The School of Policy Studies is excited to welcome our incoming MPA graduate students with three-days of Orientation Events!
Orientation will continue over three days: Tuesday 02 September, Thursday 04 September and Friday 05 September. The schedule and plan continue to be updated, please treat details as tentative.
Tuesday 02 September 2025: Get to Know the School of Policy Studies and Your MPA Cohort
Open to all incoming MPA students and Fall-Term Instructors
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Time |
Event |
Location |
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10:00 – 11:30 |
Welcome Breakfast
MPA’26 cohort, Fall term teaching faculty, admin staff
|
School of Policy Studies MPA “Home Base”
Robert Sutherland Hall, 3rd Floor
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|
5:30 – 8:30
(immediately following MPA 805) |
Cohort Social
MPA’26 cohort, Fall term teaching faculty, admin staff |
The Grad Club
Cohort will walk together from RSH 202 as soon as the MPA 805 class ends
|
Thursday 04 September 2025: Nuts & Bolts of the MPA Graduate Program
Who: Open to all incoming MPA students and Fall-Term Instructors
|
Time |
Description |
Location |
|
9:00 – 9:10 |
Director’s Welcome Prof. Eugene Lang |
Stauffer Staff / Student Learning Centre
Stauffer Library, Room 014 (lower level on the left at the base of the spiral stairs)
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9:10 – 9:20
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Dean’s Welcome Dr. James Fraser, Associate Dean (Graduate) of Arts & Science |
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9:20 – 9:40
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History of Public Policy at Queen’s and SPS Dr. Keith Banting
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9:40 – 10:00
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Faculty Introductions Dr. Warren Mabee, Dr. Rachel Laforest, Prof. Jamshed Merchant, Prof. Bahman Kashi
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10:00 – 10:15 |
Break |
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|
10:15 – 11:30 |
What to Expect in the MPA Program Prof. Eugene Lang, Dr. Kyle Hodder, Celina Caswell, Prof. Jamshed Merchant, Student Executive
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11:30 – 1:00 |
Lunch Break + Q&A with recent alumni |
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1:00 – 2:00 |
Beyond the Classroom Prof. Eugene Lang, Dr. Kyle Hodder, Brigid Waddingham
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2:00 – 2:15 |
Break |
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2:15 – 3:00 |
“From the bottom to the Top”—Careers in Public Service Morah Fenning, Ian McCowan
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3:00 – 3:15 |
Break |
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|
3:15 – 4:00 |
Recent Alumni Panel TBD |
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4:00 – 5:00 |
Campus Tour |
From Stauffer Library to Kingston Brew Company |
|
5:00 – 8:00 |
SPS Community Social Students, Staff, Faculty, Fellows, Emeriti, Alumni, Advisory Board |
Kingston Brewing Company
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Friday 05 September 2025: Big Trends, Hard Realities: Setting the Context for Public Policy Change in Canada
Who: Open to everyone. .
|
Time |
Description |
Location |
|
9:00 |
Introduction: Canada in a Changing World Prof. Eugene Lang, Director (Acting), School of Policy Studies
|
Tett Centre for Creativity and Learning,
Malting Tower 3rd Floor
End of the hall, by the lake
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|
9:10 – 10:30 |
Keynote: Doing Big Things in Government Followed by Q&A 25th Premier of Ontario, Kathleen Wynne
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10:30 – 10:45
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Coffee Break Refreshments provided
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10:45 – 12:00
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Session 2: Global Trends Dr. Robert Wolfe, Professor Emeritus, SPS
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12:00 – 1:00 |
Lunch Break Catered lunch provided
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1:00 – 2:15 |
Session 3: Fiscal and Economic Realities Don Drummond, Stauffer-Dunning Fellow and Adjunct Professor, SPS
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2:15 – 2:30
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Break |
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2:30 – 3:45
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Concluding Address: Towards a New Agenda TBD
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