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Minister of Colleges and Universities Nolan Quinn, MPPs, gets a hands-on look at Durham College’s in-demand culinary and hospitality programs

Ontario Minister of Colleges and Universities Nolan Quinn gained first-hand insights into how important Durham College’s (DC) innovative culinary and hospitality programs are to the local economy, as he interacted with students and participated in a cooking demonstration.

On January 17, Dr. Elaine Popp, DC President, welcomed Minister Quinn to the Whitby campus. He was joined by Durham MPP Todd McCarthy, the Minister of Public and Business Service Delivery and Procurement, Whitby MPP Lorne Coe, and Ajax MPP Patrice Barnes. The visit kicked off with a meeting, during which President Popp provided an overview of the critical role colleges, like DC, play in producing the talent pipeline employers need and how funding sustainability is vital to achieving that mission.

The group then toured the state-of-the-art W. Galen Weston Centre for Food, stopping by the culinary labs where Minister Quinn met with first-year students who were busy learning how to prepare restaurant-quality dishes.  The lab visit included a presentation from Program Coordinator and Chef Dave Hawey highlighting unique aspects of DC’s culinary programs, such as cheesemaking.

“We were delighted to host the Minister of Colleges and Universities for his first visit to Durham College, alongside Minister McCarthy and MPPs Coe and Barnes, who are long-standing champions of DC and know us well,” said Popp. “It was wonderful to see the Minister engage with our students and learn more about our innovative and in-demand programs that drive the local hospitality and agri-food sectors. Our close connection with our community has led to many generous donations, which make these facilities possible.”

The group participated in a hands-on culinary demonstration making 15-hour crispy potatoes. Executive Chef Raul Sojo and second-year Culinary Management student Ashley Sedgwick explained how the process was an example of innovative zero-waste cooking with every part of the potato utilized, including transforming the skins into a powder that serves as a garnish for the dish.

Sedgwick shared her DC experience where she has an on-campus job in waste mitigation, finding ways to process and utilize excess produce from the fields that surround the Weston Centre.

Five reasons not to miss Program Information Nights at Durham College

If you’re ready to take the next step in your educational journey and upgrade your skills, you don’t want to miss Program Information Nights at Durham College (DC).

On Tuesday, January 21 (Oshawa) and Wednesday, January 22 (Whitby), we’re opening our doors to prospective students, applicants and their families. From speaking directly with faculty members and current students to exploring our campus facilities and even catching some varsity volleyball action, you’ll get a closer look at everything that comes with being a DC student.

Ready to take the next step? Here are five reasons you should register now for Program Information Nights (PIN).

Meet your professors

Our website is a great place to find all the information about your program of choice. But at PIN, you’ll speak one-on-one with representatives of each Faculty. Whatever question you have about the program, they’ll have the answer.

Whether you’re passionate about the Arts, determined to conquer the Business world or preparing for a career in the Skilled Trades, you’ll gain deeper insight into your chosen path.

Explore DC for yourself

You can tour our campus from the comfort of your home, but you won’t know what it’s really like until you join us in person. Take a guided campus tour and you’ll visit state-of-the-art facilities like the Campus Recreation and Wellness Centre and the Don Lovisa Building, home to many of our skilled trades programs.

Interested in Journalism? Take a seat in the Chronicle Newsroom and picture yourself covering all of DC’s latest news. Follow your passion for Construction to the Carpentry Shop, where students get their hands dirty learning the tricks of the trade.

Apply for free!

It’s always a good time to apply to your DC program, but there’s no better time than Program Information Nights. That’s because, for one night only, we’ll cover the $150 application fee. Every dollar counts when you’re going to school, so why not start saving early?

If the application process seems intimidating, don’t worry. Our Start at DC team will walk you through it step-by-step.

Learn about our student services

At DC, the student experience comes first, and we offer a wide variety of student services to help you succeed.

Visit Financial Aid and Awards to find the best way to pay for your education, and explore academic supports like the Access and Support Centre and Student Academic Learning Services (SALS). You’ll also learn about the many recreational opportunities offered by Athletics, and see how we’re prioritizing student well-being at the Campus Health and Wellness Centre.

Find your place at DC

Come to PIN and you’ll find out why our community is #DCProud. Our friendly DC team in green will be happy to share their experience and help you find your way.

Stop in to Gyms 1 and 2 at the Oshawa campus and cheer on our Men’s Volleyball team as they take on the Fleming Phoenix at 8 p.m. Head to the Campus Store to get yourself some DC Swag, and save 15%! And, to really build some school spirit, you can take a picture with our DC mascot, Lou.

We can’t wait to welcome you. Our Oshawa and Whitby campuses offer different programs, so be sure to visit our website to find yours. Register now and join us at Program Information Nights!

Online game development for Barrett Centre uses student skills and provides real-world experience

What if you could help children learn that the food doesn’t just appear on their dinner plates but grows on farms? What if you could make that heavy lesson fun? What if you could provide students from two creative programs with a real-world learning experience along the way? Now a collaborative partnership between the Barrett Centre of Innovation in Sustainable Urban Agriculture and programs in the Faculty of Media, Art and Design is doing just that, by enlisting student talent to build educational games for the Barrett Centre’s website, in a multi-semester project.

The Barrett Centre is already a pretty fun place to visit as a kid. Hosting sessions with local schools as well as community organizations, the farm offers tours where children can see vegetable growing in action, as well as play farm games like “Maple Tree baseball” with different cards that help (seeds, light, soil, rain) or hinder (lawnmower, deer) plant growth—kids take their cards and run to  a base. If the group on base has all the conditions they need to help a plant grow, they are safe. But if seed meets lawnmower instead, they are out.

It’s that same spirit of creativity and fun that the Barrett Centre’s Community Engagement Coordinator Jennifer Hoban is hoping to extend online. Their web portal was developed in 2023 and already includes resources about sustainable urban agriculture, a community forum, Barrett Centre experts on call, and a blog with stories from the community. Students can already jump on to continue their experiences from home and the games are expected to make the site even more interactive, especially for kids and parents looking for educational tools.

“The Barrett Centre facilitates farm and food literacy at our Ajax Urban Farm, and online through the Urban Agriculture Community Portal.  Both before and after students visit the farm, they can continue their education on the portal.” said Hoban. “This project started with an intention of wanting to support this community by connecting the physical and digital learning spaces through gamification.”

The project began with a capstone student group from the Project Management Graduate Certificate program, where students generated several plans for how games could be integrated onto the Barrett Centre’s education initiatives.  It was then carried forward with a five-week field placement at the Barrett Centre, where students started to brainstorm types of games that might work. Now the creation process has moved ahead, with students in the Interactive Media Design program and Web Development each hard at work in their own domains, the former to design an interface for the game that the latter students will build.

Program Coordinator and Professor Linda Cheng said that she runs the class like an agency to facilitate student collaboration. Several games are in various stages of development, and each will go through planning, prototype and testing. As for the creativity, she’s leaving that to the students.

“When we launch, it will be a surprise. There are three different games, each approach is different, and the knowledge players gain will be different,” she said. She wants students to feel complete ownership of the project as they work to meet the practical needs of the Barrett Centre, and also to have the opportunity of receiving feedback from a real-life client, plus communicating directly as they would in any real-world agency.

For her part, Hoban just has one requirement for the finished product. “The goal of these games has to be educational and fun,” she said, adding that the target audience is Grades 1 and 2. “It‘s all about using the online games to facilitate food literacy education.”

Warm winter welcome for new DC students

The weather may be cold, but the welcome is warm for new students at Durham College (DC).

This winter semester, over 2,000 students are embarking on their DC journeys. To help them start strong, we hosted Academic Welcome Day at both our campuses on Friday, January 3. In Oshawa, students were greeted by Dr. Jean Choi, Vice President, Academic and Students, while in Whitby they were welcomed by Tara Koski, Dean, Students. They also met the Deans of their respective Faculties and heard from representatives of the Durham College Student Association.

The welcome sessions were followed by individual program orientations, as well as a social event in the Marketplace Cafeteria in Oshawa and in the Games Room/Shop in Whitby.

It was an invaluable opportunity for new and returning students alike.

“Academic Welcome Day helps students develop a sense of belonging and community, and sets them up for a successful start to their program,” said Lucy Romao Vandepol, Director, Student and Career Development. “This event provides incoming first-year students with an opportunity to connect with their faculty and peers, while also learning about essential program-specific details to help them start the year off on the right foot.”

Early Childhood Education student Nickey is excited to be back at DC after previously enrolling in two other programs.

“When I was at DC in the past I liked being in class and meeting new friends, so I’m excited to do that again,” she said. “I also didn’t do any of the orientation activities before, so I wasn’t aware of all the services on campus and what each building had. It’s really cool to know what’s in the building, like a doctor’s office!”

International students also took advantage of the event. Maasim, who has a master’s degree from the University of Windsor, is enrolled in Data Analytics and looks forward to preparing for his career with the courses and co-op in his program.

“Overall, I feel very welcomed here,” he said.

With classes now underway, there are a number of fun activities for students to enjoy this week and throughout the month of January. A full schedule of events is available online.

2024 – A Year in Review at Durham College

Durham College (DC) enjoyed an eventful year in 2024. We welcomed a new President and largest incoming cohort, we celebrated our largest graduating class ever, opened up our campuses to thousands of prospective students and cheered on our athletes. We made great strides in research, furthered our connections with our local and global community, kept in touch with our alumni and watched with pride as our students and employees thrived.

Read on to explore some highlights from this remarkable year.

News

DC ushered in a new era with the appointment of Dr. Elaine Popp as President.

With an eye to the future, we began development of our next Strategic Plan, which will launch in spring 2025.

Our state-of-the-art electric vehicle (EV) lab, opened in 2023, was named the Vanhaverbeke Family EV Training Centre, in recognition of the generous support of philanthropists Edmond and Sylvia Vanhaverbeke.

The main building of the Whitby campus was named in honour of former DC president Don Lovisa.

A $300,000 grant from Intellectual Property Ontario (IPON) will allow us to continue supporting small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) with our consultation and IP investment program.

Our Campus Health and Wellness Centre launched new resources in support of the mental health of our students.

DC researchers are partnering with Ontario Shores Centre for Mental Health Sciences and the Abilities Centre in Whitby to study the impact of exercise on physical and mental health for forensic patients, thanks to a $350,000 College and Community Social Innovation Fund (CCSIF) grant.

Researchers at the Social Impact Hub utilized a $360,000 grant from the CCSIF to launch a project to study and improve mental health care for Black communities.

Accolades

Durham College was named one of Canada’s Greenest Employers for the eighth time, a Greater Toronto Top Employer for the 14th time, and one of Canada’s Top 50 Research Colleges.

DC received twice the recognition at the Colleges and Institutes Canada (CICan) Awards of Excellence. We received a bronze in the Excellence in Sustainable Development category, and Program Coordinator Laura Maybury earned a bronze in the Leadership Excellence Award for Faculty.

Journalism student Andrew Neary received three impressive awards, including Experiential & Work-Integrated Learning Ontario (EWO) Work-Integrated Learning (WIL) Student of the Year, Co-operative Education & Work-Integrated Learning (CEWIL) Canada Emery-Dufault Student of the Year, and DC’s Alumni Association Scholarship for Academic Excellence.

Police Foundations graduate Maya Austin received the Joe Moylan Award of Excellence, given each year to a remarkable Police Foundations graduate from an Ontario college.

Our DC students brought home 10 medals from the Skills Ontario 2024 competition. Alexander Harley won gold in Auto Service Technology and moved on to the Skills Canada Nationals Competition in Quebec, where he finished fourth.

The Barrett Centre of Innovation in Sustainable Urban Agriculture was recognized at the Royal Agricultural Winter Fair, receiving an Honourable Mention in the Urban Agriculture Excellence category from the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs (OMAFRA).

Programs

DC partnered with Sheridan, St. Clair and Fanshawe College to support women in the skilled trades. With over $2 million in federal funding, the partners will spearhead initiatives focused on elevating awareness and providing opportunities for women in exploring career education, networking and apprenticeships within the Red Seal skilled trades.

That commitment continued with the Introduction to Millwrighting program, which provided 10 women with personalized support and training to help them prepare for the millwright aptitude test. An all-Indigenous group of 11 students successfully completed the five-week program.

Our Journalism program marked its 50th anniversary with a special event in the Rotary Global Classroom. Six alumni took part in a panel discussion, sharing stories from their careers in the ever-changing industry and offering advice to today’s students.

DC’s Barrett Centre of Innovation in Sustainable Urban Agriculture and the Durham Catholic District School Board (DCDSB) partnered on a Dual Credit program that gives Ajax high school students the experience of working on a farm.

Four new programs will launch in fall 2025, including the Electric Drive Vehicle Technician (EDVT) program, focused on creating skilled technicians capable of maintaining and servicing electric and hybrid vehicles. Other new programs include Environmental Technician, Interior Decorating, and the Immigration Case Management graduate certificate, furthering our commitment to meeting industry and community needs by producing career-ready graduates.

Events

We celebrated Employee Appreciation Day with President Popp’s first address to the DC community in her new role.

At Spring Convocation in June, we celebrated one of our largest graduating classes in history, while Dr. Elaine Popp was officially installed as President. Fall Convocation was equally special with over 2,200 graduates crossing the stage.

Our Open House events in the Spring and Fall welcomed thousands of prospective students and their families who learned about our 145+ career-driven programs and toured our state-of-the-art facilities.

The President’s Breakfast celebrated the donors who generously support our students.

The Office of Research Services, Innovation and Entrepreneurship (ORSIE) opened its doors for the ORSIE Impact Expo, a celebration of the innovative research work happening at DC.

Over 300 students completed the Centre for Success (CFS) and Adult Dual Credit (ADC) programs, overcoming unique challenges to achieve academic success.

Experiential Learning

Our students enjoy scores of opportunities to gain hands-on experience and put their skills to the test.

Advanced Law Enforcement and Investigations students are taking advantage of a new virtual reality (VR) scenario program to develop their communications skills and practice some of the challenging situations they’ll face in their profession.

The Faculty of Media, Art and Design’s 48-Hour Storytelling Challenge gave students a chance to showcase their artistic skills in a variety of mediums.

Talented musicians hit all the right notes during Oshawa Music Week, an annual celebration of the local music community organized by Music Business Management students.

Students from the Occupational Therapist Assistant and Physiotherapist Assistant (OTA/PTA) and Journalism – Mass Media programs teamed up to produce the Rehab Matters Newsletter. OTA/PTA students brought their expertise on rehab while the journalism students provided guidance on writing and editing.

A number of Faculty-led Classroom Abroad trips allowed DC students to immerse themselves in new cultures while enhancing and applying the skills they have learned in the classroom.

Athletics

A successful winter season resulted in provincial bronze medals for the men’s basketball and women’s indoor soccer teams.

In a strong fall season, our women’s softball team became both national and provincial champions. The women’s rugby team also became provincial champions, while the men’s baseball team earned provincial bronze.

DC’s Esports team triumphed over their rivals from Ontario Tech University in the annual Campus Clash.

We announced the formation of a sitting volleyball team, a new accessible sporting option for DC students.

The women’s volleyball team prioritized their mental health by partnering with HONE Athletics to use a unique digital mental health platform to increase team communication and well-being through weekly check-ins.

We look forward to another great year at Durham College in 2025.

Durham College partners to support all-Indigenous Introduction to Millwrighting program

Durham College (DC) is helping break down barriers to entry into the skilled trades by partnering with industry on an innovative program aimed at helping to prepare people for millwrighting apprenticeships.

On December 6, an all-Indigenous group of 11 students successfully completed the UBC Millwright Local 2309 Toronto and Local 1410 Kingston Introduction to Millwrighting (ITM) program.

Participants in the five-week program received personalized support and training—including academic upgrading support from DC—to prepare them to write their millwright aptitude test so they could begin a millwright apprenticeship.

This program opens new doors to the skilled trades for graduates and offers a pathway to apprenticeships and careers built on excellence.

“At Durham College, we’re proud to support the success of the all-Indigenous Introduction to Millwrighting program,” said Meagan Quesnelle, Manager, Academic Upgrading and School College Work Initiative. “Through our Academic Upgrading program, we help students build the foundation they need to succeed in rewarding careers.”

Michaela Gervais is among the group of successful students who completed the program, and she said DC faculty made the experience memorable for her.

“Durham College played a crucial part in furthering our knowledge and success,” said Gervais. “Thank you for making this amazing opportunity possible.”

Quesnelle added that the initiative showcases the power of collaboration and the importance of creating pathways to opportunity.

“We’re honoured to be part of this journey, alongside our incredible partners.”

The Millwright Regional Council’s (MRC) partners for the Introduction to Millwrighting program included Durham College, Ontario Power Generation, Kagita Mikam Aboriginal Employment & Training, Aecon Group Inc., and Black & McDonald Limited.

DC has supported similar programs in the past including providing academic upgrading support for a cohort of women completing the ITM program.

Are you interested in a skilled trades career? Explore programs available at DC including our Mechanical Technician – Millwright program.

If you’re missing prerequisite courses for a college program, need help improving your grades or attaining your high school equivalency, consider DC’s free academic upgrading services. Learn more online or consider attending one of our upcoming information sessions.

DC and Bioenterprise Canada collaborate to strengthen cybersecurity in Ontario’s agri-tech sector

To enhance cybersecurity in Ontario’s agri-tech and agri-food sectors, Durham College’s (DC) Centre for Cybersecurity Innovation is collaborating with the Grow Ontario Accelerator Hub (GOAH) through Bioenterprise Canada’s Food & Agri-Tech Engine.

This partnership will to provide start-ups and small to medium-sized enterprise with robust cybersecurity measures to protect their digital assets and to foster innovation.

“Our collaboration with GOAH and Bioenterprise Canada is a significant step towards securing the digital infrastructure of agri-tech innovators,” says Sushant Katare, Senior Manager of the Centre for Cybersecurity Innovation at DC. “We’re empowering agri-businesses to protect themselves against cyber threats, to earn customer trust and to maintain a competitive edge in the digital marketplace.”

The collaboration leverages the expertise of DC’s certified cybersecurity professionals at the Centre for Cybersecurity Innovation in offering tailored solutions based on the CAN/CIOSC 104 standard—Canada’s national standard for baseline cybersecurity controls for small to medium-sized enterprises. This standard provides an accessible framework with up to 55 essential controls, making it an strong starting point for organizations looking to bolster their cybersecurity posture.

Digital transformation has increased vulnerability to cyber attacks in the agri-tech and agri-food industries and this collaboration addresses a critical need. By adopting the CAN/CIOSC 104 standard, businesses can mitigate risks associated with data breaches and ransomware attacks, safeguarding not only their operations but also the broader supply chain.

“Bioenterprise Canada is thrilled to support this initiative,” says Braden Kemp, GOAH Manager. “Cybersecurity is not just an optional activity for Canadian agri-food businesses; it’s imperative. By connecting our Engine members with top-tier cybersecurity expertise, we’re fostering a more secure and resilient agri-tech ecosystem in Ontario.”

With this strategic collaboration, DC’s Centre for Cybersecurity Innovation, GOAH, and Bioenterprise Canada are set to make a lasting impact on the security and success of agri-tech businesses across Ontario. This initiative not only strengthens individual companies but also enhances the overall resilience of the agri-food and agri-tech sectors.

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)