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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U of G Researcher, 8-Year-Old Team up to Fight ‘Bug’ Bullies, Publish Paper

Portico Staff — Mon, 14 May 2018 04:00:00 +0000

When Sophia Spencer was bullied at school for her love of bugs, the eight-year-old couldn’t have imagined that she would gain international attention and a credit along with U of G researcher Morgan Jackson as a co-author and subject of a journal article.

Spencer and Jackson, a PhD candidate in the School of Environmental Sciences and an entomologist with the U of G Insect Collection, co-wrote “Engaging for a Good Cause: Sophia’s Story and Why #BugsR4Girls.”

Published in the Annals of the Entomological Society of America, their article was one of the most read papers on the publication’s website.

At school, Sophia had been bullied for befriending caterpillars, grasshoppers and insects of all sorts – even letting them ride on her shoulder or head. Her mother, Nicole Spencer, emailed the Entomological Society of Canada looking for an insect expert who could encourage her daughter’s interest.

Jackson, the society’s social media coordinator, tweeted to the entomological universe: “A young girl who loves insects is being bullied & needs our support.”

That tweet reached more than 175,000 Twitter users, attracted dozens of offers to become the girl’s pen pal, and sparked numerous calls for the advancement of girls and women in science, technology, engineering and mathematics.

International media attention about the duo included reports on Good Morning America, National Public Radio, Global News, Redbook magazine, Yahoo!, MSN, the Miami Herald and ABC News.

“Sophia is a very enthusiastic young girl who really likes bugs, and who is fun and full of joy,” says Jackson.

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