The start of a new decade swept us off our feet with unprecedented changes and events. As we begin new chapters and face personal hardships, we may have forgotten the critical societal situations around us. However, this is not the case at UTM. The Snider Lecture Committee has been hosting an annual Snider lecture for the past 46 years that addresses essential topics. The committee’s primary goal is to raise awareness and stimulate conversations on events, critical decisions, and concerns as they become relevant to the UTM community.
For the first time ever, the Snider Lecture will be delivered virtually on October 6 from 7 p.m. to 8 p.m. via Zoom. Individuals can sign up online to watch the live stream or recording. With this new platform comes the ability to connect to a broader audience, making the lecture’s message even more powerful.
The Snider Lectures started in 1974 through the funds provided to the school by Fletcher Cameron Snider’s wife, Amelia Pauline Scheak. Snider was born in Eglinton, York, which would now be considered Eglinton Avenue in downtown Toronto. He came to be a well-established lawyer and was highly esteemed in his profession. Unfortunately, at the peak of his career, he passed away at the young age of 48. Fletcher Cameron Snider remained married to his wife Amelia until his death. Later, when Amelia passed away, her will demanded that following the passing of her second husband and sister, the remnants of her estate would be left in the hands of the trustees of the University of Toronto.
Since the start of the annual Fletcher C. Snider Lectures, it has featured various notable speakers. Representing the committee as the current chair, Shelley Hawrychuk expressed how grateful the committee is for all the Snider family has done. “The Lecture Series is made possible by the generous endowment of the Snider family. The family wanted to support public lectures that enrich the intellectual and cultural life of the UTM community.” Today, the lectures have come to represent an integral part of the U of T community.
Shelley Hawrychuk is the head librarian at the UTM campus and served for the committee before being asked to be the chair. Regarding what she aims to achieve through the lectures, Hawrychuk said, “events such as the Snider Lecture provide a space that allows us to engage in discussions freely and respectfully about topics that challenge us—that make us think about opinions and ideas that may be different from our own. That is what I hope to achieve.”
The committee works to organize an informational lecture year after year that brings attention to nuanced and sometimes controversial topics. “The hope is to bring in lecturers that may challenge our own opinions and attitudes, and that spark conversation,” said Hawrychuk.
When asked about the process of choosing a speaker, Hawrychuk said, “the Committee meets to discuss issues that seem relevant to us now and to share ideas for potential speakers.” She explained how further discussion and debate narrowed down the topics and potential speakers.
Hawrychuk and the committee are excited about the first-ever virtual Snider lecture. “The event this year is our first virtual lecture. It is exciting that we can reach out to our community this way.” The committee is currently working to coordinate with registrants for the October 6 lecture by Robyn Maynard on “Abolish the Police, Abolish Prisons: Black liberation in a time of revolt.”
Maynard has long been involved in community activism and advocacy. She was a part of several movements against racial profiling, police violence, and detention and deportation. For the Snider Lectures event, Maynard will talk about how police captivity and types of surveillance processes are systemically ingrained in Canadian policies.
Over a thousand members from all over the world have already registered for this virtual lecture. These attendees include faculty, staff, librarians, students, and the wider UTM community, such as alumni. Additionally, all the registrants are also provided with a recording of the lecture to watch afterward.
The Snider Lectures have proven to be instructional in bringing forth critical issues of interest and providing attendees with knowledge that opens perspectives on current social issues. When asked what is to be expected of this year’s lecture, Hawrychuk stated, “as with all Snider lectures, I am confident that we will have an interesting and engaging speaker. The hope is to bring in lecturers that present on issues that are timely and relevant to us now.”To attend the lecture or watch the recording, visit: https://www.utm.utoronto.ca/snider-lecture/.
For the first time ever, the Snider Lecture will be delivered virtually on October 6 from 7 p.m. to 8 p.m. via Zoom. Individuals can sign up online to watch the live stream or recording. With this new platform comes the ability to connect to a broader audience, making the lecture’s message even more powerful.
The Snider Lectures started in 1974 through the funds provided to the school by Fletcher Cameron Snider’s wife, Amelia Pauline Scheak. Snider was born in Eglinton, York, which would now be considered Eglinton Avenue in downtown Toronto. He came to be a well-established lawyer and was highly esteemed in his profession. Unfortunately, at the peak of his career, he passed away at the young age of 48. Fletcher Cameron Snider remained married to his wife Amelia until his death. Later, when Amelia passed away, her will demanded that following the passing of her second husband and sister, the remnants of her estate would be left in the hands of the trustees of the University of Toronto.
Since the start of the annual Fletcher C. Snider Lectures, it has featured various notable speakers. Representing the committee as the current chair, Shelley Hawrychuk expressed how grateful the committee is for all the Snider family has done. “The Lecture Series is made possible by the generous endowment of the Snider family. The family wanted to support public lectures that enrich the intellectual and cultural life of the UTM community.” Today, the lectures have come to represent an integral part of the U of T community.
Shelley Hawrychuk is the head librarian at the UTM campus and served for the committee before being asked to be the chair. Regarding what she aims to achieve through the lectures, Hawrychuk said, “events such as the Snider Lecture provide a space that allows us to engage in discussions freely and respectfully about topics that challenge us—that make us think about opinions and ideas that may be different from our own. That is what I hope to achieve.”
The committee works to organize an informational lecture year after year that brings attention to nuanced and sometimes controversial topics. “The hope is to bring in lecturers that may challenge our own opinions and attitudes, and that spark conversation,” said Hawrychuk.
When asked about the process of choosing a speaker, Hawrychuk said, “the Committee meets to discuss issues that seem relevant to us now and to share ideas for potential speakers.” She explained how further discussion and debate narrowed down the topics and potential speakers.
Hawrychuk and the committee are excited about the first-ever virtual Snider lecture. “The event this year is our first virtual lecture. It is exciting that we can reach out to our community this way.” The committee is currently working to coordinate with registrants for the October 6 lecture by Robyn Maynard on “Abolish the Police, Abolish Prisons: Black liberation in a time of revolt.”
Maynard has long been involved in community activism and advocacy. She was a part of several movements against racial profiling, police violence, and detention and deportation. For the Snider Lectures event, Maynard will talk about how police captivity and types of surveillance processes are systemically ingrained in Canadian policies.
Over a thousand members from all over the world have already registered for this virtual lecture. These attendees include faculty, staff, librarians, students, and the wider UTM community, such as alumni. Additionally, all the registrants are also provided with a recording of the lecture to watch afterward.
The Snider Lectures have proven to be instructional in bringing forth critical issues of interest and providing attendees with knowledge that opens perspectives on current social issues. When asked what is to be expected of this year’s lecture, Hawrychuk stated, “as with all Snider lectures, I am confident that we will have an interesting and engaging speaker. The hope is to bring in lecturers that present on issues that are timely and relevant to us now.”To attend the lecture or watch the recording, visit: https://www.utm.utoronto.ca/snider-lecture/.
