As we gear up for the 2022-23 academic year, we’re checking in with the newly elected leaders of CivMin’s various clubs. Here’s our Q&A with Min Club Chair Alec Gilvesy (MinE Year 4):
What is Min Club?
The Lassonde Mineral Engineering Club, or Min Club for short, is the student-run organization that acts as the voice for all students enrolled in the Lassonde Mineral Engineering program, from first year to fourth year, and everything in between.
What does Min Club do?
MinClub organizes and co-organizes a number of events throughout the year, from networking, to social and informational. We also provide additional support to class representatives and work with professors, the Department, and the Faculty on issues related to assignments, workloads, due dates, midterms, final assessments, and more.
How did you get involved?
From F!rosh Week in first year through to the present, I’ve always attended Min Club events. It is at these events where I met a lot of upper years in the Lassonde Mineral Engineering program; where I began to build my network, and began to see the benefits of the events in which Min Club was involved, whether that be professional, academic, or social. I became involved with Min Club starting in my second year as a class representative; eventually growing into the roles of VP Academic, and now President.
In-person events are finally back in full swing. How does Min Club plan to take advantage of this to engage students more than we’ve been able to the last couple of years?
We’re really just looking forward to getting some of our classic events back up and running again. From CivMin Dinner Dance, the Mineral Engineering Dinner (MinDin), our PEY talk, and various events we can co-ordinate with the greater mining community in Toronto, through the Canadian Institute of Mining, Metallurgy and Petroleum (CIM) and the Prospectors & Developers Association of Canada (PDAC). It’s going to be a busy and fun year! We’re also looking toward working with the Undergraduate Earth Sciences Association (UESA) on a few new events and activities for the year, so stay tuned for that! Being the first year that we are really back to in-person events, MinClub’s focus is going to be on connecting the different classes of students that are currently making their way through our program, and preparing them for their classes and their future in industry through networking and support.
Do you have any helpful hints for new students to be successful academically and socially? Favourite places to study or grab a bite to eat on or near campus?
In terms of academics, always ask for help before it’s too late. There are so many different tools available to us as UofT Engineering students, and the most important thing is to take advantage of them! Whether it be office hours, talking to upper years and/or fellow students, Guided Engineering Academic Review Sessions (GEARS) or something else, find what works for you, and take advantage.
Socially, the best thing to do is to get involved. I have been a member of a variety of groups during my team at UofT, from MinClub, to Skule™ Nite, to the Skule™ Archives, to the Canadian Mining Games team, and many more! There are more than 500 student groups at UofT, so there’s bound to be something that fits your interests! As for the best place to study on campus, you really can’t go wrong with the Min Common Room in MB118, or in the Goldcorp Mining Innovation Suite in MB400. Both places are usually pretty quiet, and easy to focus in, plus there’s a good chance you’ll run into an upper year who may be able to help you out! If you’re looking for a good lunch or dinner on campus, check out the Gourmet Burger House in MedSci!
How can students get involved with Min Club?
Send us an email at uoftminclub@gmail.com if you want to get involved! You can also join the Facebook group, or follow us on Instagram! Stay tuned for more as the year goes on!
By David Goldberg