Four days in April – 200 special deliveries

Portico Staff — Thu, 17 Oct 2019 15:49:12 +0000

Imagine This…

You’re a student studying for exams in the campus library, and the stress is mounting. Then out of nowhere, someone delivers a gift right to you…just because.

Gryphon Gifts

Katrina Bell, a staff member in Alumni Affairs and Development (AAD), heard about an initiative elsewhere that gave students treats to help with exam stress, and she wanted to bring the idea to U of G. She and AAD staffer Kaitlyn Edwards pitched “Gryphon Gifts” to Gryphons Care, a staff and faculty group that helps fund community initiatives. They received funding from that group, as well as support from Student Health and Well-Being and Interhall Council.

200 Special Deliveries

As exams began this past April, Gryphon Gifts was promoted to students through social media channels with the help of campus partners. Volunteers set up shop in the University Centre and began taking requests from students via Instagram. And they delivered – literally! Over four days, the team responded to hundreds of student requests by ordering, picking up and dropping off everything from pizza and coffee to poutine and burgers.

The UGAA board was so impressed by this grassroots and heartfelt student wellness initiative that we plan to support Gryphon Gifts during April 2020 exams.

Become a Volunteer

To volunteer for Gryphon Gifts, please contact ugaa@uoguelph.ca. You may also make a gift to the University’s Highest Priority or the Mental Health and Well-Being Fund at www.uoguelph.ca/give.

Please watch your email around Giving Tuesday (Dec. 3), as we will offer alumni a way to support students during the upcoming exam period.

Richard Horne, BA, President, UGAA, and proud U of G donor
Jason Moreton, BA, Associate Vice-President, Advancement, and proud U of G donor

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Time capsule: 2005

Portico Staff — Fri, 31 Mar 2017 13:15:40 +0000

Students write final exams in the main gym at the W.F. Mitchell Athletics Centre. Since the original gym opened in 1957, thousands of students have sat at long tables to write exams. In 2016, a new state-of-the-art athletics centre opened. Among its features are a student lounge, a climbing wall and an updated gym, which is still called into use as an exam location. Can you identify any of the people in this photo? Send us a note and let us know!

ON CAMPUS

The women’s basketball team wins its first provincial championship title in 25 years.
Veterinarians Without Borders (VWB) is established at the Ontario Veterinary College, becoming the first VWB group in North America.
The new University of Guelph-Humber building receives a 2005 Award of Excellence for innovation in architecture from the Royal Architectural Institute of Canada.
U of G launches a coffee-table book featuring campus photos and reflective quotes, with a foreword by astronaut and graduate Roberta Bondar.+

OFF CAMPUS

Hurricane Katrina, one of the five deadliest hurricanes in U.S. history, hits the Gulf coast, causing destruction from Florida to Texas.
Three PayPal employees create video-sharing website YouTube.
George W. Bush begins his second term as president of the United States.
Charles, Prince of Wales, marries Camilla Parker Bowles.

Do you have a memory to share from your time at U of G? Email a high-resolution photo to porticomagazine@uoguelph.ca and it could appear in Time Capsule.

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