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Ask Ainsley, Student Life

Ask Ainsley: How do I network with my professors?

by Ainsley on

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Dear Ainsley,

I’m going into my third-year in September, and even though it’s far away, the thought of graduate school is already weighing heavily on my mind. I’m fairly certain my GPA will be good enough to get into the schools I want to apply to, but I feel like I don’t have good relationships with my teachers. I’ve been told so many times that to get into grad school you need at least a couple good recommendation letters from your professors, but so far I have none. How do I go about developing a strong relationship with a professor so I can land a good recommendation letter?

Sincerely,

Restless about Rec Letters (RARL)

Dear RARL,

Good for you for already thinking about life post-undergrad. It’s easy to get caught up in life at McGill, and to forget that once we’re finished with these four short years—or in some cases, three—we’re left to fend for ourselves. Connections are crucial to getting ahead in the job market and in the race to graduate school; scoring a good recommendation letter will undoubtedly give you a leg up in both. The first step to doing so is to make connections with your professors.

On the one hand, we are privileged to attend a large research university. McGill has hundreds of school clubs, some of the best professors in North America, and endless opportunities to explore different career paths. On the other hand, many of us face the ‘small fish in a big ocean’ problem. It’s hard to set yourself apart from others when there are thousands of other hardworking, intelligent students potentially vying for the same spot and attention as you. It doesn’t help that in many programs, classes can have up to 600 students enrolled. You’re easily forgotten in a lecture hall if you don’t do your best to make an impression.

If you’re in the Faculty of Arts, consider looking for classes or seminars that are smaller, or try doing a one-on-one independent study with a professor. Once you get to your upper years, classes typically have a better professor to student ratio, allowing most of the networking to get done on its own. If taking smaller classes isn’t possible for your program, do your best to speak up in class. By continuing to do this, your professor may start to recognize you and immediately look to you for any discussion questions they may have. This is also made easier if you sit in the front of the lecture hall. Also, in my opinion, it’s a lot less daunting to answer or ask a question in class if you can’t see the other students sitting in front of you.

Another way to stand out in the eyes of your professors for large lectures is to stay after class to ask questions, taking the time to introduce yourself to the professor, and showing interest in the course material will really set you apart from other students. If you can’t think of anything to ask teachers after class, or are in a rush to get to your next class, office hours are another great opportunity to get to know your professor. Taking the time to show up can really show your professor how much the class means to you. Try coming up with some questions from your readings beforehand so you have something to talk to them about—the more specific the question, the better, as it shows the depth at which you have been studying the material.    

If you have some extra time on your hands, consider running for your faculty or departmental student association. Student association members often work closely with professors to organize research panels and networking events, which is a great way to get on a first-name basis with a professor. If you’re already tied up with extracurricular activities, do your best to attend as many events as possible, and consider staying afterwards to talk to professors about their research. In any given week, there should normally be at least a couple relating to your field of study.

Even though we have a seemingly long time at McGill, the years go by quickly. Balancing class workload, extracurricular activities, and social life often takes precedence over planning for the future. Do your best to get your foot in the door with your professors early, and you’ll thank yourself come graduation.

Best of luck,

Ainsley

Football, Sports

Football: Redmen crush Bishop’s to earn winning record

by Patrick Beacham on

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A packed Molson Stadium roared as the McGill Redmen (2-1) took the field against the Bishop’s Gaiters (0-3) on Friday Sept 16. The fervor of the spectators was matched only by the intensity of the gameplay, which ended in a decisive 43-to-9 victory for the Redmen.

The victory comes unexpectedly in the new season given McGill’s lack of early-season success over the past few years. The Redmen have now defined the start to this season with a winning 2-1 record.

“It’s a big win, we’re really happy as a team,” running back Anthony Deschamps said. “We’ve got a lot of work to do [still], but we improve every week and it’s game by game, so we’re ready.” 

The stands were covered in McGill colours Friday night as the “McGill RezWarz RezFest II Football Game” event brought many first year students to the stadium.

“Having a big crowd is a very big advantage for us,” Head Coach Ronald Hilaire said. “It’s good for us to have that, but we’ve gotta keep it growing, and winning is gonna help that.”

A strong defensive game was cited as a crucial factor in Friday’s win, with the Gaiters only getting one touchdown by McGill’s defensive line.

“We’ve got to clean up some things on our alignment, but we’re pretty good [defensively],” Hilaire explained. “We’re aggressive, we tackle well, we’ve got a young group there, but a very hungry group.” 

Strong defensive tactics, including multiple sacks and interceptions by the Redmen, kept Bishop’s yardage to a minimum. Mistakes on offense, however, led to multiple turnovers throughout the game. Despite the turnovers, the Redmen held a solid 19-2 lead at halftime.

“It was tough to run the ball because they were giving us a lot of different fronts,” Wide Receiver Coach Ryne Bondy said. “Our passing game was there early, but then we were kind of missing some throws, overthrowing our receivers and missing some reads on the quarterback position.” 

With both quarterbacks only in their first and second years of eligibility, the Redmen are still relatively young and inexperienced. In fact, this year’s team currently consists of 44 freshmen, accounting for about half of the entire roster.

“We had 10 to 18 [freshmen] on the roster [for Friday’s game],” Hilaire said. “Everyone got a chance to play, so it was a good night for everyone.”

The next game will be at home against the Sherbrooke Vert et Or on Saturday, Oct. 24 at 2:00 p.m. A close game is to be expected, as the last matchup between McGill and Sherbrooke ended in a narrow 19-18 victory for the Redmen. McGill is focused on reducing turnover frequency in this game. 

“I think we turned the ball over eight or nine times [last time against Sherbrooke],” Bondy said. “I mean, we had about 250 more total yards of offense that game, so as long as we don’t turn the ball over, we’ll be in good shape.”

Quotable

“We invited our residences out to the game, but we’d like to see a few more of those first-years […] to show them that McGill football’s back on the map.”—Wide Receiver Coach Ryne Bondy on the game’s high RezFest attendance.

Stat Corner

Redmen Football is 2-1 to start the season for the first time in a decade.

Moment of the Game
A third down punt by the Gaiters was blocked by a Redmen player’s helmet, sent the kick towards the sideline, which was then picked up by receiver Louis Brouillette, who ran it in 17 yards for the final touchdown.

Men's Varsity, Sports

Redmen Lacrosse Season Preview : New season, new faces, same challenges

by Zikomo Smith on

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The McGill Redmen Lacrosse team, reigning CUFLA champions, is rebuilding; Last season’s championship winning team lost 14 players to graduation and consequently has added 15 new faces for the 2016-17 season. Coach Tim Murdoch and the rest of the coaching staff’s first challenge is to establish a good team culture.

“We are really taking things game by game,” Murdoch explained. “It would be presumptuous to make that statement [that we should win the title….] We would like to win the Eastern title and qualify for the playoffs. We certainly have the talent, it is a question of how quickly these young freshmen develop.”

There are a number of talented freshmen players new to the team, many coming from pedigreed high school programs. Players such as forward Liam MacDonald, and midfielders Jay Jiranek and Kieran McKay, are having immediate impacts. So far, the rookies have performed well, even beating the upperclassmen in one of the team scrimmages.

The CUFLA East is a tough division with Bishop’s, Queen’s, and Trent being McGill’s strongest competition. The Redmen will have to mesh quickly and perform consistently throughout the season in order to win the championship again.

“On any given day, if we are underperforming, we will lose to those teams,” Murdoch said.

Some of the 2015-16 season championship-winning standouts are returning: Spencer Bromley was McGill’s second highest scorer last year and William Waeshe was the CUFLA’s best goalie. 

Backing them up is the Redmen’s dedicated coaching staff, which consists of four volunteers.

“I would like to think that we are setting the bar higher than any other team with regards to the time commitment we put into recruiting and scouting,” Murdoch said. “Sean Steinwald is continuing in his role as head of our scouting [….] We have four volunteer coaches [.…] We also have [a goalie coach].”

Redmen Lacrosse, like a number of McGill varsity programs, has been very successful. Last year, they stormed the league and won comfortably in the playoffs. This excellence, in addition to McGill’s academic reputation, is why a some students choose McGill over NCAA programs. Murdoch is proud to point out that last year, a third of the lacrosse athletes were honours students.

Funding, however, is an issue for the Redmen Lacrosse team; playing fees and travel costs often fall on the players. Murdoch finds this to be one of his greatest challenges as coach.

“We are really challenged financially at the varsity level, to such an extent that our players have to pay very high team fees just to be on the team,” Murdoch said. “This has become somewhat of a distraction and a burden to me as the head coach.”

For example, at last year’s CUFLA finals in Lennoxville, the Redmen players had to pay for their own hotel rooms.

“McGill was able to only provide the cost of bus transportation, they did not pay for our hotel rooms at the national championship,” Murdoch said. “That is just wrong. How can you send your team to a national championship and not pay for a hotel [….It’s] awkward.”

Nonetheless, the McGill Redmen should have a successful 2016-17 season. They are 2-0 so far, handily beating the Nipissing Lakers (0-2-0) twice to start the season. The passion driving the program is still evident and is at the heart of its success. Despite the challenges, if the rookies step up, McGill Lacrosse will maintain its success this season.

Men's Varsity, Soccer, Sports

Soccer: Redmen refreshed by rookies

by Selwynne Hawkins on

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The McGill Redmen (2-0-0) soccer team is off to a roaring start, defeating the Sherbrooke Vert et Or 4-0 on Thursday night at Percival Molson stadium. With two wins in their first two games of the season, they are the only undefeated team in the RSEQ conference. Last season, the Redmen finished fifth with a 3-8-1 record. Their performances in the first two games this year, however, have made it clear that this is a very different group.

“We have a great recruiting class,” Head Coach Marc Mounicot said. “Since day one, it’s working well.”

With 13 rookies joining the Redmen for the 2016 season, half of the team is new to the McGill program. The athletes echoed Mounicot’s comments, speaking positively about the newest additions to the squad.

“[The rookies] brought in a great energy,” goalkeeper Bladen Allan remarked. “All of them fit in extremely well [.…There is a] great feeling all around.”

Many first year players have already made an impact in their short time with the team. This season, four of the team’s nine goals have come from players who are wearing McGill’s colours for the first time.

Freshman striker Mehdi Ibn-Brahim has scored 2 goals for the Redmen so far. Most recently, he beat the Sherbrooke goalkeeper in the 13th minute with a cheeky back-heel touch from just past the front post. McGill rounded out the scoreline with two goals from master’s student Valentin Radevich and one from first-year forward Raphael Tepe.

“It’s always a pleasure to win,” Ibn-Brahim said. “We [had] some great passes [and] good possession.”

The Redmen were equally impressive on defence. Veteran defenders Davide Salvoni and Justin Dragan were joined by first-year players Ramdane Tafer and Alexis Solis in Thursday’s starting lineup. They worked as a cohesive unit, and denied Sherbrooke any dangerous opportunities.

As the Redmen continue to fight for a playoff berth, it will be interesting to see how the young group handles the more experienced teams in the league. The Redmen hit the road next week, playing away games against first-ranked UQTR Patriotes and third-ranked Laval Rouge et Or. They will then return to home turf on Sept. 30 for a matchup against the reigning RSEQ champions, the UQAM Citadins.

Quotable:

“We have [the quality] to beat all of the teams. [Everyone] has to be careful when they come to McGill.” – Midfielder Valentin Radevich

Stat of the game:

Senior goalkeeper Bladen Allan made 7 saves to give McGill its first clean sheet of the season.

Moment of the game:

For his second goal of the game, Valentin Radevich caught the Sherbrooke goalie off his line with a shot from 35 yards out. 

 

A former version of this article published on Sept. 18, 2016 incorrectly spelled goalkeeper Bladen Allan’s name. The Tribune regrets this error. 

Arts & Entertainment

Ancient Future festival blends art and electronic music

by Noah Sutton & Evelyn Goessling on

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Most of Montreal’s partiers end their nights seeing the sun rise from St. Laurent or St. Catherine, but rarely over Old Port’s stoic buildings and stunning views of the Saint Lawrence river. From Sept. 9 through Sept. 11 Ancient Future, Montreal’s newest electronic music festival, brought thousands of Montreal’s techno heads to the Old Port for an immersive musical experience. The festival featured house and techno headliners and pioneers like Randomer and Kerri Chandler, as well as more accessible electronic acts like Or Room, XXYYXX, TOKiMONSTA, and Montreal-native RYAN Playground.

This was only Ancient Future’s second iteration, but the project’s organizers— a group of promoters known as La Bacchanale—are already a familiar name for Montreal’s techno fans. Known for their darkened warehouse parties, La Bacchanale has gained renown throughout Montreal as curators of unique musical experiences. Inspired by their time in Paris, La Bacchanale began as a one-off birthday party for one of the founders of Ancient Future.

“The party was supposed to be intimate in the first place,” Francis Corbeil-Savage, a press representative for the Ancient Future festival, said. “We ended up renting a loft on Papineau, booking several DJs from the local scene, and creating a trippy vibe bringing more than 150 people. The party got shut down at 1:30 a.m. but I remember everyone had lots of fun.” This off-the-cuff style is characteristic of La Bacchanale’s events, even in a fully-fledged festival like Ancient Future. While the scope of the parties grows, the organizers attempt to maintain the organic and almost improvisational spirit of its founding.

Montreal is a city well-acquainted with techno as the home of venues that are both world-renowned and local favorites, such as Stereo, Datcha, and Salon Daomé. When it began, La Bacchanale was not directly associated with this scene, and they hosted their events in pop-up locations and put a greater emphasis on atmosphere rather than a specific genre. However, the bookings of bigger names like Rodhad and Robert Hood quickly led to it’s association with techno.

The festival stands on a long and impassioned history of electronic music in Montreal, and artists and organizers alike work to reconcile the old and new scenes. Emmanuel Cote and Karl Chulo, the DJ duo behind Or Room, have been performing with La Bacchanale almost since its inception.

“Last year was way more underground,” Chulo said. “This year they tried to open the festival into a new dimension. They want to bring people more from outside Montreal to reach more people with different styles. And the fact that they are trying, they’re daring, to bring so many different kinds of artists together—it’s something very interesting.”

Ancient Future maintains the underground vibe of its first parties while translating and transforming it into a larger festival format. This year Ancient Future had two outdoor stages for evening sets, while a large warehouse-like space known as Hangar 16 hosted the festival’s larger after-hours party. On Sept. 9 Hanger 16 was filled with partiers, dutifully raving the night away. The space opened out onto the water on one side and was filled with ambient light, which captured the spirit of Montreal’s underground clubs. Saturday evening’s outdoor stages were sweet and fun: Streamers, food trucks, hammocks, and the word escape in large graphic letters were among the decorations more appealing to a larger and younger audience.

The lineup this year was stocked with techno and house heavyweights but included more accessible electronic acts who stray far from the techno and house ethos, which may come as a surprise to existing fans.

“Ancient Future and La Bacchanale are not intended to embody the same musical identity,” Corbeil-Savage said. “Ancient Future will aim for a more diverse spectrum, when La Bacchanale will stick to underground techno and house [….] This year, [Ancient Future] joined the more electronica and future beats scene mainly because we realized that there was a pool of great talents from Montreal.”

Chulo and Cote both expressed that diversity in the line ups often makes for an equally diverse and open audience.

“We are expecting people really open minded here,” Chulo said. “That’s what this festival is all about.” As a new festival, Ancient Future attracts a new audience. Chulo added, “It’s people ready to hear something totally different than what you can hear at Stereo, what you can hear at every different club, at Piknic [Electronik]. It’s artists that some people have never heard before!”

“We’re going to prove [to] Montreal that we’re artists who can provide something new in Montreal,” Cote added.

In harnessing Montreal’s incredible talent, creativity, and passion for electronic music, Ancient Future upholds a longstanding electronic music tradition while breathing new life into it.

 

Opinion

SSMU’s Crash Pad: The future of first-year accommodation at McGill?

by Tara Allen-Flanagan on

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During the first week of Fall 2016, the Students’ Society of McGill University (SSMU) implemented Crash Pad, an initiative that allowed Frosh participants to sleep in the SSMU Building ballroom overnight. Students registered online earlier in the day, and then went to the ballroom with a sleeping bag to ‘crash’ peacefully under the watchful eye of security services. While this was a great initiative—as it provided students with a safe place to stay after a late night of drunken folly—it begs another question: If Crash Pad is extended throughout the rest of the school year, will it be a viable alternative to McGill’s expensive residences?

SSMU has not yet stated whether or not it will implement Crash Pad permanently throughout the year, but it has not ruled out this possibility. Because incoming freshmen have to shell out more money than almost any other student in Canada for access to university-sponsored residences—the average cost of living in residence at McGill in 2015 was $15,000—living at SSMU may just be the most enticing option should Crash Pad become a regular service. In theory, all students would need is a student ID in order to access safe and free shelter. Sure, they would be sleeping on the floor, but when calculating the costs and benefits of living at McGill’s official residences versus SSMU’s Crash Pad, the financial pros just might outweigh the comfort cons.

 

 

While Crash Pad dwellers will have to commute in order to bathe, the walk up the hill and a lap in the pool will do some good for the kinks in their backs that they might get from sleeping on the floor.

Residences at McGill, with the exception of Solin Hall and MORE Houses, require a mandatory meal plan that costs $5,475 per year. This hefty amount can only be spent at university sponsored cafeterias and businesses—all of which are located on McGill’s campus. Living at Crash Pad, however, has no initial costs or location restrictions. There is also nowhere to store food, but that is remedied by the availability of sustenance around campus and in SSMU itself. Services such as Midnight Kitchen and the Free Food on Campus and in Montreal Facebook group allow students to eat to their heart’s content with little to no money spent.

After discounting the cost of the meal plan from the $15,000 average, the remaining $9,525 of residence fees are put towards accommodation, including heating, running water, and a bed, among other amenities. At Crash Pad, none of this is required. If students invest in a sleeping bag for around $100, they can amplify their body heat and fashion a bed of sorts. As for personal hygiene, all tuition-paying McGill students get access to showers at the McGill Sports Complex. While Crash Pad dwellers will have to commute in order to bathe, the walk up the hill and a lap in the pool will do some good for the kinks in their backs that they might get from sleeping on the floor.

Residences do have washing machines and dryers, yet students have to pay $2 each time they use one of these machines. This cost is similar to other laundromats in the area.

A highlight of residence is the ability to store one’s things in a safe and private space. At Crash Pad, students are given no such luxury. Luckily, a locker in Leacock costs only $35 for the year. Another perk of living at Crash Pad would be its enforced minimalistic lifestyle: If something doesn’t fit in a locker, throw it out.

After adding up all the costs, and adjusting for the estimated frequency of use of these services, living in SSMU for an academic school year would cost around $263 if students pay to do their laundry once per week (and only $135 if they wash their clothes in a sink). In solely financial terms, Crash Pad is clearly the most logical accommodation choice for incoming students. Sadly, until Crash Pad becomes a permanent fixture at SSMU, first-year students will have to continue paying for McGill’s costly residences.

 

Hockey, Sports

Is the World Cup of Hockey a Gimmick

by Alex Sirois and Tanveer Ahmed on

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The hockey world awaits the drop of the puck on Thursday afternoon and the beginning of the World Cup of Hockey (WCH), an international tournament dormant for over a decade since a failed 2004 edition. Team USA is set to face off against Team Europe to kick off a tournament that is design to one day be a replacement for NHL players’ participation in the Winter Olympics. NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman hopes this event will allow him to both avoid the millions of dollars lost by sending players to the Olympics in the middle of the NHL season and to lower the chances of players getting injured in non-NHL events. But aside from the event being an NHL money-grab, the tournament is set up in a very gimmicky fashion. Rather than have the top eight national teams face off in a typical international hockey tournament, the NHL has opted to go with the top six teams along with a so-called ‘Team Europe’ and equally vague ‘Team North America.’

Arts & Entertainment

From the Viewpoint: An Evening at the World Press Photo Exhibit

by Joshua Fichman-Goldberg on

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I have always found Sept. to be a perfect time for reflection. After too many months of unproductive summer bliss, Sept. is a reminder that time is moving forward. We begin a new school year with high hopes and a lingering fear of future responsibilities. If you are caught up in the sublimity of Sept. it may be time to visit the 11th Montreal edition of the World Press Photo exhibit.

This collection of the year’s most evocative images is being held at Bonsecours Market in the Old Port of Montreal from Aug. 31 to Oct. 2. The exhibition features 150 award-winning photos from 41 photographers from around the world. Each year, viewers are presented with depictions of the human condition from a series of fascinating perspectives. The subject matter is often challenging, with graphic imagery illustrating some of the unfortunate tragedies that mark our generation. 

As I walked through the gallery, I was drawn towards the eyes in the photographs—every pair told a story. The photos are linked by their ability to humanize the headlines that saturate Western media outlets. In the age of social media, click-bait photography of war and chaos in developing countries is often a tasteless representation of real human hardships. I approached a photo by Brazilian photographer Mauricio Lima of a member of ISIS in a Kurdish doctor’s office. The fighter’s skin is badly burned and the doctor applies ointment to sooth the victim’s wounds. The photo captures the intimate beauty of man helping man. When photojournalism can sometimes fetishize the horrors of war and violence, images in the World Press Photo exhibit tastefully convey emotion beyond mere shock value. 

Near the end of the show, I stopped and faced an image taken by Australian photographer Rohan Kelly. The scene is of a massive storm approaching a sunny beach as a sunbather lies in the sand, staring at her digital device. This thought-provoking shot conveys the existential crisis of the 21st century. It is poignant in its portrayal of ignorance in the presence of imminent catastrophe. The photographer uses dramatic irony to convey a heightened sense of urgency in the viewer: One feels compelled to enter the photo and warn the people of the impending storm. 

On the second floor of the gallery, there are three complementary exhibitions. One of particular interest is presented by Anaïs Barbeau-Lavalette in collaboration with photographer Guillaume Simoneau. The collection is called I Do Not Come From Outer Space and documents four recently arrived Syrian refugee families living in Montreal. In opposition to the demonization of refugees in some Western politics and media, this exhibit serves to tell human stories of transition and migration. It was an uplifting conclusion to the gallery experience. After images of deeply disturbing realities, we are reminded that there is hope on the horizon. 

 

The World Press Photo exhibit runs every day from Aug. 31 to Oct. 2 from 10:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. and on Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays until midnight. It is located in De la Commune Hall at the Bonsecours Market (325 de la Commune Street East).

Science & Technology

McGill University Health Centre Finds Cures for Life-Threatening Dairy Allergies

by Lydia Kaprelian on

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For children with severe food allergies, mealtime can be the most challenging part of the day.  Families with young children who have allergies are especially affected, as parents must constantly worry about what their children are eating. Recent results out of the McGill University Health Centre (MUHC) offer newfound hope to parents and children alike.

A team of pediatric allergists and researchers at the Montreal Children’s Hospital of the MUHC announced this week that they had successfully desensitized over 20 children of their life-threatening dairy allergies through their immunotherapy research program.

“The kids are just so happy to go out to pizza with their friends, to be able to have yogurt, to be able to have cheese, to be able to have chocolate, all the stuff they really have never been able to,” said Duncan Lejtenyi, a McGill alum and Clinical Research Coordinator of the study.

Many of the patients suffered from life-threatening anaphylactic reactions to dairy before treatment. Anaphylaxis is an autoimmune response that causes blood pressure to suddenly drop and airways to narrow. It is one of the most dangerous allergic reactions and can occur after someone is exposed to even small traces of an allergen. If the allergic reaction is caught early, an antihistamine, like Benadryl, can often stop anaphylaxis; however, if Benadryl doesn’t work, an Epipen is the only option. As hospital visits are required after Epipen administration, severe food allergies can mean frequent—and expensive—visits to the emergency room.

The research at the MUHC focuses on the immune system’s response to allergens.  It is a form of immunotherapy which desensitizes the patient to milk.  The study started with children between the ages of six and nineteen being given a food challenge. This test is used to verify that the child has a true allergy. If the test is positive, the patient then begins a five month process in which they consume small amounts of dairy everyday. Each week, the dosage of the allergen is increased. The theory is that the patient’s hyperactive immune system will eventually familiarize itself to the allergen and no longer react to it. So far, 22 patients have been completely cured of their dairy allergy by the end of their five month trial.

To confirm the success of their desensitization, each patient consumed a full 300 millitre glass of milk.

Once the patient builds tolerance, they need to consume a small amount of dairy everyday to stay reaction free.  The study monitored the patients for a year after the end of their initial treatment to determine if they remained desensitized.

Lejtenyi pointed out that because this is a multi-centre study, the data have not been fully aggregated yet. While the results of the study are certainly promising, one of the lead clinicians was quick to point out that further research is necessary.

“The sample size is too small to draw conclusions,” Dr. Moshe Ben-Shoshan said during a Facebook Live chat on Sept. 9.

Furthermore, not every patient was cured. Five children dropped out of the study because their symptoms were only aggravated by the desensitization regimen. As the study expands, the researchers hope that more conclusive results for why the treatment worked in some cases but not others will be answered.

Food allergy rates have more than doubled in the last decade. This testing presents potentially life changing results for families dealing with severe allergies. In addition to reducing the burden on emergency room visits, it lessens the financial and emotional stress of families, as children are able to interact more freely with their peers.

“You don’t want to say it’s life changing,” Lejtenyi said, “but it is life changing and it’s been a great study to work on.”

Men's Varsity, Sports

Redmen Rugby begin bid for a second consecutive RSEQ championship

by Selwynne Hawkins on

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The expectations are high for McGill Redmen Rugby this year. After last season’s dramatic RSEQ championship victory over the Montreal Carabins, McGill is gunning for another conference title.

On Sunday, the McGill Redmen were dominant in their season opener against the Concordia Stingers at McGill’s Percival Molson Stadium. Fourth-year centre Jamie Wilson opened the scoring in the fifth minute with a try from the corner. Concordia quickly responded with their first and only points of the penalty kick that bounced off the left goal post before passing through the uprights.

The score was 27-3 at the halfway mark. The Redmen continued to press in the second half, finishing the game with a comfortable 46-3 victory.

“The guys came together well,” Head Coach Ian Ballie said. “First game out, we were a bit over-aggressive at the beginning and made some poor decisions, but that straightened itself out a little bit. […There is] stuff to work on, but [it was] a good start.”

Fourth-year front row, Alex Wang, had a positive outlook on the match.

“It was a great game,” Wang said. “We had some good forward action, stabilizing the front line, […] and [the backs] just went wide every time and scored.”

It was a powerful effort by the home side. The Redmen managed to contain the Stingers within their half for most of the game. A disciplined defensive effort kept the Stingers from coming too close to the goal line, while a calm, patient attacking approach allowed the Redmen to put up eight tries.

With an almost totally remade squad, the Redmen face the challenge of earning their second consecutive RSEQ banner and ninth championship in the past decade.

“We graduated out a big number of guys, [but] we’ve got some young guys coming in,” said Baillie. “Some guys who weren’t part of the varsity group last year are stepping up into those roles too.”

While Baillie is optimistic about the upcoming season, he is also quick to give credit to the other teams in the league.  Lately, Redmen Rugby has been an undeniable force in the RSEQ conference, but that certainly doesn’t mean this season will be easy for them.

“It’ll be competitive,” said Baillie. “We’ve seen a couple of the other sides already in preseason, and it’s going to be a competitive year.”

Based on Sunday’s match, the Redmen have an exciting season ahead of them. After back-to-back away games against ETS and Montreal, McGill returns home on Oct. 7 for a date with Bishop’s.

 

Stat corner: McGill’s eight tries were spread out among six different scorers. 

Quotable: “Eight out of the last nine championships—we’ve gotta get it and make it nine,”- Senior Alex Wang on potentially winning another championship this year.

Moment of the game: Concordia defenders tried to hold him up, but outside centre Sayf Al-Omaishi fought to get the ball to ground, scoring his second try of the game in the 32nd minute of play

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