Benjamin Lewis, manager and chef de cuisine at Durham College’s (DC) Bistro ’67, went head-to-head with fellow culinary competitors and came out on top at the first-ever Sysco Sliced competition hosted by DC and the Centre for Food on July 21 and 22.

Local chefs from restaurants including Melanie Pringles, the Lake Grill, KB Restaurant and the Brock House in Whitby; Magwyers Pub in Ajax; Port Restaurant in Pickering; and the Oshawa Golf Course all participated in the heated battle, with DC students from the Culinary Management program acting  as sous-chefs during the entire competition.

The two-day event began with four chefs battling it out to move to the next round of the competition, with each chef having to plate appetizer, entrée and dessert dishes. After each course, a chef was ‘sliced’ or cut from the contest. Every round included new challenges and a mystery box holding four key ingredients that each chef used to execute their dish, incorporating fresh as well as prepared foods.

Day 1’s appetizer course included crab meat, jalapeno poppers, cauliflower purée and processed cheese spread; the entrée combined frosted breakfast cereal, cape capensis, ribbon-sliced cheddar and chorizo sausage; and the dessert course featured bacon, peanut butter, evaporated milk and kaisers. While all dishes had their own unique spin from each chef, there could only be one winner – DC’s own Chef Lewis.

“From a competitive perspective, I think everybody had fun. I think it was a huge educational piece for the vendor community to see how great the chefs in this region are, showcase the school and really get the student body involved,” said Chef Adam Cowan from Nestlé and Sysco Sliced judge.

“From a scholastic perspective it really opened the students’ eyes as to how much fun and how little stress competitive arenas can be. We’re here to have fun, to get better together and that is why we’re all in this business, to continuously learn and push the threshold and the rising of trends in the marketplace.”

Day 2 hosted a new batch of local chefs featuring different mystery boxes, with KB Restaurant’s Chef Kevin Brown coming out on top. Both Durham Region winners will now face off against two winners from the Peterborough area in the final battle in mid-August, to find out who will reign as champion and who will get sliced.  

More than 3,500 Durham College students, along with their family and friends and college faculty and staff, celebrated their post-secondary success at the college’s annual spring convocation ceremonies on Thursday, June 19 and Friday, June 20 at the General Motors Centre in Oshawa, Ont.

On June 19, graduates from the schools of Media, Art & Design; Science & Engineering Technology; Centre for Food; Health & Community Services; and Skilled Trades, Apprenticeship & Renewable Technology; received their diplomas and certificates. On June 20, ceremonies were held for the schools of Continuing Education; Justice & Emergency Services; Business, IT & Management; and Interdisciplinary Studies & Employment Services.

“This is the most important day of the year at Durham College as we celebrate the hard work and accomplishments of our graduates,” Don Lovisa, president of the college said. “There are three kinds of people in the world: those that watch things happen, those that make things happen and those that say ‘What happened?’ We are happy to produce graduates that make things happen.”

Graduates and guests were entertained by words of wisdom from two of the college’s most successful graduates, Russ Montague (Advertising, 2004) and Ian Ball (Business Administration – Marketing, 2002). Montague, a very successful entrepreneur with two unique companies – ShirtPunch (awarded Best New E-Business and Consumer’s Choice by the 2012 Canada Post E-Commerce Innovation Awards) and Nerd Block – spoke at Thursday’s ceremonies and also received a 2014 Alumni of Distinction Award.

Ball, one of the youngest vice-presidents on Bay Street at the age of 23, addressed graduates at Friday’s ceremonies. In September 2013 he was named president of McEwen Mining, a gold and silver producer after spending nine years with the company. During his time at McEwen he helped build it from a $5 million market capitalization to $750 million and establish it as a publicly traded company on the New York Stock Exchange. 

Overall, the annual spring convocation ceremonies were a success and the promise of new beginnings for DC grads. The sun was shining, graduates and guests were smiling and faculty and staff were happy to prove the college’s mission statement; the student experience comes first.

For the eighth consecutive year, Durham College (DC) celebrated the academic achievements of secondary school students from the Centre for Success program on June 16.  The program, hosted on campus through the School College Work Initiative, helped 160 students who were experiencing difficulties in graduating from secondary school to complete their diploma by engaging them in a college environment as well as demonstrating that they can be successful in post-secondary education. 

Gail MacKenzie, manager of Strategic Initiatives at DC, attributes the continued success of the program to its ability to be an alternative route for secondary school students.

“These are secondary school students who were not successful in their previously attended high schools for many reasons – financial, academic, attendance or mental health issues,” said MacKenzie. “When students come to Durham College, they feel they have a fresh start and are treated as adults in an adult learning environment. They live up to these expectations and achieve the kind of success they never thought possible.”

Most of the students are also successful in completing a college credit or dual credit encouraging them to complete their secondary school diploma requirements, while boosting their confidence about applying to and going to college.

The project, which boosts an average of a 92 per cent success rate, has grown significantly over the years from the first pilot project in 2006 with 14 students to the current program that will see over 300 students enrolled between September and June 2015 at both the Oshawa and Whitby campuses.

In addition to the DC administration and staff, students were joined by their families, teachers and representatives from the partnering school boards: Durham District School Board, Durham Catholic School Board, Kawartha Pine Ridge District School Board and Peterborough Victoria Northumberland Clarington Catholic District School Board.

Thanks to the efforts of sponsors, donors, participants and volunteers, this year’s Roger Anderson Charity Classic golf tournament was another huge success, raising $320,000 and officially surpassing the $5-million mark over its 17-year lifetime. Hosted by Durham Region chairman and chief executive officer Roger Anderson at Deer Creek Golf and Banquet Facility in Ajax, Ont. on June 12, the annual event welcomed more than 225 golfers as they teed off for a chance to improve the lives of individuals living in Durham Region.

Throughout its 17 years, the tournament has created and maintained a legacy of giving to community organizations including providing assistance to students in financial need at Durham College and the University of Ontario Institute of Technology and child and youth initiatives at the Ontario Shores Foundation for Mental Health.

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 also like to recognize all of the sponsors for their ongoing and generous support.  Special thanks to major sponsors AECOM, Brookvalley Developments Inc., Covanta, Dorsay Development Corporation, Fieldgate/Paradise Homes/TACC, Lenovo, Metroland Media, Miller Group, Minto, Ontario Power Generation, Ricoh Canada Inc., Runnymede Development, Scotiabank and Tribute Communities. Organizers would also like to recognize the support of tournament sponsors Baker & McKenzie, Fraser Ford and Smart Centres, as well as event sponsors Deloitte, HDR Inc., Mattamy Homes, Metropia, Nordeagle Developments and Sorbara Development Group. 

Less than a year after opening Durham College’s (DC) Centre for Food (CFF) Sarah Lavergne, a first-year student in the CFF’s Culinary Skills program, has won gold in the Cooking category at the 20th annual Skills Canada National Competition (SCNC).

Marking the first year of competition for a student from the new CFF, Lavergne claimed the national title one month after winning gold in Culinary Arts category at the Ontario Technological Skills Competition (OTSC). The CFF, Durham Region’s first-ever post-secondary presence focused on the field-to-fork concept, is based on the harvesting, storage, processing, packaging, sale and consumption of food – in particular the production of local food for local consumers.

SCNC is an Olympic-style multi-trade and technology competition that annually welcomes more than 500 competitors from across the country to compete in more than 40 trade and technology categories.  This year’s golden result gives the college its sixth national medal in as many years.

“We are very proud of Sarah’s accomplishments, which are a direct reflection of her hard work and commitment to her studies and her skills,” said Don Lovisa, president. “Her success re-affirms that the programs taught at DC prepare students for tremendous success against their peers on the national stage and in their professional careers. I extend my heartfelt congratulations to Sarah on her performance and our faculty who have helped her prepare.”

“I’m so thrilled and excited to have won gold at Skills Canada,” said Lavergne. “It’s something that I never thought possible when I first started the program. I couldn’t have done it without all the coaching, time and advice I received from my instructors, in addition to the support from everyone else at Durham College and my family and my friends.”

The Culinary Skills program is a two-year program focused on providing skills in culinary planning, preparation and presentation for a variety of food-service environments. Students from these and a number of other programs benefit from working and learning in Bistro ’67, a full-service, green-certified teaching and learning restaurant located at the CFF.

“In my first year I’ve learned so much about the culinary world and cooking, and this competition definitely showed me the value of commitment, determination and hard work,” she added. “What an awesome way to wrap up the school year!”

Skills Canada is a not-for-profit organization that actively promotes careers in skilled trades and technologies to Canadian youth. The organization offers experiential learning opportunities including skilled trades and technology competitions for hundreds of thousands of young Canadians through regional, provincial/territorial, national and international events, as well as skilled trade awareness programs.  

The fourth annual Impact on Family Violence Conference: A South Asian Perspective (FVC 2014) was held at the joint Durham College and the University of Ontario Institute of Technology Oshawa campus earlier this month.

The annual event, which was presented by the Social Services Network with the support of more than 25 community partners including the college and university on May 14 and 15, was designed to connect the diverse South Asian population with the key sectors involved in violence prevention and response.

“Events such FVC 2014 provide our students with an opportunity to grow into fully engaged citizens with the knowledge and self-awareness needed to be mindful of issues such as family violence,” said Susan Sproul, dean for the School of Health & Community Services.

Several informational workshops were offered during the two-day conference, along with presentations on topics ranging from forced marriage, femicide (the killings of women and girls due to their gender), sexual diversity, sexual violence and disabilities.

Meant to implement empowering and engaging information on family violence; expose family violence issues and challenges; identify services and programs that support family violence; and empower decision-makers to be able to make informed decisions and access the possibilities of implementing short- and long-term changes, FVC 2014 is part of a five-year initiative developed to understand the specific nature, systems and complex cultural and family dynamics that pose barriers and challenges to preventing and responding to the abuse that occurs in South Asian families.

The conference also included keynote presentations from Dr. Yasmin Jiwani, professor of Communications Studies at Concordia University, and Aparna Bhattacharyya, executive Director for Raksha, as well as workshop speaker Tammy Rankin, a social worker and elder abuse advisor with the Region of Durham, who spoke to attendees about the growing dilemma of elder abuse and various forms of mistreatment.

Durham College (DC) announced today that a new economic-impact report by Economic Modeling Specialists International (EMSI) has found that students who enrol at the college will receive an excellent return on their post-secondary education investment.

“A DC education continues to be a terrific investment, particularly in this new economy,” said Don Lovisa, president, DC. “We are dedicated to providing our students with quality programs, expert faculty and a superior learning environment while ensuring our graduates have the knowledge and skills necessary to be successful in their careers and/or their pursuit of further education.”

Titled Demonstrating the Value of Durham College of Applied Arts and Technology – Analysis of the Economic Impact and Return on Investment of Education, the report, which was released in May 2014, shows DC students will get a 15.9 per cent return on their investment (ROI) in addition to enjoying long-term earnings and other benefits. It also noted that the Ontario government gets a huge ROI return on its funding of colleges, with DC delivering a return of almost 4.9 per cent for every dollar the province invests in the college. “Ontario is facing one of its biggest challenges to date with the skills mismatch,” said Lovisa. “The report’s findings are important as Ontario looks for solutions to this and the daunting challenges of youth unemployment and underemployment.”

The report also found that Ontario college students develop the skills required for an increasingly globalized workplace and receive a stream of higher future wages that will continue to grow throughout their working lives.

“College programs are accessible to everyone in the community and deliver excellent returns to government and taxpayers,” added Lovisa. “In addition, for many DC students, a college certificate, graduate certificate, diploma or advanced diploma is only step one in their post-secondary career.  Many choose to complement their studies by leveraging their education with a university degree. Providing students with opportunities to earn additional credentials following graduation is just one way our dedication to the student experience extends beyond graduation.”

EMSI, which is world-renowned for its economic analyses of post-secondary education, conducted its assessment of DC from December 2013 to April 2014. Read more by clicking here.

“A college education is more important than ever to the local economy and helping people find long-term success,” said Lovisa.

Durham College (DC) is pleased to announce that Cecil Stewart, Tessa Travis and Shandi Wilson are the winners of our #gotoDC Selfie contest.

Stewart, who is enrolled in the Mechanical Engineering Technician program, wins a laptop computer (value of $1,100) of his choice while Travis, enrolled in the Animal Care program, has won a new iPad.  Wilson, enrolled in the Occupational Therapy Assistant/Physiotherapy Assistant program, will receive a pair of Beats by Dr. Dre headphones.

The three winners were chosen from all eligible entries submitted by future DC students. Upon receiving their acceptance packages, students were encouraged to submit a selfie photo of themselves holding the package, which read “Future DC student”.

Congratulations to all of the winners and special thanks to everyone who entered – we look forward to welcoming you to DC!

Students from Durham College’s (DC) School of Skilled Trades, Apprenticeship and Renewable Technology (START) had an opportunity to meet with Progressive Conservative leader Tim Hudak on May 6 when he visited the Whitby campus to speak with students from the one-year Mechanical Techniques – Plumbing program.

“It was a great experience; he’s a really nice and personable guy,” said Matt Murphy, a Mechanical Techniques – Plumbing student. “He wanted to know where we were from and got to know a little bit about our background and how we got into the program.”

Students were given an opportunity to share their experiences at the college so far including their thoughts on what the high-demand skilled trades field has to offer and why they chose plumbing as a future career.

With students hard at work to complete their program most are eager to acquire an apprenticeship after their studies to gain more hands-on experience.

“I did a lot of research before coming to Durham and choosing this program,” said Murphy. “Plumbing is listed as one of the top 10 trades in Canada right now. It came down to this program or welding and I chose plumbing because there is more room for growth. The amount of knowledge I learned in the first semester alone was exceptional.”

Durham College (DC) announced today that its Office of Research Services and Innovation (ORSI) has  been approved for more than $400,000 in applied research funding from the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC) through the council’s College and Community Innovation (CCI) Program. 

In total, $443,168 of funding, being made available via three Applied Research Tools and Instruments (ARTI)  grants will be used to acquire equipment to support applied research in three areas including microbrewing, agriculture and rapid prototyping.

“This most recent round of support from the federal government once again confirms that Durham College is a leading college in the field of applied research,” said Judy Robinson, vice-president, Academic, DC. “On behalf of ORSI and the college, I would like to extend my sincere thanks to NSERC for its support of three of our newest applied research initiatives, which are enabling the college to assist local businesses with bringing their ideas to market and contribute to the economic prosperity of Durham Region and beyond.” 

The CCI Program, managed by NSERC in collaboration with the Canadian Institutes of Health Research and Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada, grants six different types of funding. The ARTI grant is designed to support the purchase of research equipment and installations to foster and enhance the ability of colleges to undertake applied research, innovation and training in collaboration with local companies.

“These ARTI grants will allow our researchers and industry partners to create and develop projects using state-of-the-art technology,” said Debbie McKee Demczyk, director, ORSI. “In addition, this funding will enable our students to gain valuable research and testing experience while making industry contacts and gaining marketing expertise. We are grateful for the opportunities now available to us through NSERC’s extensive funding program.”

With the intention of capitalizing on the growing craft beer brewing industry a new microbiology BrewLab will support projects that analyze and improve the microbial integrity of various beer products and evaluate the fermentation performance of yeast strains for Ontario craft breweries.

ORSI will also continue to develop agricultural research projects that will utilize new Growth Chambers, devices designed to assist local growers in tackling challenges related to pest management, crop integration and plant propagation. The project will allow DC partners to expand and diversify their product lines while exploring innovative plant propagation techniques and processes.

A third set of research projects will employ a new Rapid Prototyper to reproduce the dimensional properties of trial-ready prototypes in house and at a low cost for a variety of industries requiring advanced manufacturing. It will also allow students to work with industry during research capstone projects, providing them with additional skill sets.

ORSI provides an important link to the community through its support and advancement of institutional effectiveness and contribution to the economic performance of the region, using a collaborative culture of engagement that is student-centered and community-focused. ORSI is comprised of three teams – Applied Research; Institutional Research and Planning; and Program Development and Quality Initiatives.

NSERC is a Canadian government agency that provides grants for research in the natural sciences and engineering. The council promotes discovery by funding research conducted by post-secondary professors and students and fosters innovation by encouraging Canadian companies to participate and invest in post-secondary research and training.