and microphone turned on.
If you require assistance with technology requirements, Shad Canada has limited loaner equipment available for use. Contact Andrea Isogai to inquire.
Setting Yourself Up for Success
In advance of ShadAnywhere commencing, you will receive a ShadAnywhere email address for use throughout the duration of the program. Watch for it to arrive sometime in late June! We will host tech check-ins to help ensure you can access your accounts.
G-Suite Education is our platform of choice and Zoom will be our primary video conferencing platform. If you are not familiar with these platforms, check out instructional videos to assist you in advance of the program.
Comfort is important. If you haven’t already established your learning environment, take time to find an area you are comfortable in that you will join from. Shad Canada will share a virtual background in June for those interested, while others may prefer to be creative and establish their own. And don’t forget to experiment with lighting and sound so we see and hear the best of you.
What to Expect
Shad Values
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. Our values are as follows:
- We cherish the freedom to explore, create, and innovate.
- We aspire to excellence in all we do.
- 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.
- We value diversity and open discussion.
- Our behaviour is always governed by respect for others and the highest standards of ethical conduct.
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.
Diverse & Inclusive Community
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. Whether you are experienced with online programs or this is your first time in a virtual community, one thing is certain: treating everyone with respect is the foundation of creating a supportive and 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.
Supportive Team
The Shad team is here to support you. Your program team is made up of leaders who are committed to working with students to meet their needs.
Supervised Community
Shad is a supervised community. Every member of the program team is charged with the responsibility of ensuring your safety and protection while participating in our online environment. This is a responsibility which we take seriously, and you are a key partner in our efforts. All members of our ShadAnywhere community have agreed to demonstrate behaviour consistent with our Shad Values when they accepted placement in the program. Any behaviour which deviates from these values will be addressed.
Schedule
A typical day will begin at 11:00 am and end at 5:00 pm, Eastern Time. Participants will be signing into the program from several different time zones and represent provinces and territories from across the country. Hours will be filled with lectures, workshops, personal challenges, community development activities, and project design initiatives. A Shad tradition is never giving the schedule away in advance as the element of surprise enhances the magic of the program. That magic continues in 2025!
Tech-etiquette: Appropriate usage
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.
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!
Tech Etiquette: Community Guidelines
- Be Kind and Courteous
We’re all in this together to create a welcoming environment. Let’s treat everyone with respect. - No Hate Speech or Bullying
Make sure everyone feels safe. Bullying of any kind isn’t allowed, and degrading comments about things like race, religion, culture, sexual orientation, gender or identity will not be tolerated. - Respect Everyone’s Privacy
Being part of this group requires mutual trust. Authentic, expressive discussions make groups great, but may also be sensitive and private. What’s shared in the group should stay in the group. - Comments are Monitored
All comments will be monitored, and we reserve the right to delete any if they use foul, vulgar, defamatory, or any other negative language.
Energy Management
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 disconnecting from the screen at the end of the day, during designated break times, and whenever helpful for your mental health. We ask that you notify a team member if you are stepping away for a brief break.
What You'll Need to Do Pre-Program
- Please complete our pre-program information form to share your preferences and goals.
- Please complete the linked Google form to tell us about and upload your ShadSpeaks presentation for review.
- Complete all forms and waivers sent by Shad Canada and your campus team.
- Read through your campus-specific information guide and any other information provided by your Campus Lead.
Shad Open Day
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.
Live Virtual Open Day
Date: July 24, 2025
Time: 4:00pm-4:45pm (EDT)
Platform: Zoom
Invite your parent(s), guardian(s), or another interested member of your community to learn about your Shad experience during this opportunity to showcase your work and growth!
Contact Us
Mindy Tindall, Campus Lead: mindy.tindall@anywhere.shad.ca
Heather Grenville, Tech and Community Campus Coordinator: heather.grenville@anywhere.shad.ca
Luke Burt, Design and Community Campus Coordinator: luke.burt@anywhere.shad.ca
Frequently Asked Questions
Special accommodation requests
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.
Tech
Q: What are the tech requirements for the program?
A: Information about tech requirements for the program can be found here.
Q: What should I do if I don’t have a dedicated laptop/computer for the program?
A: All students will need a dedicated laptop or desktop for the entire Shad program. If you do not have a dedicated device and cannot borrow one from family, friend, or school, Shad Canada has a limited number of laptops that can be borrowed for the duration of the program. Contact us for more information.