Our faculty and staff are proud to congratulate our students on achieving the Dean’s List for the Fall 2022 semester.

Their hard work and perseverance have made this remarkable accomplishment possible, and we hope that it served as an inspiration for future success and growth. We applaud all of our students for their outstanding academic performance and congratulate them for their dedication to excellence. We look forward to their continued achievements and successes in their future endeavors.

What is the Dean’s List?

The Dean’s List at TAV College recognized the academic achievement of pre-university DEC students who have maintained an average grade of 85 or higher throughout the semester in all of their courses. Students must be registered in five or more courses in order to achieve the Dean’s List.

Fall 2022 Dean’s List

Sciences:

• Lilah Barry
• Aidan Marcelissen
• Francis Ondiek Onjuru
• Matheus Lazzari Comunello
• Shmuel Weinbaum
• Arda Kaan Yildirim
• Yisroel-Gershoin Levin
• Levon Tavitian
• Scott Svendsen
• Julia Maria Iadisernia

Social Sciences:

• Tigran Gevorgyan
• Maya Perrella
• Christopher Parisien
• Audrey Gauthier
• Shahriyar Molla
• Christopher Nicolainas
• Ruoxuan Hu
• Adnan Hussain
• Sofia Fernandez Cano
• Evangelos Linardakis

Arts, Literature, and Communication

• Hanan Merims Zlate
• Zachary Walter
• Miruna Lucia Hent
• Tran Uyen Nhi Vu
• Miranda Alvarez Balsa

Springboard to DEC

• Roberto Benmergui
• Zuhayr Ibrahim
• Ruth Abadi
• Jodilyn Hermoso Dela Pene

Odyssey Program now open

Are you someone who enjoys the idea of inspiring the next generation? Do you find yourself drawn to the idea of working with children? Odyssey is now looking for language assistants to teach language learning activities in the classroom. This is a great opportunity to immerse yourself in the childhood education workforce and to build your resume.

What is Odyssey?

Odyssey is a paid work placement program that is in collaboration with the Official Languages Program funded by the Government of Canada. As part of the Odyssey program, you will be assigned to a partnered primary or secondary school located in one of the Canadian provinces or territories. If you have always wanted to discover what else Canada has to offer this is your chance!

About the language assistant position

Are you someone who likes to work with children and or teenagers, do you want to gain authentic tutoring and educational experience that will look great on your resume? Then look no further! Batshaw academy is looking for volunteer tutors.

What does the opportunity entail? 

We are looking for people who can tutor 7-17-year-olds in various subjects for 2-3 hours per week, which can be virtual or in-person. The most common subjects that require tutoring are English, French and, Mathematics. This is an excellent opportunity for anyone who is looking to strengthen their resume and hands-on experience. Employers tend to look not only at your education but also at any experience you might have. Work experience is just as valuable as your education. 

What is Batshaw?

Batshaw Youth and Family Centres is a non-profit organization that provides cutting-edge care, innovation, tutoring, and teaching services for children and families in need. They carry on a 200-year-old tradition of services dedicated to the welfare of children and their families. Batshaw believes that children and youth have the right to live and grow in a safe and stable environment. Batshaw is committed to the protection, safety, and development of children as well as strengthening the role of parents.

If you are someone who enjoys working with children and young people, establishing strong connections with people, and helping others then this opportunity is the right place for you. If you have any questions or inquiries please feel free to contact Tania Togias.

Below is the application form, please fill out all the required information and send it back to Tania Togias at the above address.

Volunteering Application Form

As the 2022-2023 academic year approaches, the College would like to remind all students and staff to take precautions in order to control the spread of COVID-19. We ask that you understand the protocol should you contract COVID-19 during the semester.

Mask-wearing and personal hygiene:

Wearing a mask inside TAV College buildings and in several enclosed or partially enclosed public places is no longer mandatory. However:

• Wearing a mask is recommended for vulnerable people and older adults.
• Wearing a mask is recommended for individuals returning to campus after a period of isolation if they have contracted COVID-19.
• Disinfecting your hands when entering TAV College’s buildings is still recommended.

Protocols for students:

Throughout the semester:

• If you have tested positive for COVID-19 or are displaying symptoms of the virus, follow these procedures:
  • Do not come to the College.
  • Inform your teachers and program coordinator as soon as possible.
  • Follow the recommended self-isolation instructions:
    https://www.quebec.ca/en/health/health-issues/a-z/2019-coronavirus/self-isolation

Students with internships:

In conformity with order no. 2022-033 of the Public Health Act, students and trainees, whose activities involve direct contact with patients or with other stakeholders who have direct contact with patients, must be adequately protected against COVID-19. They must send proof that they are adequately protected to the College.

During midterm and final exams:

• If you have tested positive or are displaying symptoms of COVID-19 in the days before a midterm or final exam:
  • Do not come to the College.
  • Inform your teacher(s) and program coordinator as soon as possible.
  • Provide proper documentation of your situation (doctor’s note, positive test result, etc.) to your program coordinator by Mio on Omnivox.
  • Stay home and follow the recommended self-isolation instructions: https://www.quebec.ca/en/health/health-issues/a-z/2019-coronavirus/self-isolation
• Exams will be deferred to a later date if proper documentation was submitted on time.

Protocol for staff:

Throughout the semester:

• If you have tested positive for COVID-19 or you are displaying symptoms of the virus, do not come to the College:
  • Inform your students via Omnivox as soon as possible.
  • Prepare your course(s) to be delivered online for the amount of time you will be in self-isolation.
  • Inform your program coordinator and the front desk, as soon as possible.
  • Follow the recommended self-isolation instructions: https://www.quebec.ca/en/health/health-issues/a-z/2019-coronavirus/self-isolation

Updates will be posted here: https://www.tav.ca/about/coronavirus-information/

Marie-Lou Larouche, currently serving as Pedagogical Counsellor: Policy Evaluation and Quality Assurance (Mechanisms) as well as French-language instructor, has officially been promoted to Associate Director of Studies (Evaluations and Quality Assurance Systems).

Born to a Filipina mother and a Canadian father, and growing up in West Africa and Latin America, Marie-Lou quickly dove into cultural diversity. She has been working in Côte-des-Neiges for the past 15 years. First, she was a school community worker at La Voie High School where she helped families find the appropriate resources in education, employment, and food security. She then started at TAV in September 2014 as a tutor for the French Help Centre, she became an instructor of French as a Second Language, French Literature, followed by a further promotion to Pedagogical Counsellor. In addition, Marie-Lou was recently voted an administrator at the Promis organization board of governors. She holds a Master of Arts and a Bachelor of Arts degree in Literary Studies from UQAM.

As the newly-appointed Associate Director of Studies, she will work closely with the Associate Director, Patrice Robitaille, as well as the Director of Studies, Eli Meroz, on various projects.

“Throughout her work at TAV, Marie-Lou has actively helped to build our strong reputation through her work and her active role in the submission of policies and reports to the Commission d’évaluation de l’enseignement collégial. The College is happy to count on her professional dedication, her cooperation in the development of team spirit, and her openness and commitment to our institution. The College wishes Marie-Lou every success in her new role.” – Eli Meroz, Director of Studies.

Marie-Lou said, “I am grateful to be given such a mandate and especially, to be part of such a strong team. I hope to play a positive role in this College that I love.”

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MONTREAL – TAV College is pleased to announce that two students from our pre-university Science DEC program, Jialiang Li and Alexandre LaRivière, have each received a $5,000 scholarship from a joint collaboration between Mitacs and the FRQNT (Fonds de recherche du Québec – Nature et technologies) to conduct advanced 3D bio-printing research during the summer of 2022. The internship will last 12 weeks. Additionally, Li and LaRivière will be joined by their peer, Elizabeth Diaz Pedroso, who will also participate in the research project.

According to Dr. Nima Nateghi, Coordinator of the Science program, the students will work on 3D bioprinting scaffolds for local drug delivery applications. More specifically, this college-university collaborative project aims to explore novel and cost-effective solutions to prevent post-operative orthopedic surgery infections. The team will explore local antibiotic delivery via 3D printed bioactive scaffolds made of porous composite material. The results of this research may lead to the clinical translation of novel bone substitutes, which can promote reparation while inhibiting potential infections.

The research will be conducted in laboratories at both TAV College and the Montreal General Hospital, under the supervision of Dr. Nateghi and Dr. Derek Rosenzweig at the department of experimental surgery at McGill University.

This is an ongoing 3D printing research collaboration. Jialiang Li, one of the scholarship recipients, was selected to work on this project again and expand on the work that was done last summer. “Being selected for this opportunity, in a way, proves to myself that I am capable of undertaking advanced projects within the sciences,” said Li during an interview.

LaRivière, a first-year student, said that he sees this as an excellent opportunity for him to explore what professional research is like, which will help him decide if he is interested in pursuing laboratory-based science at university, or not. LaRivière is leaning towards a career in medicine or sports medicine and Li is on-track to pursue university studies in biochemistry.

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From the early stages of her career, Mrs. Colleen Flint was dedicated to the mission of helping youth to develop and learn to be responsible, mature, and forward-thinking members of society. Colleen started teaching in TAV’s Early Childhood Education department over 25 years ago, however, this year, she says it’s time to move on from teaching in the pursuit of new challenges.

Before Colleen finishes her final semester, I caught up with her to reminisce about her time at TAV College as well as find out what’s in store for her new journey:

J: What’s next for you?

C: I will be taking on different tasks such as administrative duties, program planning, dealing with educators/caregivers, and so on while working with my son and his partners in their group homes for people with special needs as well as Indigenous persons. It will be an amazing new challenge that I am looking forward to it.

J: What did you study at university?

C: I first received a Bachelor of Social Work (BSW) degree from McGill University, followed by a Bachelor of Arts (BA), major in Psychology, from Concordia University, and then received a Graduate Diploma (GrDip) in Early Childhood Education also from Concordia.

J: How did you get into the profession of teaching?

C: How I got into teaching is a very long story. Many – many years ago, I was working in office systems, and one day while riding the subway home, I noticed a group of unruly teenagers acting extremely loud, vulgar, and quite disrespectful. I asked myself the question “what went wrong with them?” Somewhere in their lives, they lost their way; so I said “self, maybe you should get out of office systems and go into a field to help these young people.” That revelation took me to McGill University where I studied social work. After graduating, I worked briefly with a Montreal social services agency. However, after six months of dealing with a certain population whose behaviors seemed to explain why the previous group of unruly teenagers behaved the way they did on the subway that day, I said “self, maybe you should get out of social work and go into the schools to teach these youngsters what they seem to be lacking.”

J: When did you start teaching at TAV?

C: The revelation that I mentioned in my previous answer took me to an English elementary school in Montreal where I worked for thirty years as the Coordinator of their special education program, the kindergarten, and after-school care programs. At the beginning of my career in elementary school, I realized that I needed a different set of tools to work in that environment. That revelation took me to Concordia part-time to complete my graduate studies in Early Childhood Education. While working at the elementary level, I discovered that some of the parents I had dealt with in social work were the parents of some of the children in the elementary school and they were just like the boys on the subway. So, again, I said, “self, maybe you should study psychology to truly understand why that group of boys acted the way they did.” You know the next sentence … that took me to Concordia University where I majored in Psychology.

Having said all of that, one of the educators, who was working at the elementary school with me, was also studying Early Childhood Education at TAV. She told me about her program and suggested that I apply to teach there. So I did, and have been teaching here part-time for the past 25 or so years.

Quote from one of long-time Colleen’s colleagues

“Colleen is an outstanding teacher and coworker who has been an integral part of the ECE program at TAV. Colleen values real-world learning and always looks for interesting, creative, and fun projects for her students that will challenge them both educationally and personally. Throughout the years, her unique approach to teaching has enriched the lives of many students. Her dedication to her profession and to her students is admirable and, although she is moving on to a new step in her career, she will be greatly missed by all.” – Gabriella Campanelli

J: What was your first class like? Are there any memories you want to share?

C: I was so nervous about teaching that I practiced in the mirror for about two hours the night before my first class. I had butterflies in my stomach the first day I walked into a classroom and believe it or not, at the beginning of every new semester, I still experience those same butterflies.

My first class was interesting. What you have to realize about way back then is that the population of the school was somewhat different than it is today, and believe it or not, some students were surprised that I was a woman of color. Nonetheless, there was always mutual respect and we had no problems whatsoever. Just positive and exciting interactions all the time (except when it was time for exams).

J: What are some of your fondest memories while teaching at TAV?

C: My fondest memories and sense of pride stem from seeing social science students develop productive study habits, be successful and go on to university to pursue their dreams and goals. In the Early Childhood Education program, my fondest memories rest on sharing my passion for working with, teaching, and advocating for children and their rights. One of my greatest rewards while working at TAV was having the students appreciate, feel, and try to emulate my passion and commitment to working with children.

J: Do you have any advice to offer younger teachers starting out?

C: I would tell them to never, ever give up on their students. Offer students a lot of support without coddling them, and encourage them to be critical thinkers; they are the future. Encourage them to take responsibility for their actions/behavior. Always be in class before the students or be on time at least. Be prepared, know what you are teaching, and do not be afraid to say “I don’t know, but I will do my research and get back to you” if a student question stumps you. Be respectful and this should be reciprocated automatically. I have had unruly students (probably the children of the children I saw on the subway over 30 years ago) and I very politely and diplomatically ask them to leave my classroom. Above all, enjoy what you are doing, but if you feel burnt out, or if you dread going in to teach, it is time to leave because your students will be the most affected.

On March 30th, 2022, TAV College’s Student Experience Advisor, Justin Hand-Gregory, officially appointed Mansuer Mohammed as the new Editor-in-chief of The TAV Times . Mansuer will hold the position for the 2022-2023 academic year.

Since its inception in 2018, The TAV Times, TAV’s official student-produced newspaper, has had three Editor-in-chief’s, Mansuer being the third. The position-holder manages the small team of novice writing and creative staff and guides them through the process of producing two issues of the newspaper per semester. The chief objective of the newspaper is to capture the spirit, history, and news within the TAV College community.

In February of 2022, Esty Rosenfeld, a TAV College alumna and the Editor-In-Chief of The TAV Times since 2020, left her position to seek other opportunities.

“When I started working for The TAV Times, I never could have imagined how many doors it would open for me. This job was my most asked-about work experience during job interviews” said Rosenfeld during a phone interview.

During Esty’s time with the newspaper, she implemented many innovative and foundational ideas that further solidified the structure of the newspaper, some of which include: the transition toward interview-based journalism, implementing branding guidelines and increasing brand awareness, and recruiting more writers and staff to the team. Additionally, Rosenfeld wrote and got the approval for a new compensation system, which allows student writers to be paid for their contributions.

Esty ended the phone interview on an uplifting note.

“I’m really excited to see where Mansuer will take the newspaper,” said Rosenfeld. “Every person in the position will approach it with generally the same goals in mind but from a different perspective and ultimately brings something new to the table. After meeting briefly with Mansuer, I really believe that he will be able to lead the club into a new direction towards growth and expansion.”

Meet Mansuer Mohammed – The New Editor-In-Chief

Mansuer is in his final semester of the Digital Marketing program and brings to the role a dynamic perspective with many stories to share with The TAV Times readers.

He was born and raised in the United Arab Emirates and moved to Turkey as a teenager where he finished his last year of high school. From a young age, Mansuer was praised by his teachers for his natural writing skills.

He decided to make a major change in his life and moved from Turkey to Toronto in 2018 where he spent two years familiarizing himself with Canadian culture. In 2020, he decided to move to Montreal originally to study journalism at Concordia University. However, after a semester in the program, he recognized that his time would be better spent studying in a program that would give him practical skills for an increasingly digital reality.

Mansuer discovered TAV by fluke! As he was walking one day to pick up a package at a nearby store, he passed by TAV’s building. When he got home later that day, he researched the programs that the College offers, and a few days later, he enrolled in the Digital Marketing program .

What Mansuer Plans On Bringing to The TAV Times

When Mansuer arrived in Montreal from Toronto, the abrupt language and culture switch from English to French made him feel as though he arrived in another country. However, he quickly recognized this as an opportunity to share a story and began writing about his immigrant experience arriving in Quebec and the culture shock that overwhelmingly ensued.

Being a writer whose first language is not English, Mansuer’s principal goal as the new EIC is to encourage other students to find the same level of passion and joy that he finds in writing and not feel embarrassed about writing skills. He wants others to see writing as an outlet to share stories, and ideas, and ultimately improve their writing skills. Additionally, he wants to foster a stronger sense of community within The TAV Times staff. His guiding philosophy as a leader is that they do not work for him, they work with him. Together, he assures, The TAV Times will continue to produce high-quality and original content.

Apply for Fall 2022

If you’re a registered TAV student who is interested in joining the TAV Times staff in Fall 2022, applications are now open and many positions are still vacant.