Info for
Quick links
Download our Mobile app
Icon for Apple. App Store Icon for Android. Google Play

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.

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!

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 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.