CBC Television’s Rick Mercer was on hand at Durham College (DC) and the University of Ontario Institute of Technology’s shared Oshawa campus on March 12 as the college and university co-hosted the For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology (FIRST) Robotics Canada Greater Toronto East Regional FIRST Robotics Competition (FRC).

Over three days of intense competition, 50 teams from across Ontario, Quebec and Alberta, as well as New York and Texas, demonstrated their engineering skills and knowledge playing FIRST Stronghold™, a robot battle developed for the 2016 competition. The game features a medieval-themed playing field equipped with reconfigurable obstacles that teams incorporate into their battle strategies.

Competitors and judges both agreed that Rick Mercer’s visit was one of the highlights of this year’s event, especially when Rick himself tried to navigate the robots while competing against students in a match. His visit to the FRC competition will be featured on the Tuesday, March 22 episode of the Rick Mercer Report, which airs at 8 p.m. EDT on CBC.

An international, not-for-profit organization dedicated to inspiring young people’s interest and participation in science and technology, FIRST hosts several levels of competition for students with FRC being the most senior.

“Not only is FRC an incredible forum for students to learn, compete and improve alongside their peers, it’s a celebration of science, technology, engineering and math,” said Elaine Popp, vice-president, Academic at DC. “This is why we love being part of these competitions. It’s our privilege to host these science and tech leaders of tomorrow, as well as the educators and families who support them.”

Each match in the competition saw two competing alliances of teams remotely guide a robot on a quest to breach their opponents’ fort, weaken their tower with boulders and ultimately capture their opponents’ castle. During two-and-a-half-minute matches, points were awarded to each team for defending their castle, retrieving boulders and defeating the other alliance. During the first 15 seconds of each battle, robots operated independently of their drivers to earn points by moving themselves.

After the final match, the four teams of the winning alliance were declared regional champions. They are:

• (2056) Orchard Park Secondary School (Stoney Creek)
• (2634) Chaminade College (Toronto)
• (746) Westview Centennial Secondary School (Toronto)
• (118) Clear Creek High School (League City, Texas, USA)

Each winning school was awarded a spot at the FRC World Championship, taking place in St. Louis, Missouri from Wednesday, April 27 to Saturday, April 30. Three other teams that won in specific award categories will also compete at the World Championship. The Greater Toronto East Regional FRC was the second of seven national qualifying competitions across Canada.

See a complete list of award winners.

For more information about the FRC program, please visit http://www.firstroboticscanada.org.

Durham College’s (DC) 2016 spring and fall graduates-to-be enjoyed more than just a free lunch during the college’s annual Countdown to Grad events held at the Oshawa and Whitby campuses and Pickering Learning Site.

The event provides students with a fun opportunity to learn about convocation details, cool alumni benefits, and employment services, while enjoying pizza and other treats. Participating students were also presented with a graduate gift.

“Graduation can be both exciting and a little overwhelming,” said Lori Connor, alumni officer, Durham College. “Countdown to Grad is an excellent opportunity for students to get all the information they need about their upcoming transition while having some fun. It’s also a great way to learn about the many perks of becoming a DC alumni.”

The events were held on Tuesday, March 8 (Oshawa campus), Wednesday, March 9 (Whitby campus) and Tuesday, March 15 (Pickering Learning Site) with more than 850 students in attendance.

During the Countdown to Grad events, students also had a chance to enter the School Cup Challenge – a friendly competition where students can submit their favourite DC memories for a chance to win great prizes as well as bursaries for their schools to award the following academic year.

Congratulations to this year’s winners:

First place – $1,000 bursary
Centre for Food

Second place – $500 bursary
School of Science, Engineering & Technology

Individual Prize – $500
Jelena Petrovic, student in the Biomedical Engineering Technology program

Individual prize – Toronto Maple Leaf tickets
Kyle Mundy, student in the Construction and Hoisting Techniques program

For more information about the 2016 graduation please visit the Spring Convocation page.

As part of its commitment to supporting international education and training, Durham College (DC) has embarked on its most recent global partnership in collaboration with the Government of Barbados Ministry of Education, Science, Technology and Innovation (METI), and Colleges and Institutes Canada (CICan).  

The agreement is being facilitated through the Government of Barbados Skills for the Future Program – an initiative that aims to enhance the delivery of educational leadership and management under the umbrella of competency-based education and training (CBET). The program is comprised of four components including: support for an employer-driven training system; improving the quality and relevance of secondary and post-secondary education; institutional strengthening; and a communication campaign.  Funded by the Inter-American Development Bank, its objective is to support the government’s human resource development strategy with an emphasis on improving the quality and relevance of secondary education and the effectiveness of Technical Vocational Education and Training (TVET).

In November 2015, DC was chosen by METI and CICan to focus on the component of institutional strengthening. Through customized training, mentoring and coaching, the goal is to enhance leadership skills of TVET managers and support Barbadian leaders from METI; the Ministry of Labour, Social Security and Human Resources Development; Barbados Vocational Training Board; Barbados Community College; Samuel Jackman Prescod Polytechnic; and 12 secondary schools in understanding the value of leadership models that are focused on current best practices.

As such, the college is currently hosting 25 management professionals, faculty, and representatives from METI, the Barbados Vocational Training Board and TVET at its Oshawa campus from March 7 to 19, and sharing learning strategies related to:

• Strengthening the leadership skills needed to guide a transformational process of TVET institutions.
• Building leadership skills to drive competency-based education.
• Enhancing collaboration skills for developing dynamic relationships with industry partners.

“We are thrilled at the opportunity to support higher learning on an international level,” said Mark Herringer, executive director, international education. “We look forward to supporting our Barbadian partners in creating business plans that will guide the transformation and modernization of trainings offered by their institutions and ensuring those offerings align with industry demands.”

The on-site training agenda was developed by DC’s International office and supported by an interdisciplinary team from across the college including faculty, employees from student service areas, Corporate Training Services, the Centre for Academic and Faculty Enrichment (CAFE), the School-College Work Initiative and the Durham District School Board.

In addition to the in-person training, ongoing mentorship and coaching will also be provided by Pam Stoneham, associate dean, School of Skilled Trades, Apprenticeship & Renewable Technology throughout the year via an online portal. Several onsite visits in Barbados are also scheduled to support, monitor and evaluate progress and ensure the change management projects are well positioned for successful implementation.

“It is an honour that DC was chosen as the lead Canadian college to support this exciting project,” said Stoneham. “It is exciting to share the insight and expertise the college has developed in the areas of leadership and competency-based, student-centered teaching and learning while supporting the effort of Barbados to transition to a more effective education model.”

CICan is the national and international voice of Canada’s publicly-funded colleges and institutes, with 1.5 million learners of all ages and backgrounds at campuses serving over 3,000 urban, rural and remote communities. For more information about the college’s commitment to international partnerships and engagement, please visit www.durhamcollege.ca/international. 

Durham College’s (DC) Communicative Disorders Assistant (CDA) graduate certificate program has once again received a generous donation of $2,500 from The Oshawa Horseless Carriagemen on behalf of the Barbershop Harmony Society’s Harmonize for Speech Fund.

“The Barbershop Harmony Society has supported the college’s CDA program for more than 10 years,” said Elizabeth Maga, a professor and co-ordinator of the CDA program. “We could not provide the high quality of learning we do without its continued support.”

The funds are used primarily to facilitate the purchase of items used in the CDA classroom. These resources are used to enhance students’ training and ensure they are prepared to serve the needs of clients during two different field placements and post-graduation when working with clients in the field.

Items purchased include a copy of The Baby Signing Book by Sara Bingham for each student; PLS-5 Preschool Language Scales, an assessment tool widely-used speech and language screening kit; and a TruTone Electrolarynx, a device used for people who have had their larynx removed.

In addition, the donation also enables students to attend a full-day Motor Speech Disorders and Therapy in Preschool Children workshop led by world-renowned speaker, Debra Goshulak from the Speech and Stuttering Institute in Toronto.

“The resources we purchase with this generous donation greatly benefit current and future CDA students, and through them, the community in general,” said Maga. “The skills and hands-on experience our students gain from these items will ultimately benefit so many individuals with communicative disorders in the future.”

The CDA program, which is recognized by the Communicative Disorders Assistant Association of Canada, is a one-year, three-semester graduate certificate program that prepares students to, provide speech and language therapy to clients of all ages under the guidance of qualified speech-language pathologists and/or audiologists.

The Harmonize for Speech fund was established nearly 40 years ago as a fundraising project of the Barbershop Harmony Society. It continues to provide support for numerous speech-related projects across Ontario. At this year’s cheque presentation ceremony, treasurer Greg Goodall was joined by Match Point, a quartet from the Oshawa Chapter who performed for the CDA students in their classroom. “It was a wonderful event which no one in attendance will soon forget,” said Maga. 

Durham College’s (DC) Communications and Marketing department is once again being recognized for its expertise and creativity, winning seven industry awards from both the National Council for Marketing & Public Relations (NCMPR) Paragon Awards and the Higher Education Marketing Report’s Education Digital Marketing (EDM) Awards.

Over the course of the last four months, the team has added four gold, two silver and one bronze to their trophy case.

“I am extremely proud of the innovative, dedicated and professional members of DC’s Communications and Marketing department.” said Carol Beam, executive director, Communications and Marketing. “Every day this amazing team reaches for new heights and pushes themselves to produce the highest quality of work possible. To be recognized by awards programs hosted by both the Education Marketing Report and the National Council for Marketing & Public Relations for the third consecutive year is a great honour and a testament to all of their hard work.”

DC took the gold for the 2015-2016 Academic Catalog at the NCMPR Paragon Awards and received gold from the Higher Education Marketing Report for the 2016-2017 College Guide; the Annual Report and the Experience DC microsite. In addition, DC received silver for the International Viewbook and the Experience DC marketing campaign and bronze for the DC Alumni Magazine in the online publications category.

NCMPR’s prestigious Paragon Awards recognize outstanding achievement in communications at community and technical colleges. It’s the only national competition of its kind that honours excellence exclusively among marketing and PR professionals at two-year colleges. Winners hail from large, multi-campus districts and small institutions, from large staffs with healthy budgets and from one-person shops with limited resources. All of them demonstrate that creativity, originality and unique approaches to problem-solving set the winners apart.

The Higher Education Marketing Report is the most widely read publication for educational marketers. The EDM Awards recognize the best educational websites, digital content, electronic communications, mobile media and social media, judging submissions on creativity, marketing execution, message impact, technology application and innovative content.

Furthering their shared commitment to providing high-quality education and training on an international scale, Durham College (DC) and the University of Ontario Institute of Technology (UOIT) have each signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with Modi Edutech Private Limited (Modi Edutech) in India.

Both agreements explore opportunities to develop and deliver educational programming in India. The MOU with the college is focused on early childhood/early years education. The MOU with UOIT focuses on teacher education and curriculum development, as well as leadership and research collaborations.

DC President Don Lovisa and UOIT President Dr. Tim McTiernan signed the agreements with Modi Edutech Chairman Alok Modi on February 1 at a ceremony in New Delhi. Both presidents participated in Ontario Premier Kathleen Wynne’s 10-day Indian trade mission. 

“Our new agreement with Modi Edutech marks an important first step in exploring international opportunities for us to deliver education designed to strengthen India’s workforce and provides a significant opportunity for the college to further develop our international presence,” said Lovisa.

“Ideas know no borders and, as such, universities are at the forefront of building global communities,” said McTiernan. “As the University of Ontario Institute of Technology continues to grow, an agreement like this allows us to play an increasing role in global engagement.”

The agreements allow each institution to explore opportunities for leadership education programs and teacher education. Further discussions will look at co-operation for curriculum development, teaching and learning resources, occupational standards, testing and certification, labour market information systems and, for UOIT, collaborative research.

“A key part of the University of Ontario Institute of Technology’s international plan involves leveraging our strength in technology-enriched and online learning to expand access to global education and partnerships. I am hopeful that we can develop such partnerships with Modi Edutech,” said McTiernan.

“Durham College was very pleased to be selected to be part of the Premier’s delegation to India,” said Lovisa. “The country represents an important emerging market and economy with a number of specific training needs that are aligned with the skills and education that we provide. In particular, our strength in early childhood education will meet the need of our Indian partners for high-level training in that area.”

More than 100 leaders from Ontario’s higher education, business and sustainable development and urban infrastructure sectors joined the Premier’s delegation. The group visited New Delhi, Chandigarh, Hyderabad and Mumbai to promote Ontario’s business advantage and create opportunities for new partnerships.

India is the world’s third-largest economy and has the potential for numerous partnership and training opportunities in business and higher education. The higher education delegates involved in the trade mission focused on building new partnerships in priority areas such as health education, clean energy and information and communications technology.

With more than 73,000 graduates and countless community and business supporters, Durham College (DC) makes it a priority to recognize individuals who have made outstanding contributions to the college and well beyond.  With that in mind, the college announced today that nominations for its 2016 Alumni of Distinction Awards and 2016 Honorary Credential recipient are now open.

“One of the best ways we can inspire students and employees at DC is to shine a light on the many DC community members who are succeeding in their careers, giving back to their communities and paving the way for future generations,” said Don Lovisa, president of Durham College. “We want to recognize their success and thank them for their contributions — the Alumni of Distinction Awards and Honorary Credential allow us to do just that.”

The Alumni of Distinction Awards honour the significant contributions DC graduates make to society while achieving career success. The Honorary Credential recognizes a community or business partner who has made an outstanding contribution to the advancement of DC, Durham Region and well beyond. Both are given at the college’s annual spring convocation ceremonies in June.

A wide range of professionals have received the Alumni of Distinction Award including entrepreneurs, health-care leaders, journalists, multimedia designers, engineers, technicians and skilled trades professionals. Nominations are now being accepted until Friday, March 11 through the DC Alumni office.

“I’ve made it a personal priority to reconnect with as many alumni as possible this past year and their stories of both personal and professional success have been incredible.” said Lovisa. “There are so many who deserve to be nominated for an Alumni of Distinction Award and I hope to see that reflected in the number of nominations we receive this year.”

Nominations for the Honorary Credential are made by DC employees with members of the public invited to submit possible nominations to Paul Bishop, executive director and registrar, Strategic Enrolment Services, DC, at paul.bishop@durhamcollege.ca by Tuesday, March 15.

“DC is lucky to have so many passionate supporters and we take immense pride in the way our graduates and community partners continue to help us build a strong college that is committed to student success,” added Lovisa. “We look forward to recognizing these individuals in June.”  

 

When it comes to determining next steps after graduation, students at Durham College (DC) got a head start on the path to success last week when the college hosted its annual Career Week on campus.

“Our annual Career Week is an excellent opportunity for students to connect with employers and for employers to discover bright, new talent in their own community – it’s a win-win,” said Tara Koski, director, Career Development and Co-Operative Education at DC. “We are thankful to our business partners and alumni who took time to participate in our events and provide invaluable guidance to the thousands of students in attendance.”

Taking place from February 1 to 5, the event, which was co-ordinated by the Career Development office, took place at the Oshawa and Whitby campuses. The initiative saw students meet with potential employers, network with industry experts, access helpful resources, learn from the real-world experiences of successful DC alumni and much more.

This includes the annual job fair, which saw more than 2,000 students meet with more than 75 potential employers at the Oshawa campus, including Ontario Power Generation, Canada’s Wonderland and Loblaw Companies Ltd. who are currently hiring for full-time, summer and seasonal work. In addition, attendees gained valuable feedback from recruiters and enjoyed a free LinkedIn photoshoot.

The second annual Mentoring Lounge, held during the job fair, gave students an opportunity to mingle with business leaders, local entrepreneurs, alumni and special guests including Cameron Munroe, DC graduate and operations manager at CLS Catering Services, and Rob Leth, sports anchor at Global News – Toronto.

Students also received additional words of wisdom during the Alumni in the Pit event. DC alumna Hannah Elkington, a police officer, who graduated from DC’s Police Foundations program in 2014, and alumnus Kyle Merkley, a music supervisor, who graduated in 2009 from the Music Business Management program, offered post-graduation insight to students preparing to make the transition from college to career.

Venture for Canada (VFC), a not-for-profit organization that recruits, trains and supports recent graduates in order to help them find employment at top Canadian start-up companies was also on hand at the Oshawa campus to meet with students on potential employment opportunities.

The Whitby campus also hosted the Tradesmart Career Fair, with 29 trades professionals in attendance, along with the Culinary and Hospitality Fair, which took place at the Centre for Food and focused on current culinary and hospitality students.

The Career Development office offers coaches who assist, guide and encourage DC students and graduates with learning about their chosen career path; discovering what employers are looking for in new recruits; translating their academic experiences into resumes and professional letters; and job interview preparation. This includes the DC Hired site, which allows students to view job postings and employer links; explore job opportunities on campus; and book coaching appointments.

For more information please visit the Career Development website.

For many students, time spent obtaining their post-secondary education is often a balancing act, with school commitments in one hand and employment, family responsibilities and other demands in the other. This is why the annual Durham College (DC) Student and Donor Recognition evening is such a special event.

On Monday, January 25, the college not only honoured 198 students for their outstanding academic achievements, but also recognized the numerous individual, organizational and corporate donors who provide financial assistance to help relieve some of the post-secondary pressure.

“To our award recipients, I offer sincere congratulations,” said DC President Don Lovisa. “Your willingness to work hard and your dedication to learning will serve you well when you graduate and as you launch into your careers.

“And to our donors, your investment in our students shows the value you place on a Durham College education, and for that we are truly thankful. Through your ongoing support we can continue providing the best possible education in the best possible learning environment while contributing to the future success and prosperity of both the college and the community.”

Lovisa also paid special tribute to the Oshawa Folk Arts Council, which celebrated its 20^th anniversary as a donor to DC. Each year, for the past 20 years, the council has generously contributed two memorial awards to help support student success: the Anna Racz Memorial Award and the Jan Drygala Memorial Award.

Several new donors were also recognized during the ceremony for choosing to invest in DC through a scholarship or bursary. These included:

Scholarships:

• The Jack and Marg Sills Memorial Scholarship.
• The Ontario Water Works Association Scholarship.
• The Ontario Water Works Equipment Association Scholarship.

Bursaries:

• Aramark Canada Ltd. Award.
• Brooklin Horticultural Society Bursary.
• CIBC Endowed Bursary.
• Dick Huang Memorial Bursary.
• Estates of Kathleen Nawrot and Jean Kroll.
• Owasco Volkswagen Bursary.
• Trillium Automobile Bursary.
• Roughley Insurance Brokers Ltd. Bursary.
• Travis Pepper Award.

Seven years ago, an idea was planted at Durham College (DC) to create a facility that would change the way our local communities eat and grow food as well as meet the growing demands of the local culinary, hospitality, tourism, agriculture and horticulture sectors.  The idea sprouted into a vision and, with the generous support of many donors, has come to fruition and continues to blossom.

On Monday, January 25, a donor wall was unveiled at the Durham College (DC) Centre for Food (CFF) to honour its donors as well as establish a distinct marker where all donors could be recognized for years to come.

“Our vision for the Centre for Food was to bring ‘field-to-fork’ to Durham Region, while creating a place where students would receive an exceptional, hands-on learning experience,” said Don Lovisa, president, DC. “Thanks to the support of our donors, we have been able to substantially grow our vision and make great strides in advancing our programs, grounds, research projects, facility and offerings to our students and the community.”

To complement the warm and natural atmosphere of the CFF, the wall was designed using walnut name plates and metallic inlays in platinum, gold, silver and bronze that denote the amount of each donation.

“On behalf of everyone at DC, I would like to truly thank all our donors for believing in our vision and helping us to establish a state-of-the art facility that supports both the success of our students and the economic development of our communities,” said Linda Marco, associate vice-president, Office of Development and Advancement. “This is exciting for all of us here at the college and testament to your collective support and commitment to the CFF.”

Three donors in particular were acknowledged for a contribution of more than $1 million to the CFF. They were:

• The Region of Durham
• The Town of Whitby
• The Estate of Lois Sleightholm

Lovisa also announced that a new $1 million donation towards the CFF has recently been confirmed, and details will be shared publicly in the coming months.

The CFF has the capacity to accommodate 900 students, and is Durham Region’s first-ever post-secondary presence focused on field-to-fork. In addition to Bistro ’67 – a green-certified teaching restaurant, the CFF houses Pantry, a retail store featuring fresh-baked items, meals-to-go, preserved foods and ready-to-cook meals created by students in the college’s culinary programs. The grounds feature an apple orchard, gardens, farm fields and greenhouses that support academic applied-learning and research while growing fruits, vegetables and other produce for use in its kitchens, laboratories and Bistro ‘67.