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Lassonde Edge

Meet new friends.
Explore groundbreaking perspectives.
Get an edge for your future university journey.

Lassonde Edge is a summer program designed to imbue you with creative problem-solving skills, adaptable tools, and a tech leadership mindset to stay resilient and thrive in your exciting future.

Throughout the Edge Experience you will build your own Personal Compass - a tool to help you successfully navigate anything life has in store for you.

June 7, 2021 to August 13, 2021

• 100% Online
• 10 Weeks
• 8 hours per week (3 hours collaboration, 3-5 hours independent)
• No Weekends

Start with Lassonde Edge this summer!

Sign Up for Lassonde Edge today - but act fast - registrations are limited to 40 students.

 

Unfortunately, Lassonde Edge registrations are now full.

 

To be added to our waitlist, email us at ask@lassondeschool.com with the Subject: Edge Waitlist.

 

Thank you for your interest in Lassonde Edge.

What is Lassonde Edge?

Lassonde Edge is a transitional program for new students entering university and all future technology leaders.

Through Edge’s seven modules, you will gain unique and complementary perspectives on life, work, learning, and the world after university. Each module is custom designed and delivered by Canada’s leading tech and design experts to help you gain a variety of tools to tackle almost any tech or social challenge.

By the end of the program, you will have built your own “personal compass” – a tool to apply these newly-gained perspectives – empowering you to succeed in the opportunities ahead of you in university and beyond.

Chart your Path with the Edge Personal Compass

Uncertainty is an unavoidable part of life, but having the right tools can help you navigate through it.

With each Lassonde Edge course, you will gain a new tool to build your own compass to help you navigate the world you are part of and empower you to transform society as a technology leader.

Your Learning Journey

Image describing the six modules in a linear path - 1 Learn to Learn 2 Humanistic Psychology 3 Systems Thinking 4 Design Thinking 5 Lean Thinking 6 Brave Leadership and Final Week

Starting university can be a uncertain time for students, with so many questions to ask and things to think about. To help our incoming students, we have designed Lassonde Edge to not only prepare them to succeed and thrive in university, but also help them navigate the choices they may face during and beyond university

Kai ZhuangEdge Program Design Lead and Instructor: Renaissance Engineering I (1st year) and Professional Engineering Practice (3rd year)

Learn to Learn + Life Skills

You will explore the importance of motivation in learning, the importance of learning in a changing world and acquire valuable learning skills.

In the Life Skills modules – that is separate from the rest – you will learn about life in university and beyond, and acquire useful life skills.

Instructor

Michelle knows the excitement and confusion you feel moving into being an “adult.” She has traveled the world, worked in corporate & non-profit, outdoor ed, taught high school & college and government. She is passionate about helping youth to feel confident about their future.

Michelle DittmerCanGap - Canada Gap Year Association

Humanistic Psychology

You will explore the question of “who am I” from a humanistic psychology perspective.  Topics include values, character strengths, empathy and courage.

Instructor

Robin loves launching education initiatives. She is a founding member of Peace Games International, Peace by PEACE Canada, and Rotman's I-Think Program. developing leadership courses for undergraduate and graduate students. She also served as Director of Research for the Engineering Leadership Project, which aims to help universities teach people skills to engineers.

Robin SacksDIRECTOR & CHO (CHIEF HAPPINESS OFFICER), The Happy Engineer

Systems Thinking

You will learn to see the world you live in with a systems thinking lens and start engaging with the concept of technology stewardship.

Instructor

Mark is the Managing Director of the Engineering Change Lab, which serves as a catalyst for evolving the engineering community to reach its full potential as stewards of technology for the benefit of humanity. Over the past 5 years, over 115 organizations and 300+ individual leaders (CEOs, VPs, Deans, Directors) have collaborated using the Lab’s platform, advancing understanding and action to evolve engineering.

Mark AbbottDirector of the Engineering Change Lab

Design Thinking

You will learn to ideate and problem solve with a design thinking lens, with an emphasis on exploring how to be technology leaders and stewards.

Instructor

HD is a Design Manager at the MaRS Discovery District, where she works with corporate, public sector and community stakeholders to apply systems thinking and design thinking to complex challenges. She has worked with the broader public sector to adopt innovations in partnership with talented startup companies through the Innovation Procurement: Procurement by Co-Design program and the Municipal Innovation Exchange projects.

Hyun-Duck (HD) McKayMISt, Design Manager at the MaRS Discovery District

Lean Thinking

Learn to develop, execute and implement your designs and solutions with a lean thinking approach.

Instructor

Evan is a serial entrepreneur and executive coach. He was the founder of several successful startups including OmniLogic, MapleMusic, and Ideaca. A Rainforest AB fellow, a member of the A100 and Engineers Canada Change Lab, he is active in the Canadian startup community as an angel investor, educator, and coach. He currently is a founding principal of the digital health venture studio AltoSante, a founding partner and G7 Associate at Creative Destruction Lab (CDL) and is a general partner of the Mount Rundle venture fund that provides early stage seed investments in CDL ventures.

Evan HuFounder: AltoSante. Founding Partner: Creative Destruction Lab. Chief Operating Officer: AVA Industries. Board Chair: Platform Calgary Co-founder: Brave49

Brave Leadership

Grapple with the question of how to be a leader and changemaker in a rapidly changing world.

Instructor

Kai is a polymathic engineer turned educator and educational developer. Drawing on his eclectic experience in bioengineering, industrial ecology, leadership development, and the creative and martial arts, Kai accompanies young changemakers on their growth journeys and contributes to the development of a transformative education at the intersection of people, technology, and society.

Kai ZhuangEdge Program Design Lead and Instructor: Renaissance Engineering I (1st year) and Professional Engineering Practice (3rd year)