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Apr 27, 2016 After receiving hundreds of nominations from UAlberta students, the 2016 Last Lecture was delivered by Dalbir Sehmby from Campus Saint-Jean. Watch his lecture, “Survivor: Acadumbia Edition.” About Dalbir Sehmby The first in his family to enter university and inspired by his parents’ work ethic, value for education, and commitment to human rights, Dalbir's teaching at Campus Saint-Jean is characterized by individual attention, enhancing critical communication skills, and upholding strict standards while encouraging an atmosphere of play.At the University of Alberta, of over 140 nominated instructors, students nominated Dalbir S. Sehmby (pic at right) to the 2016 Last Lecture.As a sessional instructor over the last 16 years, Dr. Sehmby has taught Film/Media Studies, English as a Second/Alternate Language, Comparative Literature, and English at the University of Alberta and Grant MacEwan University in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. |
At the University of Alberta's Campus Saint-Jean, over the past 8 years, Dr. Sehmby's teaching is distinguished by an approach that is student centered and builds critical thinking and communication skills. For instance, for each major assignment, each student receives a typed evaluation letter indicating strengths and suggestions for improvement. While this has lead to long work weeks for Dr. Sehmby, students value the individual attention.
Years after taking his course, students say they still refer to his letters to help with their writing and communication tasks. Along with his wife, Dr. Sehmby has co-founded the Stresstival, a Campus Saint-Jean event that helps students deal with transitioning to university, cope with stress, and perform at their best. His courses seamlessly integrate mindfulness techniques, encourage the development of "flow," and even incorporate a few homemade videos (https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCpLxpIIIkOR_tBV0kI7X56A).
In his last lecture, "Acadumbia: Survivor Editon," (see video below) Dr. Sehmby compares life to kayaking and provides a mix of helpful suggestions, motivation, humour, and improvisation.
His last lecture suggests we should avoid being a JERC (or we should avoid Jealousy, Extreme Thinking, Revenge, and Confirmation Bias). Instead, we should cultivate our inner HERO (Human, Egoless, Reflect, Open-Minded). That is, above all else or any other category (racial, religious, gender, caste, sexuality), we should strive to be Human beings and see the humanity in all, for each human being deserves human rights.
We should aim to be Egoless (and not threatened by diversity or differences of opinions or lifestyles). We should take time to reflect on ourselves honestly. And we should be open-minded, especially when we are too hard on ourselves.
Growing up in a small town in Northern Canada, Dr. Sehmby intersperses his lecture with personal anecdotes of cultural clashes and heartfelt reflections of his late father, an individual who studied the Sri Guru Granth Sahib.
Dr. Sehmby is inspired by Sikh philosophy and ends his talk with the true childhood story of how his mother was once suspected by the police to be a drug dealer because of the small town rumour that she was doing. . . "POT"! Enjoy the Last Lecture, gain some refreshing life advice, and even learn how to do an Indian accent.