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Durham College welcomes first-year students to Orientation

The Durham College (DC) Oshawa and Whitby campuses were abuzz with activity last week as the college kicked off the 2019-2020 academic year, welcoming first-year students to campus during its annual Orientation from September 3 to 6.

Designed to help first-year students acclimatize to college life, meet staff and faculty, explore student services and explore the college’s Oshawa and Whitby campuses, Orientation also provides students with an opportunity to learn more about program expectations and student clubs, all while developing new friendships.

“Orientation is such an exciting time for our new first-year students! We work diligently with our campus and community partners to ensure that a wide variety of programming is available to all students so that everyone feels home here at Durham College,” said Krista Licsi, student development manager, Office of Student Diversity, Inclusion and Transitions.

After the official welcome ceremony and program orientation sessions on September 3, students were invited to a country-themed barbecue hosted by Durham College Students Inc. at the Whitby campus, which featured live music, lunch and a mechanical bull. At the Oshawa campus students enjoyed the first-ever DC Street Festival with live music, games, a clubs and services fair and access to a variety of food trucks and local vendors.

New this year, students were welcomed into the Student Centre on September 5 for an Open House and Gaming Day, allowing them to check out the new Esports Gaming Arena, whose consoles and computers were available for free for the day. Other Orientation events included Flamingle, hosted by the DC Pride Collective, the Part-time Job Fair, the Get Involved Fair and Movie Under the Stars.

Student voices wanted for DC input session

As the college’s strategic plan approaches its three-year renewal, Durham College (DC) is engaging students to provide input on DC’s strategic direction for the next three years.

The involvement of all key stakeholder groups is vital to creating a plan that is reflective of the shared values and goals the college strives to uphold every day.

All DC students are invited to participate in a student-focused strategic planning session where they will have the opportunity to network and provide input on where the college is headed and how it should inform the strategic plan.

Students can choose one of the following dates:

Monday, September 16
2 to 4 p.m.

OR

Wednesday, September 18
10 a.m. to noon

Both sessions will be held at the Oshawa campus in the Campus Recreation and Wellness Centre, Room G213. Snacks and refreshments will be on hand along with fun giveaways.

Interested students should RSVP by Thursday, September 12, stating their preferred session, by emailing the Office of the President or calling 905.721.2000 ext. 2252.

DC expands business hours to better serve students

Durham College is pleased to announce the expansion of core business hours for its academic school offices and student support services. These changes will help match access to resources with the level of evening activity on campus and further enhance students’ experience.

The new hours of operation for the fall and winter semesters at the Oshawa and Whitby campuses are:

  • Monday to Thursday
    8 a.m. to 7 p.m.
  • Friday
    8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Updated hours are also posted on individual student service and support area web pages.

DC employees celebrate start of new academic year

On August 27, Durham College (DC) held its annual Academic Kickoff, an energizing event aimed at engaging and inspiring college employees for the new school year ahead.

Led by Dr. Elaine Popp, DC’s vice president, Academic, the event also gave colleagues an opportunity to reconnect while collaborating on new ideas to further enhance the student experience inside the classroom and beyond.

DC president Don Lovisa started the morning’s program with an overview of work done on campus over the summer months. This included a number of construction projects, including renovations of existing learning spaces and completion of the first student residence at the Whitby campus. President Lovisa also shared early feedback gathered during the college’s strategic planning process.

Tom Wujec, a global authority on innovation, disruptive technology and the art of visual thinking, delivered this year’s keynote address. The author of six books on technology, design, business and creative collaboration, and a six-time TED speaker, Wujec addressed the toolset and mindset needed for innovation in the world of exponential growth.

The morning also included a panel presentation featuring team members from DC’s unique AI Hub. The discussion highlighted recent AI project work to which DC employees and students had contributed, as well as projects underway for the coming year.

The AI Hub panel shared examples of how DC is helping local businesses adopt AI technology to improve operations while providing students with meaningful opportunities to engage in hands-on, real-work experiences through applied research.

To conclude the event, DC’s chief administrative officer, Dr. Scott Blakey, announced the nominations for the 2019 Employee Awards of Excellence.  The honours are presented annually to one DC employee in each of the administrative staff, faculty and support staff groups in recognition of outstanding contributions to the college and greater community.

DC to launch new Honours Bachelor of Behavioural Science

Durham College (DC) has received consent from the Ministry of Training, Colleges and Universities to offer a new Honours Bachelor of Behavioural Science (BBS). Based at the college’s Oshawa campus and beginning in September 2020, the Honours BBS will be DC’s second degree program following the successful launch of the Honours Bachelor of Health Care Technology Management in 2018.

“Ontario is seeing an increasing incidence of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in children and youth, dementia in seniors, as well as individuals with addictions and acquired brain injuries,” said Dr. Judeline Innocent, executive dean of DC’s School of Health & Community Services (HCS). “As agencies and long-term care facilities prepare for the increasing numbers in these client populations, the need for more qualified professionals in the areas of health, community and social services will also increase. With the Honours Bachelor of Behavioural Science, our graduates will be ready to not only meet this need but become leaders in these fields as well.”

Offering a comprehensive mix of courses which balance theory and practice, the Honours BBS program of study will focus on six themes:

  • Applied Behaviour Analysis
  • Populations
  • Psychology
  • Cognitive and Behaviour Therapy
  • Research Methods and Design
  • Ethics and Professionalism

Students will complete a final thesis project and gain vital work experience in a professional setting through a 420-hour supervised field placement completed between the seventh and eighth semesters. Graduates will be prepared to work with individuals of all ages within a variety of health and community settings, helping people with addictions and mental health challenges, acquired brain injuries, dementia and pervasive developmental disabilities, including ASD.

“The Honours Bachelor of Behavioural Science is another example of Durham College delivering innovative programs in direct response to an identified need,” said DC president Don Lovisa. “It also demonstrates the value of the college maintaining close ties with industry and community partners.”

Under the leadership of the college’s HCS administration and faculty, the Honours BBS program was developed with guidance from psychologists, community and social service agencies, municipal services representatives, mental health workers and psychogeriatric services.

“The Honours Bachelor of Behavioural Science will provide graduates with professional competencies that link the scientific, clinical, communication and ethical aspects of behavioural science,” said program coordinator Mary Helen Leddy. “This will ensure our graduates develop a breadth of knowledge, skills and judgement to increase their opportunities both in terms of employment and future studies.”

As part of the program’s development, DC has articulated diploma-to-degree transfer pathways for graduates in three of the college’s existing programs: Child and Youth Care, Developmental Services Worker and Social Service Worker. These pathways provide eligible graduates from each of the identified diploma programs advanced standing in the Honours BBS program of study, affording an opportunity for them to complete the degree in a reduced amount of time or at a reduced course load.

Castles, Cameras and Canvases: Durham College students focus on Ireland’s rich culture

Ten students from the School of Media, Art & Design embarked on a journey of discovery, exploring Ireland’s rich history, art and culture while honing their photography and videography skills.

Students from Photography, Video Production and Contemporary Web Design, joined professors Linda Cheng and Brian Stephens on the Emerald Isle and explored the culture and history of Ireland through a variety of unique, experiential and customized media projects.

“Ireland has a rich history of visual arts,” said Cheng. “The history and culture of Ireland catalyzed students’ reflections on music, art, photography and digital content.”

Each student built a discipline-specific project based on both the readings assigned to them pre-departure, and their experiences abroad. While applying the skills they learned in their respective programs, students engaged in an evening of Irish folk music, visited the EPIC Irish Emigration Museum (the world’s only fully digitized museum) and ventured into The Long Room Library—one of the greatest libraries in the world, used as a set for several films, including Harry Potter.

Emily Moroz, a student in the Video Production program, said of her experience abroad “It was a great opportunity to improve my video skills while learning about the history and culture of Ireland.” She went on to say “Having some free time during the trip gave us a chance to explore and capture some good video content. It was a good experience which will definitely help me in my future career.”

The 10-day trip included visits to monuments and points of interest, including: The legendary St. Patrick’s Cathedral, Bunratty Castle, Kilmainham Gaol museum and the scenic countryside of County Kerry, where they learned about Irish farm life.

DC’s international reach doesn’t stop with Ireland. Many faculty-led trips have already been approved for next year in Peru, and Guatemala, cementing DC’s commitment to experiential learning.

For more information on how to get involved, please contact Lisa Shepard, dean, International Education.

DC students go from touring to building the new Whitby campus residence

What began as an opportunity to see a building site up close, quickly evolved into summer employment for four students in Durham College’s Building Construction Technician program.

One moment they were touring the site of DC’s new residence with 31 of their fellow classmates and now they are helping to build it – doubling down on the already enriching experiential learning opportunity the site visit offered.

Many of the first and second-year students in the program had never been on a job site, let alone a multi-level build like the Whitby campus residence. From seeing the foundations and framing that form the structure of the residence, to identifying the related components and how they interact to prevent moisture and air infiltration and provide structural integrity and fire-resistance properties, the students were able to see the pages of their text books come to life in a real, concrete way.

It was during the tour that Pannonia Construction, the contractor building the residence, approached DC professor Al Martin about hiring summer students to work onsite. Information about the job opportunity was shared amongst the first and second-year students. Four were successful and are taking their skills from the classroom to the jobsite, honing their knowledge and building their resumes.

The Whitby residence will be open to students in September 2019.

Durham College’s 2018-2019 Annual Report now available online

Durham College (DC) is pleased to share that its 2018-2019 Annual Report is now available to the public. As one of Canada’s Greenest Employers for a third consecutive year, the college is also proud to share its successes in a fully electronic format.

“This year’s report is a celebration of community and how the combined efforts of our students and employees continue to make DC a great place to work and learn,” said Don Lovisa, president, DC. “Together, we are DC!”

As the college looks back on its past accomplishments, the report also provides an opportunity to reflect on the achievements of DC, while highlighting innovation, growth and excellence in teaching and learning.

DC hosts National Inventors Hall of Fame Reception to celebrate first Canadian offering of Camp Invention

Durham College (DC) hosted several dignitaries from the government, educational and corporate sectors on July 10 for the National Inventors Hall of Fame™ (NIHF) Reception in the Centre for Collaborative Education’s Global Classroom at the Oshawa campus. During the event, guests took a tour of the first-ever Canadian offering of Camp Invention™ and spoke with camp educators and participants of the non-profit summer enrichment program.

In attendance was U.S. Consul General Greg Stanford; Mayor Dan Carter, City of Oshawa; and John Wrycraft and Evan Bombino of technology leader Johnson Controls Inc., as well as Amy Gorecki, executive director, and Nathalie Rudner, president-elect, of the Science Teachers’ Association of Ontario/L’Association des professeurs de sciences de l’Ontario.

Camp Invention is a program developed by the non-profit NIHF, in partnership with the United States Patent and Trademark Office. It was held at the DC Oshawa campus from July 8 to 12 and provided a unique experience for children to learn about science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM). National Inventors Hall of Fame (Canada) is the Canadian non-profit organization responsible for introducing NIHF’s ground-breaking innovation ecosystem to young inventors in Canada. The one-week program was funded by the United States Embassy in Ottawa and U.S. Consulate in Toronto.

Overseen by four teachers from both the Durham District School Board and Durham Catholic District School Board, and five counsellors, Camp Invention’s 2019 Supercharged™ program allowed campers the opportunity to learn about ocean navigation and survival skills on a remote island, conduct mock DNA tests on farm animals and learn to protect their own ideas. As an added bonus, at the end of the week, each camper brought home their own robot.

New appointments for chair and vice-chair of Durham College Board of Governors

The Durham College (DC) Board of Governors (BOG) is pleased to announce Ivan DeJong and Michele James as the new board chair and vice-chair, respectively, effective Monday, July 1, 2019. The appointments are for a one-year term.

Ivan is co-owner of Youngfield Farms in Nestleton, which was started by his family in 1953, and he has been involved in local organizations including the Durham Agricultural Advisory Committee, the Durham College Community Choir and the Canadian Food Grains Bank. In 2013, Ivan received the Diamond Jubilee Medal for community service.

With a career in health care spanning 30 years, Michele is the vice-president of People and Transformation at Scarborough Health Network and her diverse portfolio includes oversight of the human resources function for the organization’s 5,200 employees and 1,600 volunteers. Michele has also been involved in local organizations and is currently the volunteer chair of the Advisory Committee for the Black Physicians Association of Ontario.

The BOG is responsible for the governance of DC and, as such, is accountable to the students, employees and communities the college serves for ensuring that it is effectively and appropriately managed to achieve its established mandate and to provide needed services.

As chair, Ivan will be responsible for ensuring the board meets its responsibilities and established mandate through leadership, openness and transparency.