The start of another academic term brings no shortage of things to celebrate, including Michaelmas, Fall Convocation, and a new exhibit opening in the Kelly Library.
St. Mike’s and Regis Receive $2.8-million in Lilly Grant Funding
Two exciting new initiatives are coming to Regis St. Michael’s Faculty of Theology (RSM), made possible through Lilly Endowment’s Pathways for Tomorrow Initiative. The University of St. Michael’s College will use a grant of $1.4-million CDN to help establish the Canadian Centre for Catholic Pastoral Leadership (CCCPL). Regis College has been awarded a grant of $1.4-million CDN to support the establishment of Walking in Service, an initiative to develop educational resources and programs to support the community-based formation of congregational leadership in Catholic Indigenous communities in Canada.
Michaelmas
The start of St. Michael’s academic year was marked by our annual Michaelmas celebration. More than 250 students, staff, and faculty took part in the day, which began with a beautiful Mass and continued with a lively street festival featuring food trucks, balloon animals, volleyball, and even some spontaneous line dancing. It was a joyful display of community and tradition, bringing the SMC community together in true St. Michael’s spirit.
Legacy Wall Inductees
As part of the Michaelmas festivities, two new honorees were added to St. Michael’s Legacy Wall. Distinguished historian and former USMC Principal Professor Mark McGowan was inducted to the legacy wall along with distinguished alumna Sr. Evanne Hunter, IBVM. Mark McGowan is renowned for his work on the history of Toronto, Canadian Catholicism, the Irish Famine and Diaspora, and the Irish in Canada. Sr. Evanne is a former Collegium member and has worked tirelessly for the Institute of the Blessed Virgin Mary for well over fifty years, serving as Provincial Superior for Canada, among other important roles. A luncheon for honorees and their guests was held following the Michaelmas Mass.
Collegium Retreat
On September 18th, members of the USMC Collegium participated in an annual retreat and orientation for new members. President David Sylvester gave a presentation on the history of USMC. President of the Association of Catholic Colleges and Universities Dr. Donna Carroll joined us from Washington, DC to contribute her unique insights to the retreat. There was also a panel discussion with President Sylvester joined by members of Collegium and senior administration who have previously served as presidents in Catholic higher education, including Dr. Mike DeGagne, Father George Smith, CSB, Dr. Carroll, and Fr. John Meehan. It was a great opportunity for new and returning members to learn about governance and Catholic higher education.
Collegium AGM
The USMC Collegium Annual General Meeting was held on October 8th. It was an opportunity to say farewell to outgoing Collegium members and welcome new members into the fold. Both incoming and outgoing Collegium members received gifts for their service. Collegium members attended a dinner in Loretto’s Romero Room after the meeting.
FAS Convocation
On October 27th, 154 graduands were honoured at the Faculty of Arts & Science Convocation. St. Mike’s students joined students from other U of T colleges for their convocation ceremony at Convocation Hall. Following the ceremony, St. Mike’s grads and their families were invited to come back to campus for a reception in Charbonnel Lounge.
Welcome Esma Tuzunatac
Esma Tuzunatac joins the Continuing Education team as a work-study student for Fall 2025. Esma is pursuing a double major in applied genetics and biotechnology & cell and molecular biology with a minor in German and will support Continuing Education’s programs, courses, and events.
Continuing Education Launches Micro Credential in Catholic Leadership
In October, Continuing Education welcomed the first cohort in SMCE2000 Leadership for Transformative Changemakers in Catholic Organizations. A group of senior leaders from education and non-profit organizations participated in sessions focused on contemporary issues in Catholic communities, inclusive leadership, communication and organizational responses to community issues using problem-based learning.
Diploma in Interfaith Dialogue
The Diploma in Interfaith Dialogue, recently assumed by Continuing Education, launched this fall with a new design that builds on the diploma’s strong foundation, offering course content and flexible delivery options that continue to support meaningful engagement, reflection, and collaboration among participants from diverse backgrounds.
Continuing Education Attends When Faith Meets Pedagogy Conference
In October, the Continuing Education team attended When Faith Meets Pedagogy, Canada’s top Catholic educational conference. The conference presented opportunities to interact with Catholic educators and teachers and keep them up to date on Continuing Education’s Additional Qualification and Interfaith Diploma offerings.
Continuing Education Council
The Continuing Education Council, responsible for providing advice to the CE Division and for reviewing and recommending new courses and programs to the Senate, met in late September. The Council approved two new courses in the Interfaith Dialogue Diploma program as well as a new Additional Qualification course for religious education teachers in Catholic schools.
Continuing Education’s Marketing and Recruitment Strategy
The Continuing Education Division began working with Sean Williams, a marketing and recruitment specialist, who has been engaged on a contract basis to assist the Division in developing a marketing strategy to boost enrollment in its courses and programs. Sean is currently meeting with stakeholders and partners to understand their interests and needs and is also conducting an environmental scan to fully understand the opportunities and challenges in marketing and recruitment in continuing education.
St. Michael’s College Annual Book Sale
The Friends of the John M. Kelly Library set a fundraising record this past September when they raised more than $50,000 from the 2025 book sale.
Special Collections Class Visits
The Kelly Library Special Collections Reading Room has always been open to students. But thanks to three Book & Media Studies classes — BMS110: The Printed Book (taught by Kit MacNeil); BMS402: The Power of Print (taught by Chris Patton); and BMS331: The History of the Book (taught by Kit MacNeil) — more students than ever have crowded in to the second-floor room to leaf through 17th- and 18th-century books. Handling samples from the library’s Rare Books Collections, students learn to identify book formats, pinpoint watermarks, write bibliographic descriptions, and figure out the printing processes and techniques used to produce the books. While some students were nervous handling 200-year-old books, many were thrilled to be engaging with the past and appreciated the hands-on nature and meticulous attention to detail the activity required.
Regis Library Collection Moved to Kelly Library
After several years of hard work, the Regis Collection has now moved to the Kelly Library and integrated with St. Michael’s materials. This achievement was possible thanks to a collaborative effort among the Regis College Library and the Technical Services and Access & Information departments at the Kelly Library.
Day of Dante
Prof. Francesco Ciabattoni of Georgetown University was welcomed to campus to speak on “Dante’s Musical Journey in the Divine Comedy.” The lecture incorporated musical examples performed by members of St. Michael’s Schola Cantorum led by Professor Michael O’Connor, W. J. Bennett Family Chair of Christianity and the Arts.
The Dante Lecture was proceeded by a tour of the Dante Gardens and followed by a reception where new additions to The Dante Collection were unveiled, making for a full evening of Dante excitement.
Opening of ‘The Big Maps: The Sisters of Service as Canadian Trailblazers’ Exhibit
The Big Maps: The Sisters of Service as Canadian Trailblazers, a new exhibit in the John M. Kelly Library, opened with much fanfare. Mark McGowan, Professor Emeritus of History and Celtic Studies at the University of Toronto and Principal Emeritus of St. Michael’s College, on the pioneering vision of Sister Catherine Donnelly, who founded the order, and the role of the Sisters of Service (SOS) in welcoming, housing, and teaching new Canadians from diverse cultural backgrounds. The lecture was recorded and is available here. The exhibit celebrates the Sisters’ place in Canadian history and marks the arrival of the SOS archives at the Kelly Library. The Big Maps will be on display until summer 2026.
Campus Walking Tour
Staff and faculty learned a bit more about the College’s history and art in a walking tour guided by our well-informed archivist, Jessica Barr. The tour was organized by the SMC Wellness Committee as a way for colleagues to connect and enjoy a mindful break.
Welcome Day
The Principal’s Office hosted a Welcome Day for our four sponsored programs, a time to set aside the books and get to know each other better. It brought together students and faculty from Christianity & Culture, Medieval Studies, Book & Media Studies, and Celtic Studies for refreshments and socializing.
Celtic Studies Lecture
The latest installment of the Celtic Speaker Series was delivered by Dr. Padraic X. Scanlan on ‘ROT: The Irish Appetite and the Great Hunger’.
Relaunch of McLuhan Salons
This fall saw the relaunch of the McLuhan Salons with two events taking place. The evenings feature a lively discussion on a chosen book, moderated by Prof. Paolo Granata.
Loneliness: A Theological Appraisal Presentation
On September 24th, Graham Ward, Regius Professor of Divinity at the University of Oxford (Emeritus) and Professor Extraordinarius at the University of Stellenbosch, gave us a theological appraisal of loneliness.
Lecture on The Second Established Religion of the Caliphate
On September 19th, Dr. Philip Wood of The Aga Khan University presented on ‘The Church of The East in Ninth Century Baghdad’.
President Sylvester Elected to the IFCU Board of Administration
St. Michael’s College President David Sylvester has been elected to the International Federation of Catholic Universities’ (IFCU) Board of Administration. The global organization of Catholic academic institutions has a mandate to work collegially to facilitate research, partnership and exchange programs between Catholic universities and colleges.
St. Jerome’s University’s Sweeney Award
Congratulations to Prof. Mark McGowan, who was presented with St. Jerome’s University’s Sweeney Award for Catholic Leadership.
Royal Society of Canada Recipient
Congratulations are in order for Professor Jacqueline Murray, a fellow of St. Michael’s College, on being named to the prestigious Royal Society of Canada.
The citation honouring Murray noted her “intellectual creativity and impeccable scholarship have transformed the landscape of premodern European history. Her groundbreaking research in premodern sex, sexualities, genders and bodies has introduced innovative approaches to the study of medieval women and men and established the new research field of premodern men and masculinities.”