After two days of fierce competition, the judges have made their ruling and awarded this year’s Paralegal Mock Trial Cup to Sheridan College, with Durham College (DC) weighing in at a close second.

Taking place over March 6 and 7, paralegal students from colleges across Ontario including DC, Centennial, Algonquin, Seneca, Fleming, Sheridan and Loyalist descended on the Oshawa Court House to showcase their advocacy skills as well as their abilities to argue the law.

“This event is not only a practical, but also a fun way to introduce students to a courtroom setting,” said Ana Bernal, professor, School of Justice & Emergency Services. “We would like to thank the professionals who volunteer their time in order to provide a valuable hands-on learning experience.”

Students participated in teams of six in front of a panel of real judges and justices in a competition designed to help develop their public speaking and legal research skills while also helping them build self-confidence.

The annual event is organized by DC’s School of Justice & Emergency Services in conjunction with the Paralegal program and puts students at the forefront of who is up-and-coming in the legal field.

If you’re interested in DC’s Paralegal program, or any other programs the college has to offer, drop by our Open House on Saturday, March 21.

Between February 25 and February 27, more than 100 high school students from across Durham Region had the opportunity to showcase their abilities at a Regional Skills Competition hosted by Durham College (DC).

At the Oshawa campus, DC’s School of Media, Art & Design hosted the photography, television and video production, 2D and 3D animation and graphic design competitions. The School of Skilled Trades, Apprenticeship & Renewable Technology and the Centre for Food at DC’s Whitby campus were home to the auto service technology, welding, and culinary arts and baking competitions.

“Durham College is pleased to host this important event on an annual basis” said Charlotte Hale, associate dean, School of Media, Art & Design. “This competition gives top local students an opportunity to compete for a spot in the regional skills competition in May.  We are always impressed with the talent we see!”

Marco Cinello, layout supervisor for the SpongeBob movie was in town from Los Angeles, Calif. and agreed to act as a special guest judge for the 2D and 3D animation competition. The competition was also an opportunity for senior students and faculty to act as judges, while providing a great introduction to the learning environment at Durham College for visitors attending this event.

“It was a unique experience because I’ve never worked under such a time limit, it was really nerve wracking,” said Mackenzie Graham, a Grade 11 student at R.S. McLaughlin C.V.I. “I finished and I was really happy and surprised by the work I’d accomplished.”

Congratulations to:

• Noah Carr and Steven Taylor, Ajax High School, 2D animation;
• William Robertson and Alex Bakogeorge, Ajax High School, 3D animation;
• Melosha Ratnasingham, Pickering High School, graphic design;
• Mitchell Badgley, Maxwell Heights Secondary School, photography;
• Sam Huard and Devin Marino, Anderson CVI, TV & video production;
• Luke Marshall, Port Perry HS, auto service technology;
• Victoria Ruffle, Pine Ridge Secondary School, culinary arts;
• Samantha Crosby, Pine Ridge Secondary School, baking; and
• Glen Thompson, Anderson CVI,

 

From February 18 to February 20, 11 students from Durham College (DC) and the University of Ontario Institute of Technology (UOIT) travelled to the Starting Point Student Entrepreneurship Conference at St. Mary’s University in Halifax, NS. The theme of this year’s conference was “Revolutionary Ideas Change the World.”

 The students attended the conference after entering and winning a contest sponsored by the DC and UOIT Student Association (SA), in partnership with FastStart DC. Entrants had to creatively demonstrate a desire to learn about entrepreneurship or share how they aspired to start their own business. Winners were selected to attend the conference by a panel of experts.

 The winners were:

• Vicky Bolduc, Entrepreneurship, DC
• Jeremy Coulis, Entrepreneurship, DC
• Andrea Di Nardo Sports Business Management, DC
• Jordan Ella, Biotechnology, DC
• Manija Farhat, Business Administration, DC
• Marco Lo, Commerce (Marketing), UOIT
• Faisal Mirza, Electrical Engineering, UOIT
• Ivanko Nimtsiv, Human Resources Management, DC
• Andrew Eric Prandovszky, Electro-mechanical Engineering Technology, DC
• Christian Schortemeyer, Business Administration Marketing, DC
• Hatim Yousef, Mechanical Engineering, UOIT

 While in Halifax DC’s students made a big impact, with attendee Christian Schortemeyer winning $1,000 total; $500 for best entrepreneurial idea at the conference and $500 for being part of a winning team who presented the best idea for solving student debt. DC’s Jordan Ella also won $500 for being part of that team.

“It was truly an inspirational and life changing experience,” said Ella. “The conference opened my eyes to a world of opportunity that I had never considered. My plans for the future have been dramatically challenged after being so inspired during my time in Halifax.”

FastStart is designed to increase entrepreneurial skills and awareness while also helping students create solid business plans that take their products and services to market – quickly and successfully. It offers progressive programs and provides the tools and resources to connect students with industry leaders and mentors to help them succeed.

On February 10, four Durham College (DC) students stepped up to the challenge at Vanier College in Montreal. The team of students were chosen to compete in the 10^th annual BDC Case Challenge, a marketing case competition involving colleges from across the country.

The team placed fourth out of 33 teams, the first time DC has made it into the finals for this annual competition. Marketing students Christian Schortemeyer, Madelaine Cox, and Michelle Lavender joined by Dan Cole, a student from the Entrepreneurship program, worked together to analyze a business problem and create an innovative marketing plan. After three hours, and no internet access, the teams were required to share their plan with a panel of judges and an audience in a 20-minute presentation.

“It was an amazing opportunity to finally put my knowledge and creativity to the test. It was so interesting to hear the ideas of other students from all across Canada,” said Lavender. “The BDC Case Challenge was the highlight of my schooling. It was challenging but also a lot of fun and I am so honoured to have helped Durham position in fourth for the first time ever.”

This weekend-long event, sponsored by the Business Development Bank of Canada (BDC), gives students an opportunity to apply the skills they have developed in the classroom to a real-world situation. Professors from the School of Business, IT & Management handpicked the students based on their performance in their Case Analysis course.

“When you strive to do your best in any course, there can be unexpected bonuses,” said Schortemeyer. “The extra experiences that you can say you’ve been a part of make college fun and make DC a place to remember!”

After graduating from Durham College’s (DC) Addictions and Mental Health Graduate Certificate program in 2014, Kait Ainsworth and Kendall Stoiner landed out west, where they struck gold.

Within two weeks of renting a condo in downtown Edmonton, Alta., both women found meaningful employment in their field. Alberta Health Services hired Ainsworth as an addictions counsellor focused on youth treatment programs, while Stoiner was hired by the George Spady Society as an addictions worker in the detox centre to oversee pre-screenings, admissions, counselling and discharge planning.

“At both our places of work, everyone has been astounded by our level of education and knowledge of mental health and addiction issues,” Stoiner wrote in a recent email to Kenneth Lomp and Daniel Blomme, professors with the School of Health & Community Services. “We both speak very highly of the program at DC, and our training has been helpful in both our jobs.”

Stoiner added that it has been wonderful maintaining a friendship and living with someone who took the same program and works in the same field.

“Even though it’s currently minus 25 degrees, we love Edmonton and our jobs, and are very happy we made the decision to move here,” said Stoiner. “We would both like to thank DC for preparing us so well for what we would face in this field in the real world.

Students got a tasty welcome to school after the snowstorm Monday as Durham College (DC) held Student Appreciation Day on February 3.

“Student Appreciation day is a day when we take pause to recognize our students and their efforts in pursuing their goals,” said Tara Blackburn, director of Student Life. “A cookie and hot beverage in February can hit the spot when studying and prepping assignments!”

Wearing their I Heart DC T-shirts, college staff showed their appreciation for students by helping to give out cookies and coupons for a free hot beverage at any Aramark location on campus. Don Lovisa, president of DC, was also on the scene, to greet and chat with students as they made their way around campus.

Upon seeing the hustle and bustle of the cookie initiative, Charlie Qaqish, a first-year General Arts and Science – Liberal Arts student, jumped right in to help.

“I love doing things like this; giving people a smile,” said Qaqish. “It’s great to make people feel like they are here. I’ve always wanted to do something like this.”

The day was a big hit with thousands of cookies and coupons distributed, and students had the opportunity to share what they love about DC on social media using the #iheartdc hash tag for a chance to win cool swag.

The Board of Directors of the Canadian Nursery Landscape Association (CNLA) gathered together at the Centre for Food (CFF) on January 20, for a tour and dinner as part of their national winter meetings in Toronto.

President Don Lovisa gave an overall presentation of Durham College (DC) and its positive impact on students and the benefits the college provides in Durham Region. Susan Todd, dean of the School of Science & Engineering Technology described the Horticulture Technician program as it related to the needs of employers for skilled personnel in the nursery business.

Senior business leaders and committee representatives from across the country in the landscape industry plus the provincial association learned about specific programs and the exciting opportunities offered at the CFF.

DC looks forward to establishing partnerships with these important industry leaders in support of the landscape plan as a vital part of the Field-to-Fork concept for the CFF.

LEGO robots designed by some of Ontario’s brightest young minds took over the joint campus of Durham College (DC) and the University of Ontario Institute of Technology (UOIT) on January 17, as both institutions co-hosted the annual FIRST LEGO League’s (FLL) Ontario East Provincial Championships. FIRST is an acronym that means For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology.

Nearly 400 students (ages nine to 14), more than 1,000 parents, siblings and coaches, and 200 volunteers, judges, and referees were on hand for the FLL competition, which encourages students to apply math and science concepts to research, design, build and program autonomous robots using LEGO Mindstorms software. At the end of a day filled with fierce and fun competition, team Ctrl-Z from Bayview Glen school in Toronto were crowned the winner and awarded an opportunity to compete at the FLL World Festival in St. Louis, Missouri in late April.

“We were thrilled to welcome the young competitors, their families, coaches and the volunteers to our joint campus,” said Don Lovisa, president, Durham College. “As a college that prides itself on innovation, everyone at DC loves watching the younger generation become engaged with science and technology. And who doesn’t enjoy playing with LEGO?”

“Our university is proud to partner with Durham College to host this high-energy competition that brings families from all across the province to our joint campus,” said UOIT President Tim McTiernan. “The University of Ontario Institute of Technology is all about inspiring creative thinking and pushing the boundaries of innovation. This venue is a perfect match with the objective of FIRST LEGO League World Class: to support creative ways of learning.”

This year’s project mission was to find a better or more innovative way to help someone learn. Competitors chose a topic, designed their FLL WORLD CLASS question, created their solution and then presented for the judges.

“We always have a great time when we bring the FLL tournament to DC and UOIT,” said Dave Ellis, director, FIRST LEGO League Ontario. “The Ontario East Provincial Championship is a key part of the overall season each year; we really appreciate the support offered by both academic institutions as we work to foster a love of science, technology, engineering and math concepts.”

Awards list

Champions Award
1st Place	Ctrl-Z Bayview Glen	Toronto
2nd Place	is LOST	Toronto
3rd Place	Gryphonbots	Toronto
Adult Mentor	Debbie Hoffele	Niagara
Youth Mentor	Eden Bibic	Kingston
Robot Performance Award	Lego da Vincis	Niagara
Judges Award	Viperbots 2	Toronto
Rising Star Award	Sibling Rivalry	Ottawa
Inspiration	The Musical Misconceptionists	Toronto
Teamwork	Maniacs mechanics	Kanata
Gracious Professionalism	AEMbots	Toronto
Mechanical Design	UTS FOREV3R	Toronto
Programming	NAYBERS	Kingston
Strategy and Innovation	W.A.F.F.L.E.S.	Kingston
Research	King Edward Triple A Batteries	Toronto
Innovative Solution	Robotic Elite Designers	Toronto
Presentation	Lego da Vincis	Niagara
Playoff Award	Sibling Rivalry	Ottawa

 

The FIRST LEGO League (FLL) is an international robotics program in which teams of young people aged nine to 14 assemble robots (based on the LEGO Mindstorms kit) designed to accomplish tasks associated with a real-world “Challenge.” This competition combines the excitement of a varsity sport with hands-on training in science and technology to help students discover how rewarding a career in engineering or technology can be.

For more information about FLL, please visit http://www.firstroboticscanada.org/

Award-winning CBC journalist Linden MacIntyre spoke to Durham College’s (DC) journalism students on January 16.

“Our journalism students are fortunate to be mentored by some of Canada’s top journalists and Linden MacIntyre’s visit adds to an impressive list of speakers who have passed along their media wisdom,” said Brian Legree, professor and co-ordinator of Durham College’s Journalism – Web and Print and Journalism – Broadcast and Electronic Media programs.

In the past two years, DC’s journalism students have heard from prominent reporters and anchors such as Peter Mansbridge, Adrienne Arsenault, Glenn Healy, Alison Smith, Kelly Crowe, David Common, Neil Sandell, Lauren McKeon, Priya Ramanujam and Matthew Blackett.

“We are pleased to be able to give our students opportunities to learn from these icons of Canadian journalism.” said Legree.

MacIntyre, who spent 24 years on CBC’s The Fifth Estate before retiring last year, is the winner of nine Gemini Awards, including three Gordon Sinclair Awards, given to Canada’s best overall broadcast journalist.

 

On January 12, Durham College (DC) held a Student and Donor Recognition Evening in appreciation of the college’s generous donors and hard-working scholarship and bursary recipients.

Hosted at DC’s Centre for Food, the evening began with donors enjoying a meal and address from Emma Nicholls, a DC scholarship recipient and journalism – print student.

“When someone acknowledges your hard work with the donation of a scholarship, there are simply no words to convey the appreciation and relief that is felt,” said Nicholls. “I want to thank the donors for sharing their resources to show all of the recipients that we made the right choice by coming to school. We wouldn’t be receiving a quality education without your support and generosity.”

After dinner, donors were invited to a dessert reception where they were joined by 150 student recipients. Over a mix of desserts, coffee, tea and punch, donors had a chance to mingle and find out more about the hard-working students receiving the generous awards.

“We are all very proud to celebrate these students as they represent the high-quality, success and calibre of all Durham College students,” said DC President Don Lovisa. “Having had the opportunity to meet many of the 150 students who were on hand, I have further reassurance that our future is in good hands.”

Each year the Durham College Scholarship program recognizes academic excellence by providing in-course scholarships to the top two students in each diploma program. In 2014, 220 students were recognized for their academic excellence, along with 140 students who benefitted thanks to the generosity of individual and corporate Donors.

DC is also committed to meeting the financial need of its post-secondary and returning students. The bursaries provided to these students help support their personal commitment to improve their own lives and the lives of their families.

Durham College is grateful for the encouragement and endorsement from all of its donors to help all students succeed.