Does chopping an onion bring a tear to your eye? Culinary students and employees at Durham College’s (DC) Centre for Food (CFF) can help you better survive dinner prep with handy kitchen tricks, which were recently featured on a segment of the Daily Planet’s Seriously?! hosted by Jay Ingram and filmed at the CFF.

The segment, which aired on the Discovery Channel on Thursday, May 21, followed Chef Dave Hawey, professor and program coordinator for the Culinary Skills program, along with culinary students as they walked Ingram through a series of “kitchen hacks” that are sure to make cooking a little easier.

“This was a fun way to share tricks that we, as chefs, have learned along the way that can help everyone in the kitchen,” Hawey said. “It was also a good opportunity for our students to do something a little different, while sharing the skills they have acquired during their studies.”

 

A total of eight kitchen hacks were displayed during the segment, some of which included:

• Preventing tears while cutting an onion
• Sharpening knives on a cup
• Separating egg yolks
• Cutting cake to avoid dry edges

The CFF is Durham Region’s first-ever post-secondary presence focused on the field-to-fork concept, which is based on the harvesting, storage, processing, packaging, sale and consumption of food – in particular the production of local food for local consumers.

Supported by ambassador and celebrity chef Jamie Kennedy, the CFF can accommodate 900 students studying in culinary, hospitality, event management, food science, and agricultural and horticultural programs, completing the full cycle of farming to the preparation, serving and celebration of food.

For more information about DC’s Centre for Food, visit www.durhamcollege.ca/cff

Durham College (DC) students owned the podium at Skills Ontario, Canada’s largest skilled trades’ competition. Our students outshined the competition, earning them gold and silver medals in multiple categories.

Adam Leadbetter, a level-three apprentice in DC’s Industrial Mechanic – Millwright program, won gold in the Industrial Mechanic Millwright category.

“The competition was intense,” said Leadbetter. “You put in your ear plugs, drown the world out and use all your concentration. I’m pretty ecstatic to be going to nationals and look forward to putting my skills to the test.”

Leadbetter’s win means he will be representing DC and Ontario against the best and brightest millwrights in Canada, when he participates in the Skills Canada national competition held in Saskatoon, Sask., from Wednesday, May 27 to Saturday, May 30. 

DC’s Mike Bachand, a second year Mechanical Technician – Mechanical Maintenance and Control student took home the silver in the same category as Leadbetter; Bryan Chamberlain, a Computer Systems Technology student, won silver in the IT Network Systems Administration category; and Blake Jessup, a level-three welding apprentice in the Welding program, also won silver in the Welding category. 

Overall, 13 DC students competed in various categories including Auto Service Technology, Baking, Culinary Arts, Heating Systems Technology and Plumbing. Congratulations to our students!

Congratulations to Durham College’s (DC) Dr. Lynne Kennette, Professor of Psychology, School of Interdisciplinary Studies & Employment Services, who will receive the Wayne Weiten Teaching Excellence Award – an award given to people who teach at the two-year college level.

The award will be presented at the annual American Psychological Association (APA) Convention held in Toronto this August. Criteria included the use of innovative teaching methods, developing interest and awareness of psychology, and developing a professional identity off campus.

“I am so grateful to the Society for the Teaching of Psychology for recognizing my teaching efforts with the Wayne Weiten Teaching Excellence Award,” said Kennette.

Kennette’s teaching methods may be unconventional, using TV programs like Big Bang theory and Family Guy to better relate psychological concepts to her students; however, it’s this unconventional method that engages her students and drives their interest in psychology.

“Teaching well requires a lot of planning, and it can be a very challenging profession at times, but I love it,” she explained. “I have so much fun designing learning activities for my students. Witnessing their ‘aha moments’ when the concepts we discuss in class come to life in classroom experiments or demonstrations makes all the planning and hours of preparation worth it.”

Kennette is DC’s only full-time psychology instructor, but her work in mentoring students has encouraged some to pursue a bachelor’s degree at the university level. She also shares her lessons with, and helps guide, part-time staff on campus to provide the best psychology education the college can offer even though it’s a general education course rather than a dedicated program.

But what means the most to Kennette is being a professor that students are genuinely excited to see on and off campus. She has also made such a difference in the lives of her students, that she often sees their friends sign up for her class in following years.

The award process consisted of a self-nomination form and letters of support required from students, faculty and peers.

“It is truly humbling to have my peers, who are typically previous award recipients, review my application materials and deem me worthy of such an honour,” she said.

The award comes with a plaque and $1,500 as well as a mention in the fall issue of one of the APA’s journals, Teaching of Psychology.

Teresa Engelage and Lindsey Thomas, nurses at Durham College’s Campus Health Centre are now chair and co-chair of the Ontario Campus Health Nursing Association (OCHNA), a newly-created Registered Nurses Association of Ontario (RNAO) special interest group. OCHNA represents nurses who work in post-secondary institutions all over Ontario with a goal of working with other RNAO groups to spread knowledge as well as discuss issues concerning campus health, policies and nursing.

“We know how a student’s health often affects their academics and we support and counsel our students with mental health needs,” Engelage said. “We can speak out and advocate for our consumer population as well as our members to address emerging issues that impact health on our campuses.”

Building momentum for the group took about a year and contacting more than 40 campuses across Ontario. The group garnered enough interest to become a Provincial Special Interest Group in March, 2015.

“I am very proud to be able to have a strong lead in this movement,” Thomas said. “There is a lot of positive work that we see coming from our vision, and I am excited to help lead the way in accomplishing what we are setting out to do. It is demonstrating the strong leadership that comes from Durham College’s nursing staff as well as our passion to achieve the best care for our student populations.”

Working with students on campus to help develop services concerning both physical and mental health as well as providing students with tools to help prevent and treat disease is an important aspect of their work, however they are also developing a voice for nurses who work on school campuses across the province.

“Our executive has decided as a group to start writing a proposal to the RNAO executive group to lobby the provincial government about the importance of student health on campuses,” Engelage said.

This ability to advocate is a key factor for colleges and universities since it allows campus nurses to promote students and their health issues and requirements to the provincial government.

“It’s important to let the government know about the important work that goes on at this level,” Engelage explained. “We teach young adults about their health, how to make healthy choices in life; educate them early about physical and mental health; work to keep students healthy and in school; and graduate to become a functioning, resilient and healthy adult in society.”

Art lovers got a glimpse of Durham College’s (DC) most talented artists at the Third-Year Thesis and Grad Show, which took place at the Robert McLaughlin Gallery from April 14 to 26.

The third-year Fine Art Advanced students welcomed the public to see and experience the culmination of their year’s work during the exhibition, which included an artist talk and reception on Sunday, April 19.

“We are extremely proud of this group of graduating students. They have met and exceeded our expectations as artists, and they are very fine people too,” said Charlotte Hale, associate dean, School of Media, Art & Design. “Outstanding faculty and our continued partnership with the Robert McLaughlin and Whitby Station Galleries makes the Fine Art program an exceptional learning opportunity in Durham region.”

The exhibition allows students to experience what an art show is like in a gallery-setting. Works exhibited ranged from paintings and sculpture to art installations.

To learn more about the Fine Art Advanced program and others offered through the School of Media, Art & Design, visit our website.

 

Durham College (DC) would like to congratulate Anna De Grauwe, career advisor and part-time faculty member, who was recently named the recipient of a prestigious award honouring research in community college education.

De Grauwe will receive the Central Michigan University/Ontario College Administration Staff Association (CMU/OCASA) Award for Outstanding Research for her paper: College Faculty’s Perceptions of Career Information that was submitted as part of her Master’s Degree with CMU. The award-winning capstone paper focused on the formal and informal methods used by faculty to deliver career information to students outside of class, and analyzed how such efforts could be better supported.

The award, which recognizes the high quality research being conducted in Ontario by CMU graduates, will be presented at the Leaders & Innovators Conference on June 22 at the Kingbridge Conference Centre and Institute in King City, Ont.

In 2003, De Grauwe joined DC as a support staff member and has since moved into a career advisory role. She graduated from the Career and Work Counsellor program at Fleming College and holds an Honours BA in Sociology from Trent University.

This is not the first time a DC staff member has won this prestigious award. Past recipients have included Kara Woods, director, Strategic Enrolment Services in 2012 and Michelle Cole, manager, Program Development and Quality Initiatives, Office of Research Services, Innovation and Entrepreneurship in 2011.

Pam Stoneham, associate dean of the School of Skilled Trades, Apprenticeship & Renewable Energy at Durham College (DC), delivered a TED talk at Sinclair Secondary School on Saturday, April 18.

The event featured four speakers including Stoneham, who spoke to the students about the importance of getting the full college experience and how improving study habits before college will help to achieve a fulfilling education and help with landing a successful career after graduation.

“I told the story of my educational journey which started when I was 18,” Stoneham said. “I became an Electrical Engineer, then about 25 years later I went back to school for a Bachelor of Education, and now I’m an associate dean at Durham College.”

TED is a non-profit organization that features experts, artists and performers, and gives them a platform to share their ideas, and TEDx is a way to extend that practice to smaller, more local events. The talk at Sinclair, TEDxSinclairDDSB, is part of the larger initiative that aims to share information, and they named the conference Off the Beaten Path as the speakers discussed unconventional paths to education.

“My message to the high school students was to view their post-secondary education as the beginning of their professional development and to start developing the behaviours they would want an employer to see in them,” Stoneham explained.

Before arriving at DC, Stoneham worked at General Motors (GM) for more than 16 years where she held multiple positions in the engineering sector, including a team member on the development of the Chevrolet Equinox and the GMC Terrain. Stoneham then achieved her Bachelors of Education at the University of Ontario Institute of Technology (UOIT) and soon after graduating from the program she began teaching at DC, and is now an associate dean.

The Centre for Success at Durham College (DC) provides additional support for high school students to help ensure they receive their credits while simultaneously offering unique college-based opportunities.

Centre for Success students are high school students who study at DC Monday to Thursday and earn college credits while finishing their high school diplomas. Students are admitted into the program on recommendation from their high school guidance counsellors and apply to college after they complete their diploma.

Amanda Moore, a student in the program, will be attending DC this September to study in the Paralegal program. Her goal is to succeed in the program and one day become a lawyer, but at first she didn’t think it could happen.

“Coming to DC through the Centre for Success was really eye-opening,” Moore said. “I never considered going to college until I came here to study high school courses.”

According to Gail MacKenzie, manager of strategic initiatives for the School of Interdisciplinary Studies & Employment, the Centre for Success is like a school within a school.

“We take 150 students per semester, and they come to DC every day as if it was their high school,” MacKenzie said.

The atmosphere and responsibility of going to college is one aspect which MacKenzie thinks helps students who are at risk of not graduating from high school to find motivation.

“We show them they can be successful in college, and it’s a real boost to their confidence and self-esteem,” MacKenzie said. “They’re treated like adults so they act like adults, and it’s a valuable experience.”

This sentiment is something Moore agrees with, she stressed that independence and understanding were key factors to her success at DC.

“The environment helps a lot,” said Moore. “You get used to the campus and the teachers. They know when to push you and when to leave you alone, and it gives you the experience to know what you’re getting into when coming to college.”

DC offers 10 different credits at both campuses including trades, general education, and business courses that double as college and high school credits. This helps students recover up to three credits that may have prevented them from graduating.

“It’s a really good program,” Moore said.

The Centre for Success is only one piece of DC’s School-College-Work Initiative. According to MacKenzie there are approximately 1,800 students getting dual credits at DC that come from all over the Region of Durham.

In March 2010, Leilani Morales, a teacher with Durham College’s (DC) School of Science & Engineering Technology, keyed two words into her computer: Volunteer Toronto. Through her search, she found Miziwe Biik Aboriginal Employment and Training, an organization committed to assisting all persons of Aboriginal ancestry to attain a better quality of life. She was given the opportunity to tutor math in the organization’s new Ngindaasmin Academic Upgrading program, which provides assistance to individuals wanting to earn their Ontario Secondary School Diploma while allowing them to learn the history, treaties and traditions of the Anishnawbek. After her first four months in the program, four out of 10 Ngindaasmin students were accepted into university.

In November 2010, Morales was nominated by program co-ordinator, Carol White, for the first ever Volunteer Legacy Award. This prestigious award, organized by Volunteer Toronto, recognizes up to 25 people for their commitment to bettering the community through volunteerism.

More than four years after winning the award, Morales was asked to be part of the judging panel for the 2015 Volunteer Legacy Awards. She was required to review 40 outstanding volunteers based on set criteria. She spent three consecutive days pouring over the heartwarming stories before submitting her recommendations to Volunteer Toronto.

“The experience was humbling,” says Morales. “It deepened my perception of volunteerism. A volunteer is someone who is compassionate, selfless and committed to making a positive change. They see a need in their community and initiate a project to improve the lives of others, from helping grieving people recover, to giving the underprivileged an environment or experience they could never have.”

In her spare time, she is currently teaching math for another program through Miziwe Biik Aboriginal Employment and Training. In this program, students can upgrade their basic math, measurement, trigonometry, geometry and applied algebra skills.

When she isn’t teaching, Morales spends time with her husband, a professor in DC’s School of Interdisciplinary Studies & Employment Services. Together they have two children. She also enjoys paper crafting, gardening and her new hobby, photography.

The recipients of this year’s Volunteer Legacy Awards will be announced during National Volunteer Week, which runs from Sunday, April 12 to Saturday, April 18. Morales was moved by the firsthand stories of volunteerism in the City of Toronto.

“Sharing this experience will hopefully inspire and promote volunteerism at DC and beyond,” says Morales. “On our campus, I believe that there are many staff and students who are eager to help give hope and comfort to those in need and celebrate with every positive change that comes along the way. They are ready to volunteer.”

Katriona Dean, a Durham College (DC) School of Media, Art & Design grad, shared her talent with the Town of Cobourg so others could share theirs. Dean painted two pianos that were placed in parks around town; one designed as a great horned owl, eyes fixed on you as you play, while the other was styled after a fox, with large ears and lovingly nicknamed Foxgang Amadeus after the famous classical pianist, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart.

“Studying Graphic Design at DC really helped me tap into my creative potential and has opened a world of opportunities for me as a designer/artist,” Dean said. “I worked diligently as a design student to break down my own creative barriers, which in doing so has provided me with endless creative freedom.”

The two pianos are ranked first and third on Bored Panda’s list “Most Beautiful Outdoor Pianos You Can Play All Around the World” with Foxgang Amadeus sitting comfortably in first place.

“Knowing that the pianos would reside in a park setting I wanted to bring to life the Canadian aspect just as much as the natural aspect,” Dean explained. “The great–horned owl and the red fox are both representative of the beautiful Canadian wildlife that can be seen in parks right across the country.”

She says she was drawn to the idea of using a connection between music and art to help bridge gaps between strangers in the park who might stop to listen or play.

“It was important to me that the artwork draw passersby to really want to engage with the installation; I didn’t want anyone to feel that they could simply walk by without at least tapping a key or two,” Dean explained. “These artistic projects are organized with the sole purpose of inviting strangers to walk up to an instrument in the street to share their love of music. Absolutely anyone and everyone is invited to express themselves in some way, shape or form through this installation.”

The most important aspect of Dean’s art, according to her, is uniting people and making a difference. She tries to focus her art towards those goals, she says it’s the only time she feels a piece is truly complete.

Check out the piano in this short video.