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Durham College research links nutrition education to enhanced wellness and nutrition literacy

Does knowing more about nutrition help people make more nutritious choices? That’s the question that Dr. Erin Dancey, a faculty member in Durham College’s (DC) Fitness and Health Promotion program and research lead with the Social Impact Hub, set out to answer in a recent study evaluating the changes in nutrition literacy in students taking introductory nutrition courses.

Turns out, yes. In this case, the nutrition courses had a positive impact on students’ nutrition literacy, with both domestic and international students showing significant improvements in their ability to understand and apply information about healthy nutrition. The nutrition courses covered various aspects of healthy eating and dietary behavior in alignment with Canada’s Food Guide.

Other findings that stood out included an upward trend in wellness, especially among international students. However, the study also revealed food insecurity, referred to as a lack of consistent access to enough food for an active, healthy life, emerged as a negative impact on academic success. 

Supported by the Centre for Teaching and Learning, the study recruited students in the Fitness and Health Promotion program who were taking an introductory nutrition course, plus students from the Dental Hygiene program enrolled in a similar course. The study was inspired by the observation that a lot of international students seemed to struggle to navigate new food pathways, such as where to find nutritious food.

Students participated by responding to standard questionnaires on the topics being explored, including nutrition literacy, household food security and a wellness inventory. They took the questionnaires as a baseline at the start of the course and again at the end to measure growth in their knowledge.

Dancey says the findings of this study have important implications for educational planning and support systems at DC and beyond. “The biggest takeaway from this study was the negative correlation between food insecurity and academic success and the importance of increasing access to food resources for at risk students. Learning more about nutrition literacy, understanding what constitutes healthy food, where to access it, and how to prepare it are all important for students to know,” said Dancey.

At DC, Dancey notes that nutrition literacy resources are available at the Campus Health and Wellness Centre and The Barrett Centre of Innovation in Sustainable Urban Agriculture, for example through their FoodIQ campaign that includes a food security and literacy toolkit.  Calling attention to these existing resources and looking for places to develop more and increase nutrition content in courses will help to make nutrition literacy more mainstream.

Meanwhile, Dancey is also working on exploring nutrition literacy in other contexts, with a current study supported by DC’s Social Impact Hub that looks at the impacts of a newcomer community kitchen program created by the Community Development Council of Durham. The study will be published on the Barrett Centre Portal in the new year.

 

Want to take action now to support food security at Durham College? Donate to the Food Access Bursary! Last year, 1,150 students benefitted from generous donations from DC employees, alumni and the Durham College Student Association. This year, the Durham College Alumni Association will match donations to the Food Insecurity Bursary up to $10,000, and donations are welcome until December 31. Gifts of more than $20 are eligible for a charitable donation receipt for income tax purposes in the 2024 tax year.

 

Durham College students celebrate great showing at provincial marketing competition

Durham College (DC) celebrated a fine performance at the Ontario Colleges’ Marketing Competition (OCMC), held this year at St. Clair College in Windsor. The largest and most prestigious marketing competition for college students, OCMC has been running for over 30 years and features case competitions in a variety of sectors, as well as a Quiz Bowl that tests students on their knowledge of marketing concepts and current events.

DC saw wins all the way through the event. The DC Quiz Bowl team placed second overall, led by Mahalia Clarke, Tianna Walden, AJ Bello and Raven Sy. Several teams placed in the case competitions: Tyler Dunstan and Mason Wright placed third in the Entrepreneurship category, Rylee Poleon and Raven Sy placed fourth in International Marketing and Julianne Nascimento and Dianna Trevisan placed fifth in Direct Marketing.

For third-year Marketing students Mason Wright and Tyler Dunstan, this was their second trophy win at OCMC. Paired for last year’s OCMC by coaches who thought they would work well together, the two are now good friends. They will also compete for a second time in the Scotiabank Vanier College National Marketing Case Competition in February 2025.

Wright credited the team’s coaches for DC’s impressive showing at OCMC, as well as his and Dunstan’s success. “Our coaches did a fantastic job of putting us into categories where we could succeed. And we have our coaches to thank for pairing us together, because it has been an amazing experience with Tyler. We just seem to work very well together. OCMC brought us together originally, because we are very similar people, but we had never crossed paths as students.”

Coming together under the leadership of Faculty of Business professor Alison Sprayson, the teams trained for many months, practicing weekly on cases in their categories to produce a sample solution and presentation which was then critiqued by a specialist coach. While the extra-curricular requires a time commitment, Dunstan said he found a major advantage in developing closer relationships with his professors. “I love that one-on-one interaction that you get with the professors who are your coaches, sitting down and dissecting all that you’re doing,” he said.

In Wright and Dunstan’s case, professor Sheldon Koufman coached the team for their first OCMC where their focus was on Retail, and Jay Fisher for this year’s focus on Entrepreneurship, a topic that Dunstan said was an added challenge. “It was a big learning curve, just because the intricacies are different between marketing for a big company and a small business. Having those weekly practices with Jay really helped us to be comfortable with the subject.”

By the time they got to the event, all the teams had been through the format many times, which allows students 30 minutes to work on a solution and 15 minutes to make their presentation. Wright said that while the competition itself was intense, participating with so many fellow students who also shared his enthusiasm for marketing made the event special, with teams wishing each other good luck as they departed for their presentations.“ And then when we came back, we had people waiting for us, cheering, giving us hugs, asking us how it went. Throughout the day, the support, teamwork and overall collaboration was absolutely amazing. Durham College school spirit was at the forefront of everything we did on that weekend,” said Wright.

Let’s go Lords! A fighting fall season for Durham College teams

The Durham Lords made a strong showing in many sports this fall – including women’s softball, men’s baseball, women’s rugby sevens, men’s rugby, soccer and golf – and cheers were heard throughout the playing fields.

For the first time, the Durham College (DC) women’s softball team made it all the way to the top, winning the Canadian Collegiate Softball Association National Championship. Congratulations! In celebration, we thought we’d go deep with longstanding team captain Gracie Hearns and coach of the year Jamie Baker, to see the kind of effort required to make it to go big:

  • SPOTLIGHT ON WOMEN’S SOFTBALL TEAM CAPTAIN GRACIE HEARNS

    Team captain Gracie Hearns has played softball since she was four years old and has been captain of the women’s team at DC since second year. In April, she will graduate from the Business Marketing program (she also completed a diploma in Interactive Media Design).  She talks about what team life looks like and how softball fits in with academics.

    Congratulations on an amazing season. How does it feel?

    Playing here is everything that I hoped and dreamed of growing up. It was just such an incredible feeling to be like a part of Durham College history, being the first national gold medal for us and an undefeated season. So just being part of that history that people are going to continue to talk about, and other teams are going to know about for a long time, it feels incredible to be a part of that.

    What does your team look like?

    There are 18 roster players, four coaches, two athletic trainers and a student manager. It’s a lot of people. In my four years, we've had such a great atmosphere on the team and no issues. It's a lot of time with each other for two months. So, I've been pretty blessed to have really awesome teammates throughout those four years. And amazing coaching staff and the athletic trainer, student managers, everybody has a role. I have nothing but good things to say about everybody on the team.

    What’s your practice schedule?

    For the first two months of the year, which is the college softball season, it's almost every day that includes either a practice or a workout. We have 24 games in a regular season in about two months. It’s a busy season to get that many games in, plus any exhibition games, nationals and provincials. So, it's a lot going on in two months, but there's nothing that I'd rather be doing.

    How do you fit your studies in?

    A lot of my study time is on bus trips to games, especially to Windsor or Ottawa. The majority of our practices take place later in the evening, generally after 6 p.m. A couple of them go to 9 or 10 p.m. You try to find time in this busy schedule, an hour here, hour there. For my schooling, I take morning classes, just because it makes it a little bit easier to fit in those practices and game times.

    What other training do you do?

    During the season, we have a program made for us, called the strength and conditioning program, which Durham Athletics has for all the teams. During our first bit of the season, it's a lot of keeping our body loose, and then after that, the workout portion is a lot of building up to more heavy weights, while still implementing exercises that help our sport. Then we do our own training in the winter, a lot of exercises that we don't necessarily want to do in season.

    Will you keep up with softball after you graduate?

    I will graduate in April. As of right now, I am helping coach three softball teams, two in the U13 age group, and one U15. I really enjoy doing that, it’s really nice because they all come and support me at the games. Like coming around in a full circle. I'm hoping to continue my coaching career.

  • SPOTLIGHT ON WOMEN’S SOFTBALL HEAD COACH JAMIE BAKER

    Women’s softball head coach Jamie Baker started his coaching career as a volunteer with Durham College in 2013 and took over the softball program in 2021-22. He was recognized as softball coach of the year.

    Congratulations on a great season! How did it come about?

    This was a historic year for us here at Durham College softball, in a program that's already very strong. We've had a great history with 22 OCAA championships and whole pile of silver medals at the nationals. I was here for the national silver, for our provincial golds, but this is just that pinnacle that we were really searching for. That was the biggest thing this year for me, that was my goal.

    What do you think put you over the top this year?

    It was all to do with the level of talent we had, with the current players and that blend of new recruits. I couldn't ask for a better recruitment year, and obviously the seniors and juniors and sophomores who performed very well this year as well. So, it was a combination of everything.

    What’s your recruiting strategy?

    One big piece is I coach summer ball at that right age group. I was with U17 this year, so I was around a lot of kids that age. The year before I coached U19. So, the last three years, I've been around coaching players and I'm out to watch.

    Player fit is also a huge piece for my team. Having the right type of players who play the game the right way for the right reasons, who are selfless. Team-first mentality players, that's super important to me. They have to be coachable. Because when you come here, you could be really good, but with the coaches I have, we're going to make you better.

    Why do you think sports are good for students in their overall academic career?

    The athletes that come to play softball love the game of softball. It gives them purpose, organization. I hear this from so many athletes, they’re saying, ‘with softball, I have purpose, I have friends on the team, I have those outlets that I need. When school is getting tough, I can go to practice and just get it out, get that physical piece out.’ Exercise releases endorphins. That's a good thing, a positive thing.

The Highlights of the Fall Season

  • Women’s Soccer

    Winners of the Campus Cup against Ontario Tech, the team saw a strong season with an overall record of 6-8, making it to the OCAA Championship Quarter-Final where they lost to Sheridan 3-2.

    Player awards included an East Division First Team All-Star for Sage Thomas-Roberts and an East Division All-Rookie Team for Alexis Bayley.

  • Men’s Soccer

    Winners of the Campus Cup against Ontario Tech, the team placed third in the East Division with an overall record of 6-4-6. They lost in the OCAA Championship Quarter-Final, 1-0 to Sheridan.

    Player wins include Rookie of the Year for Saail Awan, Defensive Player of the Year for Deandre Branch, First Team All-Stars for Chris Badinbengi and Deandre Branch, Second Team All-Stars for Saail Awan and Jaden Grant, and All-Rookie Team for Saail Awan.

  • Women’s Rugby Sevens

    Winners of the OCAA Championship at Loyalist College the team defeating St. Lawrence 24-14. Their overall record was 15-1.

    Player recognition included Rookie of the Year for Amber Edgerton, Defensive Player of the Year for Danika Johnston, League All-Stars for Maya Austin, Shay Morris, Camryn Wood, All-Rookie Team for Amber Edgerton, Championship MVP for Shay Morris, and Championship All-Stars for Maya Austin, Amber Edgerton.

  • Men’s Rugby

    Made it to the OCAA Championship Quarter-Final, losing 31-20 against Georgian, with an overall record of 3-3.

    Special recognition included Rookie of the Year for Owen MacKinnon, East Division Rookie of the Year for Owen MacKinnon, East Division All-Stars for Tyler Janes, Patrick Lynch, Owen MacKinnon, Ethan Montgomery, Andrew Neveu, and All-Rookie Team for Owen MacKinnon.

  • Women's Softball

    Winners of the CCSA National Championship at the University of Ottawa, defeating Humber 7-1, and the OCAA Championship at Durham College, defeating Humber 8-0. Their overall record was 37-1.

    Player highlights included Player of the Year for Peyton Jones, Coach of the Year for Jamie Baker, Rookie of the Year for Peyton Jones, Batting Champion for Grace Hearns, First Team All-Stars for Jessica Benz, Grace Hearns, Peyton Jones, Second Team All-Stars for Jayden Bennett, Makayla Benz, Jessica Greene, Chelsea Oke, All-Rookie Team for Jessica Benz, Peyton Jones, Championship MVP for Peyton Jones and Championship All-Star - Jessica Benz, Jessica Greene.

  • Men's Baseball

    Bronze medal winners at the OCAA Championship, losing to Lambton 7-0. Their overall record was 16-6.

    Player highlights included First Team All-Star for Griffin Oliver, Second Team All-Star for Zach Rivers, All-Rookie Team for Mark Baxter, Championship All-Star for Griffin Oliver.

  • Golf

    DC’s golf team placed 5th out of 10 at the OCAA Championship, qualifying for nationals. Player accomplishments were as follows:

    OCAA Championship: Team: +98; Sean Michalicka (+21 - Tied for 16th); Cory Pharand (+24 - Tied for 20th); Barrett Potter (+28 - Tied for 25th); Quin Doherty (+30 - 29th); Ethan Johnston (+34 - Tied for 32nd)

    CCAA National Championship: Cory Pharand (+30 - Tied for 28th); Sean Michalicka (+33 - Tied for 33rd); Barrett Potter (+45 - 40th); Ethan Johnston (+50 - 45th); Quin Doherty (+67 - 47th)

Durham College awarded funding from 2025 Canadian Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Scholarships program

Durham College (DC) has been awarded funding through the 2025 Canadian Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Scholarships program (QES) to participate in a collaborative project that will provide life-changing international experiences for students. DC is among 22 colleges and universities from across the country to receive $6.2 million in funding from the program, which is led by the Rideau Hall Foundation and Universities Canada.

With this funding, DC will launch the Global Student Exchange for Community Resilience project, which will immerse students in cross-cultural experiences. “This opportunity creates a unique, cross-cultural learning platform that connects students with global communities actively addressing climate resilience,” said Kelly O’Brien, Associate Dean of DC’s Faculty of Hospitality & Horticultural Science. “For DC students, it opens doors to international collaboration, cutting-edge knowledge, and invaluable work-integrated learning opportunities.”

Proposed by the International Education Office, The Barrett Centre of Innovation in Sustainable Urban Agriculture, and along with DC’s Horticulture – Food and Farming and Social and Community Service programs, the project’s major goal is to help students understand the impact of climate change on well-being and develop as informed community changemakers capable of driving sustainability initiatives both locally and globally. Additionally, students will develop intercultural competencies, leadership skills, and a holistic understanding of the challenges and solutions related to climate resilience.

“This funding allows our students to see and appreciate firsthand the impact of climate change on less-privileged areas of the world,” said Danielle Harder, DC’s Global Learning Facilitator. “Students will be able to apply the skills they have learned in the classroom in meaningful and impactful ways by working with local communities. They will also grow as global citizens by understanding the interconnectedness of people and problems around the world and seeing their role in creating a more just and equitable future in the face of climate change.”

DC is also excited to partner with the international development organization World Vision and their “Vision for Vulnerable Youth” initiative on this project, which will see DC students and representatives of the Barrett Centre travel across the globe to broaden their education and work integrated experience. The Barrett Centre looks forward to elevating local innovation through its learning portal, while engaging students in the Urban Growers of Tomorrow program. The work-integrated learning experiences will benefit students in DC’s Horticulture – Food and Farming program as well as Social Service Worker, Child and Youth Care, Developmental Services Worker, Behavioural Science – Honours Bachelor and Behavioural Science Technician.

DC will also welcome international learners from World Vision, who will receive scholarships to attend DC to deepen their understanding of Urban Agriculture and global community adaptation to climate change. Seven inbound students from World Vision will attend DC on short-term exchanges and one inbound student from World Vision will attend a full program at DC in the Faculty of Hospitality and Horticulture Sciences.

Janine Knight-Grofe, Director, International Education, notes that this is the first year the QES program has been open to colleges, adding that DC is pleased to be among the first to be able to access the funding for the benefit of students. “We are grateful to have been selected for our proposal that supports DC’s collaborative cross campus internationalization work, including our relationship with the Barrett Centre of Innovation in Sustainable Urban Agriculture.”

Established in 2012, the QES scholarship has been awarded to more than 2,600 students from Canada and 80 countries around the world. It is Canada’s premier academic program for global leadership, collaboration and multidisciplinary learning.

DC’s Centre for Cybersecurity Innovation partners with Cyber Security Canada

In our increasingly connected world, the need for reliable cybersecurity is paramount.

Since its inception in 2020, the Centre for Cybersecurity Innovation at Durham College (DC) has set the standard for providing applied research services and high-quality education in this crucial field.

That is sure to continue with the recent signing of a memorandum of understanding (MOU) between the Centre and Cyber Security Canada, a non-profit certification body dedicated to helping organizations become more secure online.

“Cyber Security Canada has done a phenomenal job of developing a standard that helps organizations enhance their cybersecurity posture. Through this MOU, we aim to leverage the Centre for Cybersecurity Innovation’s strengths to assist Canadian organizations in improving their security measures and meeting these national standards,” said Debbie McKee Demczyk, Associate Vice President, Innovation and Research.

Over the years, the Centre for Cybersecurity at DC has worked with over 40 organizations in a variety of fields, developing solutions to help them be more efficient and secure in the face of growing cyber threats. In one recent example, they conducted security assessments for the Town of Ajax.

Working with Cyber Security Canada will help the Centre reach even more companies that are keen to improve their cybersecurity.

“Everybody is thinking about cybersecurity, but they don’t know how to start and where to start. They don’t have the budget. They don’t have talent who can work on it,” said Sushant Katare, Senior Manager, Centre for Cybersecurity Innovation.

That’s where the talented minds at DC come in. By connecting with the Centre, companies get access to research expertise that will help them identify and address their cybersecurity issues and get them ready to apply for Cyber Security Canada’s certification.

In addition to certified professionals like Katare, the Centre also hires students from a number of DC programs to work on projects and gain real world experience.

“It’s a win-win situation for everyone,” he said.

If a career in this burgeoning field interests you, our Cybersecurity graduate certificate can get you ready!

Durham College Faculty of Business students earn second place in national Sports Management case competition

Sports Business Management student Annika Bell had never been a part of a business case competition, so she was thrilled when her Durham College (DC) team placed second in the MLSE PrimeTime Sports Case Competition in November.

Under the guidance of professors and coaches Sheldon Koufman and Ian Ellis, and the leadership of Team Captain and Marketing student Mason Wright, the team of five included two other Sport Business Management students, Sapandeep Messina, Josh Dasilva, and Sport Management student Coulter Babcock.

Following tryouts in September, the team trained using MLSE cases from previous years. In the first couple of weeks, they figured out the team’s strengths and weaknesses and divided their members into specialty areas from financial analysis to creative. Then they drilled cases, working especially hard on refining the return on investment in each solution they presented. At each step, their coaches helped them tighten their teamwork and improve their speed and presentation skills.

“It was great to have the coaches. We needed that guidance and structure, and it was nice to have them to motivate us,” said Bell.

But nothing could prepare the team for the actual competition day, where the topic turned out to be a bit of a curveball: how to improve equity, diversity and inclusion within the sports industry.

“We had focused our practice on cases that would bring in revenue, and this was industry based,” said Bell. The team nonetheless quickly got to work, brainstorming ideas and coming up with a solution that really resonated with the judges. In their 15-minute presentation, they proposed community collaborations where every month would kick off a focus on a different equity-deserving group (a sample event was an LGBTQ+ game night), while continuing to follow up with each group afterwards to ensure continuity.

“The judges loved it—we got lot of comments, and they liked the idea of us thinking long-term,” said Bell.

Bell said that the overall learning experience of participating in the case team was valuable from start to finish. She called out the team captain in particular for his leadership. “We wouldn’t have gotten where we were without our captain, Mason. He was there for us, he really went above and beyond,” said Bell, adding that the day itself was great for networking, both with the other case teams and also with the opportunity to attend the PrimeTime Sports Management Conference and trade show where the competition took place.

Originally from New Brunswick, where she completed a bachelor’s degree from Mount Allison University with honours research in sports media and communication, Bell said she came to DC specifically for the Sport Business Management graduate certificate. She recently accepted an internship in Nova Scotia as marketing coordinator with one of Canada’s new soccer teams, the Halifax Tides. “My passion is to work within the sports industry, and I’m so grateful for this opportunity,” said Bell.

DC recognizes the National Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence Against Women

Today, Durham College (DC) joins Canadians across the country in observing the National Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence Against Women. This date marks a somber anniversary when, on December 6, 1989, a shooter entered a mechanical engineering class at L’École Polytechnique in Montréal, and murdered 14 young women and wounded 14 others.

“The loss of these bright and talented women continues to deeply impact our post-secondary communities across Canada,” said DC President, Dr. Elaine Popp. “As we mourn them, we also reflect on all those whose lives have been impacted by gender-based violence.”

Memorial ceremonies will be held at both the Oshawa and Whitby campuses for students and employees to come together, remember and reflect. Flags at the college have been lowered to half-mast.

Durham College is committed to creating a safe campus community, free of all forms of violence. All members of the DC community are encouraged to speak out against harmful behaviours to help end gender-based violence in our communities.

“This day is a call to action to build a world where everyone can pursue their aspirations without fear of violence and where we can all thrive,” said Dr. Popp. “To achieve this, we must challenge the systems, attitudes, and behaviours that perpetuate gender inequality.

“Together, we can work to dismantle harmful stereotypes, support survivors, and advocate for policies that protect victims while holding perpetrators accountable. Education, awareness, and allyship are critical tools in the fight to end gender-based violence.”

Durham College celebrates ranking as one of Canada’s Top 50 Research Colleges

Durham College (DC) is proud to once again have been named one of Canada’s Top 50 Research Colleges by Research Infosource Inc.

DC placed 24th in the annual ranking and was highlighted as second among medium-sized colleges for our number of paid student researchers and third for industry research income as a percentage of total college research income. DC also moved up in the ranking to fifth overall in both research partnerships and completed research projects.

Powering DC’s research success is DC’s Office of Research Services, Innovation and Entrepreneurship (ORSIE), which moved four of its five applied research centres into the new Centre for Innovation and Research (CIR), last year. In addition to centralizing DC’s research presence on campus, ORSIE continues to engage industry, business and community partners from the wider Region of Durham as it seeks out meaningful ways to collaborate in solving our community’s applied research challenges.

This year, ORSIE is proud to highlight several initiatives:

  • Hosting the ORSIE Impact Expo in October, where close to 150 visitors explored DC’s applied research centres. Researchers were on hand from the AI Hub, Centre for Cybersecurity Innovation, Mixed Reality Capture Studio and the Social Impact Hub, each eager to answer questions and share projects.
  • Recognition for the AI Hub, a new Technology Access Centre (TAC), with the Tech-Access Canada’s Tri-Pillar Excellence Award. This award highlights the AI Hub’s strengths in all three areas of research, training and technology. Last year, the AI Hub was awarded an annual grant of $350,000 per year over the next five years from the College and Community Innovation (CCI) program.
  • The Social Impact Hub launching a project to study and improve mental health care for Black communities thanks to a $360,000 federal grant.

DC continues to create meaningful applied research and co-operative education work terms for students, supported in part through the Diane Blake Student Success Initiative.

“We’re thrilled to be recognized for our research expertise and proud to have developed the Centre for Innovation and Research as a hub to connect our research centres across the campus,” said Debbie McKee Demczyk, Associate Vice President, Innovation and Research. “Within the business community, organizations are recognizing Durham College as an essential partner for their innovative ideas and that collaboration means more opportunities for our students as well.”

To learn more about DC’s applied research centres, visit www.durhamcollege.ca/orsie.

To learn more about ORSIE, read the 2023-2024 Annual Report.

Durham College is a Greater Toronto Top Employer for the 14th time

For a remarkable 14th time, Durham College (DC) has been recognized as one of Greater Toronto’s Top Employers.

This distinction recognizes DC’s supportive culture as well as our commitment to the growth and well-being of our valued employees.

“We take great pride in being recognized as one of Greater Toronto’s Top Employers,” said Dr. Elaine Popp, President. “Employees are the heart of our community. When they thrive, so do our students. We foster a culture that inspires our colleagues to do great things, and we are always pleased to witness their growth both individually and collectively.”

The innovation and dedication of our employees shone through in a number of ways in this year’s application, from our work in applied research to solve industry and social challenges; to our community connections and work which this year, helped more than 100 charities; to the launch of new scholarship opportunities and programs that support our students and help ensure career-ready graduates.

We also received commendation for the DC pension plan with employer-matched contributions, parental leave top-up, tuition assistance, and mentorship and development opportunities.

These are just some of the reasons why DC employees routinely express their commitment and enthusiasm for the work they do and the difference they make in students’ lives.

Looking ahead, Dr. Popp is determined to maintain DC’s well-earned reputation as an exceptional place to work and grow a career.

“We will continue to nurture, embrace, and most importantly, maintain this incredible culture where people care. This dedication is what truly sets us apart.”

For more on what makes DC a great place to work, visit our Greater Toronto Top Employers profile.

Durham College students set to gain work experience while supporting local shelter

Durham College (DC) is partnering with the Regional Municipality of Durham to support people experiencing homelessness, while providing valuable work experience opportunities for DC students.

The 1635 Dundas Street East project in Whitby aims to provide safe and inclusive housing solutions to help individuals and families who need it most. A 45-bed low barrier shelter with wraparound supports was opened in the building at the end of March 2024, and has provided a safe and supportive environment to over 100 unique individuals. Phase 2 will focus on creating housing units with onsite access to health and social supports and services.

A recent meeting in early November about DC’s role in the project focused on how students could be involved.

“It was a great meeting, lots of excitement and innovative ideas about how students on field placement can support shelter patrons,” said Lorraine Closs, a professor in the Faculty of Social & Community Services’ Social Service Worker program and research lead with the Social Impact Hub in the Office of Research Services, Innovation and Entrepreneurship (ORSIE). “We have a long-standing, strong partnership with the Region of Durham. We’ve done a number of multi-year research projects together.”

As well as sharing a formal conceptual design of how the housing space will be expanded in Phase 2, the Region also discussed the services that might be needed and how students across DC faculties could help work with them. With a vision to create a multidisciplinary, holistic support for the new shelter, the Faculties of Social & Community Services; Health Sciences; Hospitality and Horticultural Science; and even Media, Art & Design are all potential candidates for work-integrated learning opportunities. Closs is hopeful that one or two may even be able to start as early as January. A Steering Committee will decide which DC programs get connected first based on the needs of the shelter.

Lisa McIntosh, Social Services Director Income & Employment Support for Durham Region, says that having DC on board will help the region to achieve its goals for the project. “By fostering community partnerships, we create opportunities for individuals to support one another and work toward a deeper understanding of how we can collectively make a difference. Durham Region looks forward to working with Durham College to enhance 1635 Dundas Street East’s ability to help individuals regain stability. 1635 Dundas Street East exemplifies the strength of community.”

In addition to helping to support services and patrons at the low barrier shelter, the potential placements will offer fantastic hands-on learning for students, said Closs. “There are so many opportunities for students from many faculties to use the skills they are learning in class and put them in to practice in real life.” She added that a bonus will be the empathy that arises from this sort of practical experience. “Research has shown that students who do a work integrated learning experience with the homeless population really change their perceptions and overcome bias and stereotypes.”

The partnership will also provide applied research opportunities through the Social Impact Hub, one of five research centres at DC. Potential topics to investigate include the impact of these learning opportunities on students and their perceptions of homelessness, benefits of student interaction for shelter patrons, and the impact college involvement in service provision has on community member resistance to shelters. Closs, who has already been twice recognized with a DC Researcher Award of Excellence in 2019 and 2023, has submitted multiple research project applications, including for multi-year project funding. There’s also exciting research potential in documenting the pathway that the team is currently pursuing, to serve as a blueprint for other community collaborations.

For students, Closs says the partnership will be a win-win. “This project can also help students become aware of their own privilege. It’s an opportunity for them to support a vulnerable group of people and make a difference in their lives.”