Durham College (DC) is proud to congratulate Allison Hector-Alexander, director of the Office of Diversity, Inclusion and Transitions at the college, on her receipt of the 2019 Madiba Award presented February 2 at the Annual Durham Black History Month Celebration in Ajax. This auspicious award recognizes a community leader of African ancestry in Durham Region who embodies Nelson Mandela’s values, visions and commitment to overcoming barriers.

At DC, Allison is an advocate of students and employees alike. Her influence on campus is extensive. She developed the college’s policy, training and programming to support DC’s sexual violence mandate, was the driving force behind the creation of all-gender washrooms on campus and led the college in launching the Black Student Success Network, an initiative that provides opportunities for mentoring, networking and overall support to Black students. In addition to being honoured with the Madiba Award, Allison has also been recognized as a champion by Parents and Friends of Lesbians and Gays (PLFAG) Canada Durham Region and received the Diversity Champion Award from the Local Diversity & Immigration Partnership Council.

Her influence goes beyond the walls of DC. She has been instrumental in bringing to life the Black History Month Professional and Mentorship Development Day in partnership with the Congress of Black Women for Black students in college and high schools. Recently, Allison led the creation of access, transitions and retention programming for community members who may be considering pursuing higher education but may be facing multiple barriers. She is known to advocate for women who are survivors of abuse and developed and facilitated skills programs to assist them from violence to independence. She has worked with a wide range of clients including at-risk and street-involved youth, Ontario Works recipients and new immigrants.

At DC, Allison oversees the college’s diversity and inclusion services, the First People’s Indigenous Centre, the Ontario Access and Inclusion program, the Health Promotions Strategy and all orientation and transitions programming for new students.

In recognition of an extraordinary career, Durham College’s (DC) director of athletics, Ken Babcock, was announced on January 28 as a 2019 Oshawa Sports Hall of Fame inductee. The announcement was made to City Council, followed by a media conference at the Robert McLaughlin Art Gallery. A formal induction ceremony will take place on Wednesday, May 29 at the Tribute Communities Centre.

Beginning his career with the college in 1987, Ken has been an outstanding leader and mentor, having helped many Durham Lords sports teams achieve an astonishing 42 provincial gold medals and 105 overall medals in the Ontario Colleges Athletic Association (OCAA), and an additional five gold and 22 overall medals in the Canadian Colleges Athletic Association (CCAA).

His influence at DC goes beyond coaching, as Ken was a driving force behind the construction of the Campus Fieldhouse and Vaso’s Field in 2003, the Campus Ice Centre in 2005 and the Campus Wellness and Recreation Centre in 2007, all of which serve students and employees, but also the wider community.

“Ken has spent many years guiding young athletes to achieve success both on and off the field. His accomplishments are a testament to his unwavering dedication and passion for athletics at DC and beyond,” says Don Lovisa, president, DC. “The entire DC community is extremely proud of Ken and this well-deserved recognition.”

Over the span of his sports career, Ken helped found the Canadian Collegiate Baseball Association in 1994, created the Durham College Sports Hall of Fame in 1997, helped launch the OCAA Hall of Fame in 2003, and developed and launched the University of Ontario Institute of Technology varsity athletics program in 2003.

He has also given back to the Oshawa community beyond the campus, primarily through Baseball Oshawa, where he has coached since 2005 and served as president since 2012. He was also a member of the organizing committee for the 2000 Ontario Summer Games, the 2008 Ontario Special Olympics Spring Games as well as the baseball portion of the 2015 Toronto Pan-Am Games.

The Oshawa Sports Hall of Fame honours the achievements of five Oshawa individuals and teams every year, recognizing those who have attained prominence and distinction in sports and who have made a major contribution to the development of sport.

Former DC Men’s Basketball coach, Peter Gordon, was also was also announced as a 2019 inductee.

Durham College (DC) was proud to host more than 400 of Ontario’s brightest young minds, along with their teachers, families and friends, on January 12 as they competed in the annual FIRST® LEGO® League Ontario East Provincial Championship.

Known by its acronym that means For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology, FIRST is a U.S.-based, not-for-profit public charity that inspires young people to be science and technology leaders. Leadership and innovation was on full display at this year’s competition, held in DC’s Campus Recreation and Wellness Centre at the college’s Oshawa campus, as teams of students, ages nine to 14, showcased their hard work and skills.

Teams first presented research projects to judging panels before unleashing their robots, which the students designed, built and programmed using LEGO MINDSTORMS® technology, on to table-top playing fields.

This year’s challenge theme INTO ORBIT was all about space.  Teams were tasked with the challenge of solving physical and social problems faced by humans during long-term space travel.

While students were on campus, DC’s Dr. Elaine Popp, vice-president, Academic also encouraged them to think about the broader connections between what they do each year at these competitions and how it might lead them to future STEM opportunities.

“As a leading post-secondary institution, we know that the skills you learn today are the building blocks of further learning and exploration in science, technology, mathematics, engineering and the trades,” she shared with the young students. “By participating in the FIRST LEGO League, you are stepping into the unknown – a journey that could take you anywhere.”

At the end of a day filled with fierce and fun competition, team CTRL-Z from Bayview Glen School in Toronto was crowned the winner and awarded an opportunity to compete at the FIRST® LEGO® League World Championship held in Detroit, Michigan from April 24 to 27.

As a gold-level sponsor and host of FIRST LEGO League, DC offers students what is often their first experience in a college environment and helps them to envision where their passion for robotics, technology and engineering can take them to pursue a post-secondary education.

For more information about FIRST LEGO League, please visit www.firstroboticscanada.org.

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.