by Emeri Krawczyk | Feb 10, 2026 | Staff
Julia Wescott, PhD, emerita professor of Spanish and former chair of Modern Language, passed away unexpectedly on February 7, 2026, at her home in Rehoboth Beach, Delaware. Julia was beloved by her former students, many of whom traveled to and studied with her in Oviedo, Spain, and Morelia, Mexico. She was an acclaimed scholar, a cherished colleague, and a devoted mentor to countless Griffs during her long tenure at Canisius. A Celebration of Life will be held this summer.
Gifts in Julia’s memory may be made to The Julia R. L. Wescott, PhD Study Abroad Scholarship at Give To Canisius or via USPS to: Canisius University, P.O. Box 8000, Department 177, Buffalo, NY 14240-9920
Dr. Wescott was featured on the cover of the Canisius Magazine in the Fall of 2014. The essay below, from Brian M. Sas ’06, MBA ’12, was among the many submitted by her students to describe “The Professor Who Changed My Life.”
In academia, many people come and go. As the years pass, one thing I say with confidence is that we as students never forget the people who help us to pick the path we are on in life. For this reason, Julia Wescott, PhD, now retired professor of modern languages, is one of those people who will always be remembered by many. In providing effortless guidance and encouragement to so many students who have entered her classroom, she is the type of woman who makes the world go round.
Dr. Wescott not only opens doors to life-changing opportunities for students, she guides and encourages them to walk through. In some instances, with reluctant individuals, she even pushes them through the door knowing that they will soon see what adventure and experience lies in front of them.
Throughout both my undergraduate and graduate years at Canisus, Dr. Wescott helped open doors and provided me with the skills that allowed me to live, study and work in France, Spain, Mexico, French Canada and Brazil. With two years of classes and internships in these countries, Dr. Wescott helped me understand the true value of an international education in a modern, globalized world.
These experiences that Dr. Wescott motivated me to pursue, along with the skills she taught me in and out of the classroom, have now helped me to obtain my dream career. Currently, I proudly work for Rich Products Corporation as a regional manager in their Latin America Division.
Dr. Julia Wescott is a wonderfully influential person who always leaves students better off than the way she finds them. She has prepared generations of students for the adventures of their personal and professional lives, and I have the highest appreciation for the mark she has left on me. She has contributed to many of the legacies that have come out of the college. She is a special person to her students, and there are many of us who feel this way about her.
Thank you Dr. Wescott!
by Tyler Kron-Piatek | Feb 10, 2026 | Staff
Classroom projector bulbs are surprisingly expensive! Depending on the model, they can cost as much as $400 and have a limited lifespan. Leaving projectors on and unused for long periods of time can burn these bulbs out prematurely and apply heat wear on the projectors themselves, shortening the life of the whole machine. Additionally, projectors left on for too long may overheat and shutdown prematurely during class.
At the end of class, event or other classroom use, if the projector is on, please turn it off to conserve projectors and bulbs and help save money. While it may seem considerate to leave a projector on if we think someone will use it later in the day, classes are canceled or moved frequently enough that this isn’t as helpful as it seems. Particularly on Friday, make sure the Projector is off before leaving for the weekend!
Classroom projectors, as well as other classroom technologies are maintained by OculusIT, who are happy to help faculty with classroom IT needs. For more information, read the guide to all the classrooms on campus, which include instructions on how to operate each projector. We can also record a quick tutorial around specific questions concerning a particular classroom. Contact OculusIT by emailing helpdesk@canisius.edu.
by Emeri Krawczyk | Feb 10, 2026 | Staff
There are two new tutorials and announcements for Copyleaks.
- Available now, Copyleaks allows us to set AI Content Threshold. This filters results so we can view the most likely AI Generated Content is highlighted rather than everything.
- In a Copyleaks report, go to the AI Content Tab
- Click on See Phrases
- Click on the upside-down triangle to the right of AI Phrases
- Drag the bar from left to right
- The minimum threshold appears in the lower-left, just above Discard changes
- Click on Filter
More information on this feature, including images, are available on the Copyleaks: Set AI Content Threshold Wiki page.
- If using the Copyleaks-D2L Integration, we can manually release the Plagiarism and AI Content Detection reports to Students.
Here is how:
- Go to the Dropbox tab
- Click on the dropdown arrow to the right of a dropbox we want to release the reports of
- Click on Edit dropbox in the menu that appears
- Click on Evaluation & Feedback
- Click on the three horizontal dots to the right of Copyleaks-Asset-Processor
- Click on Edit Settings in the menu that appears
- In the Student Moderation section, click on the checkbox(es) to the left of the report(s) we want to release to Students
- Click on Save Settings in the lower-right and wait for the Success notification to appear in the upper-right
- Make sure to share the following link in D2L so students know how to see their Copyleaks report(s):
More details, including imagery, are available on the Copyleaks: Releasing Report(s) to Students Wiki page.
Additional tutorials are on the Copyleaks Wiki page.
by Emeri Krawczyk | Feb 10, 2026 | Staff
Calling all married couples!
Come to mass and renew your vows!
Sunday, Feb. 15 @ 9:30 a.m. Mass
Christ the King Chapel Faith Community of Canisius University
Married one year ago or fifty—in the chapel or elsewhere—
join us as we celebrate your special vocation!
LIGHT RECEPTION IN CHAPEL
Featuring Eileen’s Bakery famous pastry hearts!
