With the new school year fast approaching, Durham College (DC) employees gathered on August 29 for Academic Kick Off.

Led by DC’s vice-president, Academic, Dr. Elaine Popp, the event served as the launch of the 2017-2018 academic year, giving colleagues a chance to reconnect while also preparing to welcome new and returning students to campus when classes begin on Wednesday, September 6.

Following an interactive warm-up exercise, attendees enjoyed a keynote address from John Seely Brown, PhD. During his speech, Dr. Brown, who is co-author of A New Culture of Learning and co-chairman of Deloitte’s Center for the Edge, challenged DC employees to think about what kind of learners we need for this rapidly changing world. He highlighted the importance of content and context and the need to cultivate imagination and play within the classroom. He also noted that while education previously focused on a “push” model, where knowing was the goal, learning has evolved into an era where a student’s imagination quotient is equally as important as their intelligence quotient. Attendees were left with the assurance that where imagination happens, learning happens, inspiring all employees to create a dynamic environment on campus for DC’s students.

Other topics covered included the college’s commitment to internationalization, both on campus and with our global partners.

Durham College (DC) is excited to share and celebrate the efforts of faculty who are working to Indigenize the curricula for several academic programs including Broadcasting – Radio and Contemporary Media; Police Foundations; and Protection, Security and Investigation. The initiative to update course materials was launched in response to specific calls to action included in the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada’s (TRC) final report released in 2015.

Working closely with the Aboriginal student advisors and visiting Elders in the college’s Aboriginal Student Centre (ASC), faculty members have significantly increased the Indigenous content in their programs and will begin implementing it for the 2017-2018 academic year.

The objective of curricula Indigenization is to give students a better grasp of Canada’s shared history and issues connected to Indigenous communities in order to inform the ways in which they approach and work within their chosen field. It is also intended to provide Indigenous students with a greater sense of their cultural backgrounds being valued and positively reflected on campus and in their studies.

Indigenizing curricula is largely focused on learning outcomes – the measurable skills or competencies a student who successfully completes a course can expect to have – which will now be reflective of Indigenous stories, issues, cultures and practices. It can also extend to the ways in which content and instruction is delivered, such as holding classes outdoors or using the learning circle formation for classes.

In addition to faculty from the schools of Media, Art & Design and Justice & Emergency Services, professors with the School of Health & Community Services have similar work underway for several of their programs.

Members of the ASC and the Centre for Academic and Faculty Enrichment (CAFE) have created resources for the college community and faculty to support reshaping the classroom and indigenizing the curriculum. In this year’s orientation program for new full-time faculty, the faculty were welcomed to the ASC where the Aboriginal Student Advisors began the day by acknowledging the lands and territory on which DC is situated, the faculty participated in a Smudge ceremony, and spent the morning in discussion about indigenizing the curriculum, the proper protocol to invite elders, and the significance of tobacco.

DC is a signatory of Colleges and Institutes Canada’s Indigenous Education Protocol for Colleges and Institutes, which serves to underscore the importance of structures and approaches required to address Indigenous peoples’ learning needs and support self-determination and socio-economic development of Indigenous communities. The college also recognizes that it is situated on the traditional territories of the Mississaugas of Scugog Island First Nation.

In celebration of diversity, Durham College’s (DC) Bistro ’67 has launched its first-ever Heritage Series Prix Fixe, allowing culinary students and employees to create and prepare a three-course meal honoring their unique background and culture.

Under the guidance of Bistro ’67 Executive Chef Raul Sojo, restaurant employee Tamara Green, a graduate of the college’s Culinary Management program, recently kicked off the series at the end of July by drawing inspiration from her Indigenous heritage, to create and cook a meal representing the Haudenosaunee (Six Nations) people. With a menu inspired by food that was available before settlers arrived, guests dined on fried Mohawk beans and cornbread, hay roasted venison and enjoyed a dessert of ground cherry and honey sorbet.

The series continues with another prix fixe meal offered tonight (Friday, August 11) and Saturday, August 12, this time prepared by Oliver Yin, a second-year Culinary Management student. Inspired by his heritage and homeland, Oliver has designed the menu and created dishes that will highlight Chinese cuisine. Guests will enjoy his appetizer, a take on a traditional Cantonese dish – Har Gow – this time served as a roll, and a main of Dongpo pork featuring braised pork belly, baby bok choy and steamed rice. Dessert will consist of mango sticky rice cake.

Those interested in experiencing Oliver’s menu can call Bistro ’67 to reserve their spot. The Heritage Series Prix Fixe will continue to run on Fridays and Saturdays into the fall, based on student availability. Please watch Bistro ‘67’s Facebook page for upcoming dates and menus.

Durham College (DC) is proud to announce that it will offer its first degree program, the Honours Bachelor of Health Care Technology Management (HCTM), beginning in the 2018-2019 academic year. The first program of its kind in Canada, the HCTM degree addresses an identified need in the health care sector for professionals with a hybrid skill set consisting of medical technology expertise and business management acumen.

Students in the HCTM program will develop knowledge in the principles of health care management and business practices, the management of biomedical technology, safety, and regulatory and legislative requirements to support industry standards and positive patient outcomes. Learning will occur in the classroom, laboratories and the field, and will prepare graduates to bridge the gap between health care business management, clinical practices and the comprehensive technological requirements related to the planning, procurement and management of biomedical equipment.

“The significance of Durham College announcing its bachelor degree programs in 2017, as we celebrate our 50th anniversary, cannot be understated,” said Don Lovisa, president, DC. “When we imagine our next 50 years, the evolution of what a college education looks like – particularly in the type, complexity and relevance of the programs we offer to students – is exactly what we’re thinking about.”

The HCTM program has been developed by DC in collaboration with members of a Program Advisory Committee that includes subject matter experts and representatives from regional hospitals and health care organizations, advocacy groups, non-profits and major biomedical equipment manufacturers (e.g. GE, Philips, Aramark and Siemens). The core of the program comprises six streams of study including science and technology, biomedical equipment and clinical systems, mathematics and quantitative methods, management, research and design, and the health care industry, professionalism and ethics.

“We know that medical technology is the key to optimizing delivery of health care in Ontario and around the world, but as that technology advances so does the need for professionals who speak the language of both the innovators and the practitioners,” said Dr. Elaine Popp, vice-president, Academic, DC. “Graduates of the HCTM program will be the implementers who can bridge the two sides, providing strategic leadership that encompasses the assessment of current and innovative technologies and matching them to clinical objectives.”

Ontario colleges began offering four-year bachelor degree programs in 2002 to provide a unique option for students looking to integrate theory with intensive applied learning. College degrees offer students career-focused education that combines the best of both the theoretical knowledge and analytical skills traditionally associated with a university education and the applied skills acquired through a college education.  Students graduate with the comprehensive theory and practical experience required by employers in today’s competitive and quickly evolving workforce.

Rising Canadian country star Eric Ethridge has been added to the line-up for Durham College’s (DC) 50th anniversary Homecoming Weekend that starts Friday, September 8! Ethridge will rock the Oshawa campus with his hit single, Liquor’s Callin’ the Shots, and more great music to help launch three fun-filled days of music, meals and memories on September, 8, 9 and 10.

Register for Homecoming Weekend events and purchase tickets for the Party Through the Decades now!

Entrance into all weekend events is free with the exceptions of dining at Bistro ’67 and the Party Through the Decades, which is a 19+ event that requires purchased tickets that include entrance into the party, food, one complimentary drink and a commemorative, special edition DC50 t-shirt. Tickets are $50 each ($25 for students) and can be purchased online.

Events are as follows:

Friday, September 8

Homecoming Weekend Kick-off

Noon to 3 p.m. | Bus loop, Oshawa campus

• First stop on the Colleges Ontario Amazing 50 mobile exhibit tour
• Live music by Professors of Funk and rising country star Eric Ethridge
• Free pizza, ice cream and giveaways!

Guest speaker: Steve Paikin

4 to 6 p.m. | Student Services building (SSB), Room 116AB, Oshawa campus

• Anchor of TVO’s The Agenda with Steve Paikin
• Author of Bill Davis: Nation Builder, and Not So Bland After All!
• Book signing

Athletics Hall of Fame Induction

6 to 11 p.m. | Campus Recreation and Wellness Centre, Gyms 1 and 2

(Purchase tickets directly from Durham Lords)

• Ceremony and dinner

Movies on the lawn

8 to 11 p.m. | SSB courtyard, Oshawa campus

• Double feature (movies to be announced)
• Free popcorn

Saturday, September 9

Family Day

11 a.m. to 3 p.m. | South Wing courtyard, Oshawa campus

• Free incredible kids’ zone with balloon animals, bubble show and station, magician, inflatables, photo booth and more!
• DC Memory Lane – college memorabilia exhibit
• Live music
• BBQ and food trucks

Varsity vs alumni games

9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. | Baseball diamond and CRWC Gyms 1 and 2, Oshawa campus

(Visit the Durham Lords website for game schedule and to register and participate)

• Volleyball
• Baseball
• Softball

Party Through the Decades

7:30 p.m. to 11 p.m. | CRWC Gyms 3, 4 and 5, Oshawa campus

• Live performance by Colin James
• DJ and dancing on huge Twister dance floor
• Decades-themed food stations
• VW Camper photo booth
• Retro arcade games
• Celebrity impersonators
• Free giveaways – DC50 special edition t-shirts!

Sunday, September 10

Bistro ’67 Homecoming Brunch

11 a.m. to 2 p.m. | Bistro ’67, W. Galen Weston Centre for Food, Whitby campus

• Reservations recommended
• Visit bistro67.ca for menu and to book seats

All weekend

Bistro ’67 prix fixe dinner menu

• Reservations recommended
• Visit bistro67.ca for menu and to book seats

Homecoming Weekend is the perfect opportunity to reconnect with old friends and make new ones while commemorating 50 amazing years of DC.

See you there!

Calling all members of the Durham College (DC) family! DC wants you to join the party as we celebrate our 50th anniversary in 2017 with Homecoming Weekend this September.

On September 8, 9 and 10, our college community will come together for three fun-filled days of music, meals and memories, as we celebrate DC’s past while looking ahead to the future.

The theme of DC’s 50th anniversary is The Start of Something Amazing, and Homecoming Weekend will get its own amazing start on Friday, September 8 when the Colleges Ontario Amazing 50 mobile exhibit rolls onto campus. Enjoy a pizza party, hear from guest speaker Steve Paikin, author and host of TV’s The Agenda with Steve Paikin, and round out the day with a movie on the lawn.

Next, spend Saturday, September 9 with the whole family as DC hosts a kid-friendly festival of BBQ and food trucks, free activities, live music by The Tiki Collective and varsity alumni games in volleyball, baseball and softball. Then join your fellow DC alumni and friends for a Party Through the Decades, a nostalgia-filled dance party featuring performances by Juno award-winning singer-songwriter Colin James, and Fred Schneider of The B-52s!

Finally, wrap up your Homecoming Weekend experience on Sunday, September 10 with a delicious brunch at Bistro ’67, DC’s full-service, teaching restaurant, which was recently named one of Canada’s 150 Neighbourhood Gems.

Entrance into all of the weekend events are free with the exception of dining at Bistro ’67 and the Party Through the Decades, which is a 19+ event that requires purchased tickets ($50 each and $25 for students).

You can register for each of the events and purchase tickets for the party online.

Homecoming Weekend is the perfect opportunity to reconnect with old friends, and make some new ones, while commemorating 50 amazing years of DC.

See you there!

On July 15, Durham College (DC) held a barbeque event to welcome hundreds of competitors, coaches and families, along with organizers of the North American Indigenous Games (NAIG), to its Oshawa campus and Durham Region. The college, which is providing residence for many of the NAIG participants, was excited to show their support for the competition.

“The games are a wonderful opportunity to share the talent, skills and dedication of the Indigenous community,” said Dr. Elaine Popp, vice-president, Academic. “With that in mind, it is very fitting that DC is one of the host locations for the game’s participants because community is an important part of our history.”

Attendees were blessed by Elder, Dr. Shirley Williams and heard remarks from Dr. Popp, as well as Oshawa Mayor John Henry, Durham MPP Granville Anderson and Oshawa MPP Jennifer French.  Performances followed, by Indigenous artists Smoke Trail, the All Our Relations Métis Drum Circle and Knowledge Keeper, Troy White, who performed Mi’kmaq drumming.

DC’s Aboriginal Student Centre also opened its doors to any participants seeking support from Aboriginal employees, Bawaajigewin Community Board members and volunteers, and/or those looking to participate in fun activities during their stay.

Hosted by the City of Toronto with events throughout the Greater Toronto Area, NAIG is the largest continental sporting and cultural gathering of Indigenous people. This year’s games will see 5,000 participants, including athletes and coaches, in attendance.

 

The games can be followed on Twitter and Instagram with #AllOne and #NAIG2017.

In May, Durham College (DC) alumnus Dominic Rehayem received the Ontario Award for Paramedic Bravery from the provincial government in honour of a heroic rescue he made in 2015.

A graduate of DC’s Advanced Care Paramedic program, Rehayem was working as an advanced care paramedic with the Hastings-Quinte Paramedic Services when he rescued a man who had fallen into a river following an all-terrain vehicle (ATV) accident.

On April 11, 2015, Rehayem made a 20-minute ATV ride to find the man, who had been helped to a nearby island by a friend who then left to find help, because an ambulance could not reach the area.  After finding the man lying on the island, freezing, Rehayem sprang into action. He gave the man some of his own clothing before strapping him to Rehayem’s body and swimming back across the river. Once back to shore, Rehayem brought the man into a nearby cabin to raise his body temperature, lighting a fire and making some hot chocolate, before making the 20-minute ride back to the ambulance.

The Government of Ontario bestows the Ontario Award for Paramedic Bravery annually to recognize paramedics for individual acts of outstanding courage. Individuals are nominated by their home services and honourees are selected following a committee review of submissions.