Durham College (DC) is pleased to welcome Dr. Elaine Popp to the college family as the new vice-president, Academic. Popp has more than 15 years of progressive experience in senior academic leadership within the Ontario college and broader post-secondary systems, a background that will help further strengthen the leadership team at DC.

“I am very pleased to be joining Durham College and am looking forward to working with everyone on campus to deliver a post-secondary experience that ensures our students succeed while they are on campus and long after they graduate,” said Popp. “I have been particularly impressed by the college’s growth in students, programs and partnerships over the past number of years – its reputation has never been stronger.”

Before joining DC, Popp was the associate vice-president, Academic at Humber College, where she chaired many strategic and academic committees and oversaw the review and development of academic regulations, policies and procedures to support and guide program development, implementation and delivery. She was also involved in leading the development of institutional space allocation and request processes.

Among her roles at Humber, Popp was associate dean in the School of Hospitality, Recreation & Tourism, a program co-ordinator in the same school and program head of the Kinesiology degree program at the University of Guelph-Humber, where she designed, developed and executed curricula.

“I am confident the combination of Elaine’s experience and educational background will provide a solid foundation for Durham College moving forward,” said Don Lovisa, president, Durham College. 

Durham College (DC) was honoured to receive a donation from the Trillium Automobile Dealers Association (TADA) to establish the Trillium Automobile Dealers Association Award, which will be awarded annually, for five years, to four second-year students. 

“We value our partnership with Trillium Automobile Dealers Association, and are grateful for their generosity,” said David Chambers, associate vice-president, Office of Development and Alumni. “Student success is at the forefront of Durham College and this award, which will be offered as bursaries to students facing financial challenges, will provide additional support and opportunities for these students to achieve their goals.” 

The $55,000 bursary will be disbursed at $11,000 per year, and awarded to two students in the Motive Power Technician – Service and Management program and two from the School of Business, IT and Management, who are studying Accounting, Entrepreneurship, Human Resources, and Operations Management – Business Administration. Each year’s recipients will be selected by DC’s Financial Aid and Awards office. 

“TADA is very happy to provide this support to Durham College, said Dave Fraser, education coordinator, TADA. “Our main goal as an association is to connect more and more of our members with the most qualified candidates of the future.” 

For more than 100 years, TADA has been a leader in progressive and innovative work on behalf of new car and truck dealers within Ontario. They strive to establish and maintain fair and uniform business practices, standards of advertising and training, and proactive programs to enhance customer service for consumers.

TADA launched their innovative Career Start program in 2014, which encourages new car dealers to form relationships with high school and post-secondary schools, host career fairs, showcase career opportunities at the Canadian International Auto Show, and promote careers through print brochures and social media advertising.

For nearly two decades, the Roger Anderson Charity Classic golf tournament has been one of the most popular and most influential annual fundraising events in Durham Region. But it is far more than just another round of golf.

On June 11, Durham Region chair and chief executive officer Roger Anderson welcomed 230 golfers to the Deer Creek Golf and Banquet Facility in Ajax, Ontario. Representing a wide spectrum of organizations from across the area, the golfers teed off for a chance to improve the lives of individuals living in Durham Region.

Now in its 18th year, the Roger Anderson Charity Classic has created and maintained a legacy of giving to community organizations by providing assistance to students in financial need at Durham College and the University of Ontario Institute of Technology, and by supporting child and youth initiatives at the Ontario Shores Foundation for Mental Health. To-date, over $5.3 million has been raised.

“I look forward to this event every year,” said Anderson. “It’s wonderful to see the community come together to support students and youth while also enjoying a day out on the golf course.”

Representatives from each of the three recipient organizations were on hand for a cheque presentation and the chance to extend their gratitude for the ongoing and enthusiastic support of everyone involved in the tournament.

Tournament organizers would like to recognize all of the sponsors for their ongoing and generous support.

In response to the Ontario Secondary School Teachers’ Federation (OSSTF) strike, Durham College (DC) hosted its first Intro to College session on Wednesday, June 3 and will host two more on Saturday, June 6 and Wednesday, June 10 to ensure secondary school students, and their parents, are prepared for the transition from high school to college.

“It was really helpful,” said 17-year-old Lukas Cholette who is currently attending J Clarke Richardson Collegiate in Ajax. “I got to learn more about my program, meet new people and walk around the college to learn where to go.”

Lukas has been accepted into DC’s Electrical Engineering Technician program, and said he feels more prepared as well as rejuvenated to begin college in September.

At the sessions, students can engage in a Q&A with a panel of faculty and students; participate in a financial aid workshop; meet their coach who will work with them throughout their time at DC; interact with faculty and staff; and learn about other support services dedicated to helping them succeed. Students can also confirm their offer and pay their deposit (debit/credit only), if they haven’t already done so.

There is also a special session designed for parents to provide them with information about how DC will support their kids when they begin in September, and throughout their college career.

“It was fabulous,” said Lukas’s mom, Debbie Cholette. “It helps our mindset and reduces anxiety, and we feel very reassured.”

Lukas’s dad, Rob, added that he was especially impressed by the Student Academic Learning Services (SALS) that assist students in the event they are ill or become injured, in addition to providing many other supports.

“Lukas hopes to play hockey during his time at DC, and it’s comforting to know that if he hurts himself, the college will accommodate him so he can keep on top of his schoolwork and be prepared for tests while he recovers,” said Rob. “It’s good to know students won’t be left on their own.”

The Cholettes were so impressed with the information they received that they decided to come back for the Saturday session to take in more of the services available to them through the Intro to College sessions.

Sessions are located at the Oshawa campus, 2000 Simcoe St. N., with reception at the main entrance to the Gordon Willey building. Parking is free, and refreshments will be served.

“The success of our students is priority one, and these circumstances have challenged the leadership team at DC to do everything it can so all students are able to enter college knowing how to access the tools they need to succeed,” said Meri Kim Oliver, vice-president, Student Affairs. “DC has excellent support systems and high quality services that we want to inform our students about so they feel confident about starting their college career.”

There is still time to register for the June 6 and 10 sessions. Students can learn more and register at www.durhamcollege.ca/infosessions

Durham College (DC) had the pleasure of hosting the annual Ontario Journalism Educators Association (OJEA) conference at the Sheraton Centre Hotel on May 21, in Toronto, Ont.

The conference gives journalism instructors and professors across Ontario a chance to get together to share their successes and challenges over the past year, as well as brainstorm ways to boost enrolment and discuss the latest software and industry trends.

This year, more than 15 representatives from Algonquin, Conestoga, Niagara, Centennial and Humber colleges attended the event, which was held in conjunction with the Newspapers Canada – Ontario Community Newspapers Association conference.

As the host college, this was a great opportunity to showcase enhancements in the Journalism – Web and Print and Journalism – Broadcast and Electronic Media programs offered at DC. Journalism program co-ordinator and OJEA president, Brian Legree, and journalism instructor and OJEA secretary, Danielle Harder, were happy to share the great changes made to The Chronicle’s website – the DC student-run newspaper, along with community projects and partnerships involving our students.

Each year the host college invites a guest speaker to discuss trends in the industry. This year DC brought in award-winning reporter and host of the CBC’s World Report, David Common.

Common spoke about the changes in the industry and what that could mean for today’s journalism graduates, discussing the marketable skills young journalists need in today’s market, including the ability to think critically, write quickly, understand and manipulate video/audio quickly and the ability to work independently.

 “It’s a great opportunity to host a conference like this,” Legree said. “It allows us to share the accomplishments of our journalism students, changes we’ve made to our program and publications, and to stay current with industry trends so we can continue to offer our students the best learning experience.”

For more information about DC’s Journalism programs please visit our School of Media Art & Design.

For some, the cleanliness of our environment is not top priority but sometimes it’s a good idea to make it one.

On May 13, Durham College (DC) students and employees hauled on gloves, collected empty garbage bags and took to the outdoors with the Sustainability Sub-Committee to make the campus beautiful during the 2015 Campus Clean-up.

Events like this play a key role in DC’s Living Green mandate, which includes environmental stewardship and raising awareness while promoting sustainability in its goals.

There were two options for the event — drop-in or stay for the entire time — but for two hours, all participants worked hard to clean up all the litter left behind on campus. By 3 p.m., 537 lbs. of waste, such as planks of wood, shopping carts and buckets, and 182 pounds of recycling were removed from the stream and trail path behind the South Village Residence.

The hard work did not go unrewarded. All participants received a Living Green glass water bottle as a thank you for making the environment a priority.

Durham College (DC) will accept grade 12 mid-term grades as final grades for students applying to the fall 2015 semester from any school board impacted by the Ontario Secondary School Teachers’ Federation (OSSTF) work stoppage.

“Our primary mandate as a college is access for students,” said Don Lovisa, president, Durham College. “At Durham College the student experience comes first and we remain committed to students’ success by putting plans in place to support affected students’ academic needs during these unique circumstances.”

In order to be eligible for consideration, students must have completed their Ontario Secondary School Diploma (OSSD) prior to starting classes in the fall, and meet the entrance requirements for any program they have applied to. The current deadline for confirmation of all entry requirements is August 22. Should the strike go past the deadline for the school boards to issue the OSSD’s, refunds will be offered to any applicant who has already paid their $500 deposit.

“We understand that students’ in the affected boards feel uncertain about their post-secondary future,” said Meri Kim Oliver, vice-president, Student Affairs. “The leadership team at Durham College is doing everything we can to reassure them that, should all necessary requirements be met, we will accept them with open arms based on their mid-term grades.”

Regular updates will be posted on www.durhamcollege.ca, and all current DC applicants will be contacted directly in an effort to keep future students and their families informed as the situation progresses. Students or parents/guardians who have further concerns are invited to contact the college at 905.721.3000.

More information about the strike is available on the DDSB website.

Durham College (DC) students will soon have the option to study in India.

A new window for DC has been opened as it announces the signing of a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with India’s National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC), to provide education and hands-on training in the automotive and agricultural sectors.

The signing was one of 10 MOU’s announced recently by Colleges and Institutes of Canada (CICan) and the offered programs will be branded by CICan, NSDC and participating Indian partners.

DC president Don Lovisa applauds Indian Prime Minister Modi’s leadership in upgrading the skills of India’s workforce. The agreement partners Canadian colleges with an institution in India to develop a joint venture arrangement for skills training geared towards students studying in applicable sectors.

“Our automotive programs offered at our Whitby campus and the agricultural work we’re currently undertaking at DC’s Centre for Food (CFF) are helping prepare our students for the demands of a complex and changing world,” said Lovisa. “This is a very exciting development for the college.”

Recently, Dr. Satender Arya, CEO of the Indian Agricultural Sector Skills Council, visited DC’s CFF. The visit has not only allowed him to view DC’s developments in agriculture and see the college’s programming in action, but has allowed for more developing partnerships abroad to position DC as an international presence.

Although the MOU with DC is currently signed only for the automotive and agriculture sectors, the college is also preparing to work in India in the Early Childhood Education (ECE) field, which could be added to the NSDC framework in the near future.

Durham College (DC) was recognized on Wednesday, May 6 by the Office of the Fire Marshal and Emergency Management (OFMEM) and the Insurance Bureau of Canada for its unique approach to emergency preparedness.

In celebration of the 20^th anniversary of Emergency Preparedness Week, which this year runs from May 3 to 9, a group of students in the Interactive Design and Media program collaborated with OFMEM to create a series of videos and posters to promote emergency preparedness in Ontario.  

Students were required to create 60 to 90 second videos for families and seniors that stressed the importance of being prepared for situations such as emergency preparedness on campus, stovetop safety, emergency preparedness for pet owners, electrical blackouts, storms, floods and public alerting – just to name a few. The criteria was set by OFMEM, and students had to work with them to develop a process from feasibility study to the end product.

“This recognition will motivate and build the students’ confidence for their future careers,” said Linda Cheng, professor, School of Media Art & Design at DC. “It taught them to listen attentively, understand the needs of a client, come up with a plan, form a team, establish a timeline and deliver a final product.”

The partnership initiated in 2012 when Jude Kelly, Communications and Public Education, OFMEM, worked with Cheng and her students, to create a game day program for the Juno Hoops charity basketball event. Kelly was impressed by the students’ talent and proposed a collaboration.

“The project was so successful that I approached Ms. Cheng immediately afterward to see if she would be interested in working together on another project,” said Kelly. “She liked the concept and slotted it into her curriculum.”

After two successful collaborations in 2014 and 2015, the partnership has proven to be an excellent resource for OFMEM and valuable experience for students.

“I strongly believe in practicing what we learn in the classroom as it pertains to industry,” said Cheng. “This recognition validates our curriculum and our students’ talent and professionalism, and we will certainly continue to build on this collaboration and expand into more industries.”

This project also included students from DC’s Contemporary Web Design program, who created mock web pages on emergency preparedness. Successful entries were posted on the OFMEM website and YouTube channel, and promoted via Twitter and Facebook.

Mid-term marks have now been sent

As you know, all secondary schools in the Durham District School Board (DDSB) are currently closed due to a teachers’ strike by the Ontario Secondary School Teachers’ Federation (OSSTF) – Durham. Schools will remain closed until the DDSB advises otherwise.

Durham College (DC) is pleased to advise that mid-term marks from the DDSB have now been submitted to the Ontario College Application Service (OCAS).

“Our goal is to ensure that applications continue to flow through the process so that all applicants receive the same opportunity for fair consideration to their post-secondary program,” said Paul Bishop, executive director, Strategic Enrolment Services at Durham College. “We are pleased that these grades have now been sent to the application centre despite the work stoppage.”

Regular updates will continue to be posted on www.durhamcollege.ca, and emails will be sent to applicants in an effort to keep future students and their families informed as the situation progresses. Students or parents/guardians who have further concerns are invited to contact the college at 905.721.3000.

More information about the strike is available on the DDSB website.

DC working to ensure potential OSSTF strike doesn’t affect applicants

Friday, April 17, 2015

Durham College (DC) is aware of the potential strike by the Ontario Secondary School Teachers’ Federation (OSSTF) in Durham Region, and every effort is being made to ensure applications continue through the process unaffected.

The college is sensitive to concerns that mid-term marks may be delayed in the event of a strike, which may affect students who received conditional offers. While it is still early to speculate on the potential impact, DC wants to assure students and their families that it is working at a provincial level with the Ministry of Education and Colleges Ontario to develop a contingency plan that will allow students to complete the application process.

The Durham District School Board (DDSB) anticipates that mid-term marks will be submitted in advance of the proposed strike date and mid-term report cards mailed home.

“The student experience comes first at Durham College, and that commitment includes the application process,” said Don Lovisa, president, Durham College. “We recognize this is an anxious time for students who are completing their high school education and preparing for college. With this in mind we are working diligently to ensure that a potential work stoppage doesn’t create any unnecessary complications for students as they pursue their dreams to attend college.”

DC will continue to update applicants in an effort to keep future students and their families informed as the situation progresses. Students or parents/guardians who have further concerns are invited to contact the college at 905.721.3000 or please check the DC website for regular updates.

More information about the proposed strike is available on the DDSB website.