Durham College (DC) and its TeachingCity partner, the City of Oshawa, are excited to announce that a new public art mural designed by DC students has been installed on the retaining wall in front of City Hall on Centre Street in Civic Square.

Part of a community mural project which installs artwork at City Hall every other year, the theme of the vinyl mural is human rights, which augments the City’s first-ever Diversity and Inclusion Plan.

Sixteen Fine Art students in DC’s School of Media, Art & Design created the work in their Community Collaborations course – Leana Anderson, Christopher Cote, Kimberly Cuomo, Shania Dias, Devan Johnson, Amy Johnston, Tanice Laframboise, Tara Larkin, Nicole Marhong, Quinn Mcinall, Toni Mcmullen, Sonja Muskiluke, Andra Rusu, Kyle Samuel, Courtney Skovira and Viktoria Williams.

In addition to creating the final product, students also received first-hand experience working with City staff on creative placemaking, public art projects and incorporating community consultation.

“This project is a perfect example of experiential learning at its best,” said Don Lovisa, president, Durham College. “Our students are able to use their extensive talents and the skills they are learning in class in a real-world setting, which is what the TeachingCity initiative epitomizes – learning, development and research for the betterment of the broader community.”

“The community mural project is another amazing TeachingCity initiative that sees post-secondary students engage with the Oshawa community and learn from and work with City staff,” says Oshawa Mayor John Henry.

The collaborative focus of the human rights mural project prioritized public input. Community feedback (received via a survey) inspired the students’ concepts, which were then reviewed and selected by the City’s Public Art Task Force. The students’ individual concepts came together in the final mural to artistically express views, experiences and hopes for human rights.

Durham College (DC) student Emma Brooks has received an ontariocolleges.ca Changing Tomorrow Award for an essay about her vision of tomorrow and how her college education is helping turn her dreams into reality. Currently enrolled in DC’s Dental Assisting (Levels I and II) program, Emma was one of only 25 students from across the province to receive the honour, which includes $500 towards her current tuition and an additional $1,000 towards her fall semester.

A highlight from her submission includes:

“Tomorrow will be filled with beautiful and healthy smiles and it is my plan to be part of that movement. I believe that starting with a college education and pursuing additional education throughout my life is necessary for me to maintain a path of growth and happiness.”

DC President Don Lovisa was on hand to present Emma with the cheque to be used in support of her fall semester.

Held in celebration of ontariocolleges.ca’s 25th anniversary, the Changing Tomorrow Award competition saw over 1,000 essays submitted by students representing a diverse range of programs and stages in their educational journeys.

Congratulations, Emma.

On September 7, Durham College (DC) professor Jeff Dalziel was named the 2018 Record Producer of the Year by the Canadian Country Music Association (CCMA) for the album What We’re Made Of by Warner Music Canada recording artists The Washboard Union.

A faculty member with the college’s School of Media, Art & Design since 2013, Dalziel teaches in the Music Business Administration and Music Business Management programs in addition to his work as a mixer, producer, songwriter, and multi-instrumental performing artist.

Dalziel received the award at the CCMA Industry Lunch & Awards, part of annual Country Music Week celebrations, held this year in Hamilton, ON. It was his second major win for 2018 having taken home Record Producer of the Year honours from the Country Music Association of Ontario in June.

With a career that spans nearly two decades, Dalziel is regarded as one of the top multi-genre music producers in Canada and currently has multiple hits on the charts and Canadian country radio. Under the banner of his own company, DIESELMUSIC, he provides A&R development for artists, produces, records, mixes, masters and co-writes songs for record publication, music, TV and film.

At DC, Dalziel uses his experience and expertise to prepare students for success in the highly competitive music industry. From major label presidents and A&R reps, to songwriters and artist managers, he draws top industry players to campus as guest speakers to provide the best music business learning environment in the country.

And while the CCMA Awards do not include a category for teaching, the number of Dalziel’s current and past students that he counted at the major industry event – working and thriving in the field they trained for and love – show he’s as successful in front of the classroom as he is behind the mixing board.

Durham College is pleased to share the launch of its new RISE program in the Office of Student Diversity, Inclusion and Transitions. Part of the Ontario Post-Secondary Access & Inclusion Program (OPAIP), RISE stands for reach, include, support and elevate, and aims to ensure equal opportunity exists for all Ontario residents to pursue a post-secondary education.

Replacing the First Generation initiative, RISE and its community partners, including school boards and agencies, will support any current or potential student who may need assistance overcoming barriers preventing them from considering, accessing or pursuing a post-secondary education.

RISE will offer one-on-one coaching to ensure a smooth academic and social transition to the post-secondary environment and facilitate and promote academic success by providing dynamic programming and making referrals to additional college and community services when needed.
For more information on RISE and its services, please visit www.durhamcollege.ca/RISE.

A nomination process that attracted 112 hopefuls from across the province for the coveted Toronto Star Nightingale Award worked out well for Dr. Sue Coffey, an associate professor in Durham College’s (DC) Nursing – Collaborative Bachelor of Science in Nursing program, when she was chosen as this year’s award recipient by a panel of representatives from Ontario’s nursing associations and the Toronto Star.

 Nominated for her work in developing a hands-on patient overdose simulation and integrating it into course curriculum, Dr. Coffey worked with an interprofessional team of educators to provide students with the opportunity to test the skills they are learning in class in a safe environment. As part of the simulation, a debrief component allows students to refine their skills so they are prepared when faced with a real overdose situation on the job. 

Dr. Coffey, whose work in nursing started over 30 years ago, has spent the last 17 in nursing education with a focus on developing innovative nursing curriculum and theory development. The DC community offers their congratulations on receiving this momentous award.

 For more information on the Toronto Star Nightingale award, please visit the Toronto Star website.

June marked a third mission to Kenya for Durham College (DC) as part of the Kenyan Education for Employment Program (KEFEP), a three-and-half-year project facilitated by Colleges and Institutes Canada (CICan) and funded by Global Affairs Canada that started in spring 2017.

During this mission, a team of nine DC students and employees attended the KEFEP partner forum hosted by CICan in Nairobi, Kenya. The forum brought together Kenyan and Canadian institutional partners, as well as organizations and institutions from Tanzania, Uganda, Ethiopia, Malawi, Zambia, Zimbabwe; and Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) stakeholders.

Following the forum, Joanne Spicer, a professor in the Victimology graduate certificate program, led gender-mainstreaming workshops at partner institutions in Sigalalaga, Eldoret and Kitale, while Kerry Johnston, faculty from Humber College, supported the development of occupational standards at Sigalagala National Polytechnic (SNP).

Danielle Harder, professor, Journalism – Mass Media and Jennifer Bedford, professor, Video Production, as well as four students from the School of Media, Art and Design also joined the team to interview partners and stakeholders of the CICan-KEFEP projects as part of a two-phase documentary that will showcase the progress of the project from its early stages to completion. Mark Herringer, dean, International Education and Ana Belen Jimenez, international projects co-ordinator, provided support throughout the trip. 

In February, Michelle Hutt, associate dean, School of Business, IT & Management, and Katie Boone, manager, International Projects and Partnerships, visited Kenya for the college’s second mission to take part in a two-week workshop series that supported SNP’s efforts to develop competency-based programs in the fields of renewable energies and advanced solar power systems.

Durham College (DC) hosted a free dental clinic in partnership with the Health Mission Outreach (HMO) at the Oshawa campus on June 17. While, over the past five years, students from the Dental Hygiene program have volunteered their skills learned in the classroom to provide free dental care clinics in Toronto and Brampton, this is the first time the service has been offered in Durham Region, catering specifically to those without insurance or living on a fixed income.  The HMO is a medical outreach organization that provides health care services to the disadvantaged.

The one-day clinic saw 45 DC students and a few from University of Toronto work alongside 18 volunteer HMO dentists from across Ontario to provide free fillings, extractions and other dental hygiene care for 162 local patients – one of the largest dental outreach initiatives in the Durham Region.

While students receive ongoing experience and skill-building in DC’s Dental Clinic as they perform dental examinations and cleanings under the supervision of faculty and staff, the free clinic with HMO also gave them the opportunity to give back to the community in which they live and study before they finish the final semester of their program.

A second, larger free health clinic with HMO will be offered in November for those that missed out, with participation once again from the Dental Hygiene program, as well as a few others in the School of Health and Community Services.

On June 11, 12 and 13, more than 4,000 Durham College (DC) students received their credentials during this year’s Spring Convocation, with friends, family and the college community cheering them on.

Held at the Tribute Communities Centre in downtown Oshawa, graduates from the Centre for Food and schools of Business, IT & Management; Continuing Education, Health & Community Services; Interdisciplinary Studies; Justice & Emergency Services; Media, Art & Design; Science & Engineering Technology and Skilled Trades, Apprenticeship & Renewable Technology received their diplomas and certificates.

Guest speakers at each ceremony were:

• Kent Farndale, a community philanthropist, volunteer, longstanding DC supporter and recipient of a DC Honorary Credential in Community Development, who spoke on June 11
• Manjula Selvarajah, a freelance journalist, technology columnist for CBC Radio and producer for local CBC Radio shows, as well as a 2014 graduate of DC’s Journalism – Print and Broadcast program (now known as Journalism – Mass Media), who spoke on June 12
• Andrew Genge, a Canadian Paralympian snowboarder who is currently enrolled in DC’s Practical Nursing program, who spoke on June 13

Over the course of the three days, the college also awarded four Alumni of Distinction Awards, which honour the extraordinary contributions DC alumni make to society while achieving career success.

The following alumni received the award:

• Chief Bryant Wood, a 1990 graduate of the Electronics Engineering Technology program
• Manjula Selvarajah, a 2014 graduate of the Journalism – Print and Broadcast program – now known as Journalism – Mass Media
• Kurtis Sisk, a 2000 graduate of the Public Relations program
• Roland Kielbasiewicz, a 1990 graduate of the Business Operations Management program