Speed (Up)Dating provides short and snappy 3-minute updates on a wide variety of topics of interest to McGill staff who support students (including, but not limited to, academic advisors, student services, student affairs professionals and frontline staff).
10th Annual Speed (Up)Dating - Hybrid Edition
The 2023 edition of Speed (Up)Dating was held in hybrid format in the Bronfman building and on Zoom on Wednesday November 8, from 1:00 - 2:00 pm.
Thank you for attending our 10th Annual Speed (Up)Dating event! Access the 
2023 Speed (Up)Dating slide deck.pdf
This event included updates from:
- Carrie Hanson, Skills Development Officer (Teaching and Learning Services)
- Madeleine Elise Nadler, Business Analyst - Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (Enrolment Services)
- Matthew Fidel Coutu-Moya, Administrative Supervisor (First Peoples' House)
- Cindy Mancuso, Associate Dean of Students (Office of the Dean of Students)
- Andrea Di Stefano, Manager - Registration, Programs, and Degree Evaluation (Enrolment Services)
- Stephanie Alvarez, Communications Officer (McGill Office of Sustainability)
- Stephane Cardinal, Director (Campus Life & Engagement)
- Julie Adams-Whittaker, Learner Support Specialist (Student Accessibility and Achievement)
- Courtney Sheppard, Collaboration Solutions Analyst (IT Services)
- Evangelea Toufexis, Immigration Associate (International Student Services)
- Lisa Campbell, Elaina Klukowski and Anurag Balasubramanian (International Education, McGill Abroad & Safety)
- Samantha Goldberg, Manager - Wellness (Student Wellness Hub)
- Carlene Gardner, Director (McGill Office of Religious & Spiritual Life)
- Cailey Jackson, Senior Financial Aid Adviser (McGill Scholarship & Student Aid)
- Emilie Marcotte, Associate Director (Office for Sexual Violence Response, Support & Education)
- Tynan Jarrett, Director (Equity Team from the Provost's Office)
Your feedback is important to us. Please take a moment after the event to fill out our feedback form.
Past events
9th Annual Speed (Up)Dating - Online Edition
The 2022 edition of Speed (Up)Dating was held virtually on MS Teams, on Wednesday November 16, from 1:00 - 2:00 pm.
Thank you for attending our 9th Annual Speed (Up)Dating event! Access the 2022 Speed (Up)Dating slide deck.
This event included updates from:
- Cindy Mancuso, Associate Dean of Students, and Caitlin Thomas, Administrative Coordinator (Office of the Dean of Students)
- Meeko Singh-Ledoux, Access Services Advisor, (Interim) Team Lead (Student Accessibility and Achievement) and Isabella Scurfield, Team Lead (Learner Support)
- Shanna Lee, Financial Aid Counselor (Scholarships and Student Aid Office)
- Evangelea Toufexis, Service Representative (International Student Services)
- Antoine-Samuel Mauffette Alavo, Black Student Affairs Liaison (Office of the Provost and Vice-Principal (Academic))
- Marlowe Dubois, Indigenous Student Advisor (First Peoples' House)
- Nick MacKenzie, Program Officer - Stay on Track (Teaching and Learning Services)
- Susan Ajersch, Associate Director (Career Planning Service)
- Patricia Strutz, Administrative Assistant (Campus Life & Engagement)
- Johanne Houle, Director (Staff and Organizational Development)
- Chloe Garcia, Manager, Academic Programs (Graduate & Postdoctoral Studies)
- Megan Toth, Sustainability Officer (McGill Office of Sustainability (MOOS)
- Chama Laassassy, Coordonnatrice, Activités étudiantes et projets spéciaux (French Language Centre)
8th Annual Speed (Up)Dating - Online Edition
The 2021 edition of Speed (Up)Dating took place virtually, on MS Teams, on Wednesday, November 17, 1:00 - 2:00 pm.
Access the 2021 Speed (Up)Dating event program 2021 Speed (Up)Dating slide deck
The event included updates from:
- Susan Ajersch, Associate Director (Career Planning Service)
- Shondra Mings, Equity Education Advisor (Equity at McGill)
- Andrea Di Stefano, Registration, Programs and Degree Evaluation Manager (Enrolment Services)
- Chloe Garcia, Manager, Academic Programs (Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies)
- Johanne Houle, Director (Organizational Development)
- Megan Toth, Sustainability Officer (McGill Office of Sustainability)
- Dana-Marie Williams, Administrative Coordinator (First Peoples' House)
- Carrie Hanson, Skills Development Officer (Student Learning and Development, Teaching and Learning Services)
- Kayin Kareen Queeley, Case Manager Crisis Response (Office of the Dean of Students)
- Melissa Lutchman, Crisis Intervention and Suicide Prevention Specialist (Office of the Dean of Students)
- Giovanni Arcuri, Associate Director Hub Services (Student Wellness Hub)
- Katherine Allan, Associate Director (Residence Life, Student Housing and Hospitality Service)
- Amanda Rosenberg, Service Representative (Student Housing and Hospitality Service)
- Emily Love, Manager (International Student Development & Communications, International Student Services)
- Aïda Cissé, International Education Officer (Office of the Deputy Provost, Student Life and Learning)
7th Annual Speed (Up)Dating - Online Edition
The 2020 edition of Speed (Up)Dating took place virtually, on MS Teams, on Wednesday, November 18, 1:00 - 2:00 pm.
Thank you for attending our 7th Annual Speed (Up)Dating event! Access the 2020 Speed (Up)Dating slide deck or view the recording on the Advising Hub Group on MS Teams.
This event included updates from:
- Lorna MacEachern, Program Manager (Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies)
- Kayin Kareen Queely, Case Manager (Office of the Dean of Students)
- Dr. Robin Beech, Dean of Students (Office of the Dean of Students)
- Amanda Simpson-Folco, Service Professional (Service Point)
- Susan Ajersch, Associate Director (Career Planning Service CaPS)
- Céline Roche, Associate Director (International Education)
- Rosalia Felice, Manager, Career Advising and Transition Services (School of Continuing Studies)
- Dr. Zachary Abram, Tutorial Service Coordinator (McGill Writing Centre)
- Charlie Ohayon, Senior Advisor, Advising and Accommodations (Office for Students with Disabilities)
- Dana Carsley, Resilience and Wellness Enhancement Specialist (Student Wellness Hub)
- Joannie Proulx , Faculty Lecturer (Centre d'enseignement du francais)
- Me. Leyda-Melissa Paulmier, Immigration Advisor (International Student Services)
- Andrea Di Stefano, Registration, Program and Degree Evaluation Manager (Enrolment Services)
- Katharine Tiitson, Co-Curricular Records Administrator (Career Planning Service CaPS)
- Amelia Slone, Skills Developer Advisor (Career Planning Service CaPS)
6th Annual Speed (Up)Dating
Our 6th Annual Speed (Up)Dating event took place from 12:15-1:15 PM on November 21st in Leacock, room 232. Over 100 of our colleagues registered to attend! The slideshow can be viewed here.
Topics included in Speed (Up)Dating 2019:
- Updates from Student Services: Martine Gauthier (Executive Director, Services for Students)
- Rossy Student Wellness Hub: Giovanni Arcuri (Manager - Administration, Student Services) & Geneviève Latreille (Communications Advisor, Student Services)
- Local Wellness Advisors: Sam Goldberg (Manager - Wellness, Student Wellness Hub)
- Changes to the Mobility Award and exchange funding: Alison MacKay (Financial Aid Counsellor, SSAO)
- Fall Reading Week proposal: Gillian Nycum (University Registrar and Executive Director)
- Updates from the Student Records unit: Kristina Kotoulas (Degree Evaluation Officer)
- New programs from the Office for Sexual Violence Response, Support and Education: Émilie Marcotte (Sexual Violence Response Advisor, OSVRSE) & Bianca Tétrault (Sexual Violence Education Advisor, OSVRSE)
- Work-Study program: Alison MacKay (Financial Aid Counsellor, SSAO)
- AAN Advisor Lunches: Julie Major (Academic Advisor, FAES) & Michelle Maillet (Undergraduate Program Advisor, Dept. of Geography)
- Updates from International Student Services: Emily Love (Manager, International Student Development and Communications)
- News from Service Point: Nathalie Michaud (Service Professional) & Jamie MacDonald (Service Representative)
- Skills 21 program updates: Carrie Hanson & April Babey (Skills Development Officers, Teaching and Learning Services)
- Doctoral Internship Program: Lilia Eskildsen Torres (Fellowships Officer - Internal, GPS)
- "It Takes All of Us": Katherine Belisle (Sexual Violence Education Program Manager, OSVRSE)
- News from University Advancement: Shana Szikman (Associate Director, Student and Young Alumni)
- May 2020 NACADA Quebec "Metro-In" Conference: Penny Kaill-Vinish (Student Affairs Officer, Dept. of Anatomy & Cell Biology) & Margaret Colton (Facilitator, Academic Advising Support - Concordia University)
5th Annual Speed (Up)Dating
Our 5th annual Speed (Up)Dating event took place on Tuesday, November 27, 2018 from 3:00 - 4:00 p.m. in Leacock 232. The slides from the presentation can be found here: Speed (Up)Dating 2018 Slides!
Topics featured at Speed (Up)Dating this year:
- Rossy Wellness Hub
- News from Service Point
- Responding to Harassment, Discrimination & Sexual Violence
- Office for Students with Disabilities
- Office for Students with Disabilities – Inclusive Learning Supports
- Tutorial Services
- My Healthy Workplace
- LGBTQ2I + History Month
- What's New in Athletics? Women in Sport
- International Student Services (ISS)
- McGill Abroad
- Campus Life and Engagement (CLE)
- Peer Support Centre
- Graduate and Post Graduate Studies - MyProgress
- Social Equity & Diversity Education (SEDE) Office
4th Annual Speed (Up)Dating
The 4th annual Speed (Up)Dating event took place from 3:00 - 4:00 p.m. on November 22, 2017 in Leacock 232! The presentation can be viewed here: Speed (Up)Dating 2017
Topics included:
- New EEO Bursaries for Students
- News from Service Point
- myPath
- OSD's Access Ambassadors Program
- Sexual Violence Response Advisor in the Office for Sexual Violence Response, Support and Education
- SKILLS21
- Student Health and Wellness Services
- The Job Shadowing Program
- Student Affairs Case Manager
- What's New in Athletics?
- Access to Information
- Update from Recruitment
- New myInvolvement module
- ExL Program
3rd Annual Speed (Up)Dating
Our third annual Speed (Up)Dating event was held on on Thursday, October 27, 2016 from 12:00 – 2:00 p.m. in the Thompson House Ballroom.
Presentation slides can be viewed here: Speed (Up)Dating Fall 2016 Slides
Topics included:
- Integration of Counselling and Mental Health Services
- Introducing the new Dean of Students
- Undergraduate Skills Development Program
- GradLife McGill
- McGill University Interactive Campus Map
- Revised International Buddy Program
- Staff Mentoring Pilot Project
- Quick Guide from the Academic Advisers Network
- COMunity Program
- Updated Helping Students in Difficulty folder
- Individual Development Plan Project
- Task Force on Indigenous Studies and Indigenous Education
- News from Service Point
- Update from #ConsentMcGill
- Updates from Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies
2nd Annual Speed (Up)Dating
The Student Affairs Collective (SAC) hosted our second annual Speed (Up)Dating event on Thursday, November 19, 2015.
Speed (Up)Dating provides short and snappy 3-minute updates on a wide variety of topics of interest to McGill staff who support students (including, but not limited to, advising, academic, student services, student affairs and frontline staff). An exciting group of presenters from diverse units across the University gave brief snapshots on new or updated programs and initiatives introduced in the previous year.
In celebration of fall, Mac apples and door prizes generously donated by the Gault Nature Reserve and Ecomuseum Zoo were provided.
Presentation slides can be viewed here: 
Speed (Up)Dating PowerPoint
Topics included:
- The McGill Commitment - Deputy Provost (Student Life & Learning) Ollivier Dyens
- Update on Healthy McGill - Michael Dougan
- Office for Students with Disabilities: New opportunities, collaborations, and processes - Tanja Beck
- Le french side de McGill - Manon Gadbois
- Peer Programs Network - Vanessa Morelli and Rosalia Felice
- Bringing in the Bystander program, etc. - Bianca Tétrault
- Dobson Centre for Entrepreneurship - Carol Clelland
- News from the Office of the Dean of Students - Penny Kaill-Vinish
- Course Equivalencies - Heidi Emami
- Safer Spaces Certificate - Tynan Alexander Jarrett
- McGill Admissions update - Karen Neuburger J'bari
- News from Service Point - Samantha Soles
- Mental Health Service and Eating Disorder Program update - Emily Yung
- What's new at Residences - Samantha Goldberg
- News from CAPS - Jan Bottomer and Cindy Mancuso
- Academic Advisors Network: Advising Syllabus - Michelle Maillet
- Counselling Service update - Jennifer Janzen
- Mentoring Across McGill program - Vanessa Di Francesco and Margaret Colton
- Family Resources Coordinator introduction (SEDE) - Tanya Lalonde
- Updates from the McGIll Writing Centre - Carolyn Samuel
Speed (Up)Dating event - December 12, 2014
In recent months, several new and enhanced resources and services that may be of interest to you in your advising or student support role have been developed.
The Speed (Up)Dating event aimed to allow participants to connect with colleagues, relax with a hot beverage and learn about what's new with quick and lively snapshot presentations. This was also a good opportunity to network and gather with friends before the winter break!
Date: Friday, December 12, 2014
Time: 12:00 – 1:30 p.m.
Location: Thomson House Ballroom
Presentation slides can be viewed here: Speed Updating 2014
Topics included:
- MyInvolvement - Lina Di Genova/Timothy Wilfong
- Early Alert tool - Andre Costopoulos
- AskMcGill - Penny Kaill-Vinish
- Advising Checklist - Margaret Colton
- McGill 101 - Leslie Copeland
- Harm Reduction Liaison position - Bianca Tétrault
- Wellness Portal - Amanda Unruh
- The McGill App - Mitchell Miller
- Online Student Resources Directory - Rosalia Felice
- What's New in Student Aid - Maria Gabriel
- Communication in Advising (aka Advising Hub & Website) - Penny Kaill-Vinish
- Helping Students in Difficulty (aka Red folder) - Edith Breiner
- What's New at Service Point - Romesh Vadivel
- Mentoring Programs - Rosalia Felice
- Peer Support Initiatives - Ian Simmie
- Ask an Advisor - Margaret Colton
- Outdoor Advising Day - Andre Costopoulos
- Academic Advising Day Recap - Ruth Kuzaitis
- What’s New in Residences - Samantha Goldberg
- Mental Health First Aid - Evelyn Rodinos
- Health & Wellness Initiatives - Amanda Unruh