Durham College (DC) Culinary Management student, Glenda Neatt, recently won the Ontario Greenhouse Vegetable Growers (OGVG) Culinary Competition  for her Gazpacho Martini Sorbet recipe, which consists of gazpacho with a splash of vodka churned into sorbet and garnished with roasted red pepper tuile (a thin, crisp wafer), sweet tomato chip and a greenhouse ‘olive’ cut from a cucumber and stuffed with red pepper.

The event, which took place at Cirillo’s Culinary Academy in Toronto on November 5, featured Neatt’s entry which impressed the judges as it uses all varieties of Ontario greenhouse vegetables, showcasing their diversity in a dish that could be served as an appetizer or dessert.

“It is clear that Glenda is a dedicated student with a natural talent for culinary creations who refined her recipe until she got it just right,” said Don Lovisa, president, DC. “Her wonderful achievement is a testament to the quality of teaching provided by the faculty at our Centre for Food (CFF) and we are very proud of her accomplishment.”

The first stage of the competition saw entries from culinary students across the province narrowed down to four finalists. After competing against students from Centennial and Humber colleges, Neatt won a KitchenAid food processor and hand mixer as well as a $500-cash prize. In addition, she showcased her winning entry on CHCH TV’s Morning Live show on November 7.

“It was great to be able to take part in the OGVG culinary competition,” said Neatt. “I am thrilled to have been able to work with wonderful Ontario greenhouse vegetables and explore creative ways to use them in culinary arts. The competition was a lot of fun and I am grateful for the help and support that I received from Chef David Hawey, professor and co-ordinator of the college’s culinary programs.”

In addition to Neatt’s recipe taking centre stage at the OGVG competition, it will be featured as a special menu item for a limited time at DC’s Bistro ’67, a 70-seat, full-service, green-certified, teaching-inspired restaurant housed at the CFF.

“Glenda is the third medal winner from the CFF in our first year of operation and we are thrilled with her success,” said Hawey. “Our students are some of the best and brightest in our community and we are confident the CFF will continue to produce award-winning culinary talent. Congratulations to Glenda on this wonderful achievement.”

With this win, Neatt joins the likes of DC graduate Sarah Lavergne, who won gold in both the culinary arts and cooking categories at the Ontario Technological Skills Competition and Skills Canada National Competition, respectively, last spring while she was a student of the college’s Culinary Skills program. In addition, Culinary Management students Marisa Latin and Michael Stowell-Smith also took home gold at the Winterloo Student Ice Carving Competition in Waterloo last winter.

Supported by celebrity chef Jamie Kennedy, the CFF accommodates approximately 900 students studying in the college’s culinary, hospitality, event management, tourism, food science, agricultural and horticultural programs. In addition to being home to Bistro’67 it houses Pantry, a unique retail store that sells student-created fresh-baked items, meals-to-go, preserved foods and ready-to-cook meals prepared in house.

Durham College (DC) Graphic Design student Ashley Hoang recently competed in the Packaging Consortium Student Design Competition. Durham College was one of only six post-secondary institutions from across the country invited to participate. Students were given a fictitious design brief requiring them to launch a new all natural fruit smoothie and tasked with naming, branding and packaging the product.

Hoang presented her design to an audience of more than 250 industry professionals and answered questions from a panel that included two graphic designers and a marketing executive.

Hoang was chosen as a runner-up and received a monetary award of $500 to be split between herself and DC’s graphic design program.

Dalton Burger, a Paralegal professor in the School of Justice & Emergency Services, has been appointed to the Council of the College of Nurses of Ontario (CNO). The CNO is a quasi-judicial administrative law body which regulates the profession of nursing in the public interest.

In addition to teaching administrative law, Professor Burger will serve as an adjudicator of discipline or complaints at the CNO with respect to the suspension and revocations of nursing certificates of registration to practice in Ontario. Professor Burger will also serve as a member of the CNO’s board of directors, which is responsible for ensuring that individuals have access to services provided by competent health professionals and that individuals are treated with sensitivity and respect in their dealings with health professionals. In addition, this board oversees nursing standards of practice; entry to practice requirements standards of professional ethics; and promotes and develops standards for continuing competence among the members.

Prof Burger is a former director, Complaints and Discipline with the College of Early Childhood Educators and a former president and chief executive officer of Electronics Product Stewardship Canada.

His community involvement includes serving as a board member of the Durham Community Legal Clinic, Waste Diversion Ontario and Ontario Electronic Stewardship. He holds a Master of Laws degree from Osgoode Hall, a Bachelor of Laws and a Bachelor of Social Sciences degree from the University of Ottawa.

Tyler Boyco, a 2014 graduate of the Digital Video Production program in Durham College’s School of Media, Art & Design, recently drew attention from celebrities and media alike with a specially designed graphic tribute to Robin Williams. In an unexpected turn of events the image has gone viral, with Rosie O’Donnell retweeting it from her Twitter account and several media outlets reporting on it.

Depicting several of Williams’ beloved characters from Mrs. Doubtfire to Peter Pan to Patch Adams and more, the image has appeared on the Huffington Post, USAtoday.com, PtboCanada.com, Q107.com and more since Boyco tweeted it out from his Twitter account on Thursday, August 14. Boyco was also interviewed by CBC’s Ontario Morning and CHEX TV.

“I’m blown away by it to be honest,” said Boyco. “I was practicing minimalism style of art for the movie I’m trying to make and I decided I’d try it on Robin’s characters. I posted it on Facebook for feedback from friends and on Reddit for artists to let me know how I’m doing and BOOM. Rosie O’Donnell retweeted it and it went crazy.”

The recent grad who hails from Peterborough, Ontario is currently working to secure funding for his first full-length movie and has begun commissioning his artwork. A musician at heart, he’s also releasing a new solo album this year.

During his time on campus, Boyco won Best Video at the Reel Film Festival for his short film titled Sassquatch. Sassquatch and its sequel, Sassquatch 2: The Search, both screened at Toronto Digifest 2014 and XCON in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina.

“My experience at Durham College was great,” added Boyco. “I met a ton of great people; the professors were good, some of which I call friends now. I made some short films that won awards, which I’m now turning into a full-length musical. Riot Radio interviewed me and my band. I felt like my talents were being appreciated there. It was good!” 

Prints of Boyco’s Robin Williams tribute, as well as pillows, T-shirts and cell phone cases, are now available at redbubble.com, with all proceeds going to charity. 

Durham College (DC) Architectural Technician and Architectural Technology students will get the opportunity to put the skills they are learning in the classroom to use in the field as they contribute to Cobourg’s downtown vitalization initiative.

A partnership between the Town of Cobourg and DC has been struck to showcase conceptual design work complementary of the character and heritage of Cobourg’s downtown district. Beginning in the upcoming fall semester, students will be asked to come up with innovative and creative design concepts for five locations within Downtown Cobourg. The project is an opportunity for the students to gain practical and relevant experience in land use, site analysis and planning.

“We are thrilled to be working with the students and instructors in Durham College’s Architectural Technician and Architectural Technology programs,” said Alison Torrie-Lapaire, Heritage Planner for The Town of Cobourg. “It is my hope that the students will gain an appreciation for the potential that heritage properties hold, and that the final designs will provide us with some new ideas as to how these properties can accommodate the needs of the community, building owners and occupants while respecting and enhancing the character of the heritage district.”

Working in small groups students will analyze building codes and draft construction and design plans taking into account both urban design and the compatibility of new development in the heritage district, along with the potential for retrofitting existing historical structures. A half-day field trip is being planned so the Architectural students can visit Cobourg in September.

“On behalf of Durham College, I would like to express how pleased we are to be working in partnership with the Town of Cobourg on their downtown revitalization project,” said Sue Todd, dean of the School of Science & Engineering Technology. “Our Architectural Technician and Technology programs are focused on sustainable design and provide the practical and design knowledge required to succeed in this exciting field. We can’t think of a better project for our highly skilled students to demonstrate their talents in. Thank you to the Town of Cobourg for their confidence and support of Durham College and its students.”

By the end of the semester students will present their final design plans. The concepts that come out of these plans will be integrated into the existing sketch of Cobourg’s downtown and will help to illustrate a new vision and a fresh perspective while maximizing the potential of these select downtown properties.

Durham College’s (DC) Terri Strawn, a professor in the Dental Hygiene program, has been elected as the new president of the Ontario Dental Hygienist’s Association (ODHA), representing one of the largest health-care professions in the province.

A regulatory body that advocates for the profession and ensures the public receives safe and effective oral care, the ODHA counts more than 13,000 registered dental hygienists in Ontario amongst its members. Strawn looks forward to her term as head of this growing and vital organization while continuing to find ways to work with the government and other health-care providers to deliver more efficient and cost-effective services.

One of the ODHA’s most important focuses is providing access to oral care that Strawn, during her one-year term, will continue to advocate for while also trying to increase public awareness about the link between oral health and the rest of the body.

“This makes our services as prevention professionals essential for improving oral health and helping Ontarians live healthier lives,” said Strawn. “With more than 250 independent dental hygiene clinics and mobile practices across the province, the public — especially low-income families, the uninsured and long-term care residents — has increased access to affordable oral care treatment.”

Strawn, who practises dental hygiene at the Whitby Dental Centre as well as teaching at DC, has been a volunteer director on the ODHA board since 2009. 

Nathanael Andrew, Community Services and Child Studies Foundations program and Leon Andrew, General Arts and Science – Business Preparation program were featured in the YouTube video My Path to a Better Future. The video was produced by the York Durham Crown Ward Education Championship Team, and is intended to inspire youth in care to achieve their educational goals. The two Durham College students are brothers and although they have not always lived together, they are extremely close and their bond is undeniable. 

There are approximately 8, 000 youth in foster care, also known as crown wards, in Ontario and about 450 of them reside in Durham Region; and according to the Toronto Star, it is said that barely 40 per cent of them will graduate high school and continue on to a post-secondary education. The Durham/York Crown Ward Education Championship Team (CWECT), a provincial initiative developed to support students with crown ward status in successful high school completion and post-secondary education, created a YouTube video that showcases Durham College (DC) and York students who were in care growing up and are now on their ‘path to a better future.’

Produced through the Durham/York CWECT, the students featured in My Path to a Better Future are full of life, independent, proud of their hard work and appreciative of all the people who have helped them along the way. The video is aimed at inspiring youth in care and providing advice to peers who are about to move on to post-secondary education.

“When I was in high school, my worker was the one that introduced me to the word ‘college.’ I didn’t even know what it was,” Nathanael said. “I took my worker’s advice, applied to college and my foster dad was so proud when I got accepted. Now, I want to help kids by doing what she did for me.”

Filmed collaboratively at DC and York University, the video features crown wards from both schools, who speak about their aspirations growing up, high school experiences and how their mentors and family at the Children’s Aid Society help prepare them for post-secondary education.

 “My foster parents are the best ones out there! Jackie and Randy should have a banner for being so awesome. They had rules, but I respected them,” Leon said. “They definitely influenced my decision to come to college. They always said ‘you’re going to college whether you like it or not.’ Now, my foster dad wants to take me under his wing and is a big help when it comes to starting my couponing business.”

The Durham/York CWET has representatives from Durham Catholic District School board, Durham Children’s Aid Society, Durham College, Durham District School Board, Seneca College, University of Ontario Institute of Technology, York Catholic District School Board, York Region Children’s Aid Society, York Region District School Board, and York University.

At Durham College, students with crown wardship status are considered First Generation students and are eligible for the supports offered through the first generation student co-ordinator.

With Ontario’s food industry now employing more than 150,000 people, with no signs of demand slowing down, it’s becoming an incredibly desirable option for students across the province and Durham College (DC) is ready to help students get their foot in the door. Two of DC’s newest programs, Horticulture – Food and Farming and Horticulture Technician, are a perfect fit for those with an interest in both the food industry and horticulture.

While both two-year diploma programs have similarities, they focus on different aspects of the industry. The Horticulture – Food and Farming program offers students a hands-on opportunity to become familiar with the concepts of local food production through individual and teamwork both on- and off-campus.

Graduates from this program can find career opportunities in agri-tourism, field production, hydroponics and food inspection, to name a few.

Students interested in a more entrepreneurial route can turn to the Horticulture Technician program. Students gain knowledge and hone their skills in landscape construction, nursery management and soil and plant nutrition.

Upon completion, graduates can find wide variety of employment opportunities within the horticultural field through entrepreneurship, landscaping construction and maintenance, nursery stock, farm and tree management or maintenance companies.

Durham College (DC) recognized its creative faculty and students recently when the college celebrated the launch of a new animated video focused on the Centre for Food (CFF) and its implementation of the field-to-fork philosophy.

Taking place at the CFF, the event saw students, faculty and staff gather together to recognize the video project, which was created by third-year Animation – Digital Production students and led by Peter Hudecki and Ebin Ibric, professors with the School of Media, Art & Design (MAD).

“We are extremely proud of ‘From Field to Fork’ and the work of our senior animation students,” said Hudecki. “The film was developed at the request of President Don Lovisa and Greg Murphy, dean of the School of MAD, who asked our animation faculty to make the project a part of the 2013-2014 curriculum. We could not be more pleased with the result.”

The video, which demonstrates how the school is providing locally grown foods to consumers, is the result of a 10-month collaboration between students, staff, faculty and external partners. Featuring CFF ambassador chef Jamie Kennedy, who helped pioneer the field-to-fork concept nationwide and continues to support and foster both the CFF and the importance of farmers and chefs across Ontario, the video demonstrates the key elements of the concept, which include the harvesting, storage, processing, packing, sale and consumption of locally produced foods for local consumers.

“Being in a school environment, I never expected to be working on a real-world project,” said Heather Debling, a third-year Animation – Digital Production student. “I really felt a sense of professionalism in myself that I didn’t know I had. I’m very grateful for the opportunity.”

Anna Augusto Rodrigues, a professor with the School of Media Arts & Design, was recently awarded the John Ansel Distinguished Service Award by the Broadcast Education Association of Canada (BEAC), a national organization dedicated to promoting excellence in media education.

Rodrigues received the award, which recognizes outstanding service and commitment to the BEAC, on May 23 during the association’s annual Professional Development and Student Awards Conference.

“I was not expecting this honour and was very surprised to hear my name when it was called out,” said Rodrigues. “I am deeply honoured and humbled to be amongst a special group of people that throughout the years have tirelessly, and with great heart, worked toward providing a better education for all broadcast students across Canada by being part of the BEAC.”

In addition, Rodrigues was also awarded the BEAC’s Diversity Research and Internship Faculty Grant, which will go toward a project focused on teaching practices.  

Rodrigues, who attended the conference to deliver a presentation titled Inclusive Teaching in Broadcast Education and its Potential Impact on the Canadian Media Landscape applied for the Diversity Research and Internship Faculty Grant as part of the project.  The funding will help support the creation of a video showcasing an instructor who uses inclusive teaching practises in conjunction with funding received from the college’s Office of Research Services and Innovation (ORSI).

As a result of receiving the grant, she will be employing a couple of Durham College students to create the video with plans to continue working on the project throughout the summer months.

Rodrigues was also recently nominated by a BEAC board member for the Ontario director position, making her the secretary for this term. She previously served on the board from 2011-2013 and served as a director at large, taking on the duties of vice president. Although she stepped away in order to pursue her PhD in Education, Rodrigues has completed her coursework and is pleased to be back.

 “I was privileged to be nominated again and delighted to accept the nomination. The BEAC is a wonderful organization and I have to thank my dean, Greg Murphy, and Durham College for supporting my involvement with this organization,” said Rodrigues.