For students in Durham College’s Sports Administration, Sport Management and Sports Business Management programs, it was a chance to meet one of Canada’s sports media titans. For Keith Pelley, it was a chance to dish about the Toronto Blue Jays.

The president and CEO of Rogers Media couldn’t contain his excitement about the upcoming baseball season, and shared his hopes with more than 60 students at the Oshawa campus on March 11.

Pelley, also the former president of Canada’s Olympic Broadcast Media Consortium and former president of TSN, also divulged the four most important keys to achieving a job in the sports industry.

“The top four things you need to succeed at your job is work ethic, attitude, knowledge and intelligence,” said Pelley. “Since you’re already at college, you already have the knowledge and intelligence. So your work ethic and attitude is very important.”

“You have to be prepared to do anything – take the word ‘no’ out of your vocabulary.”

This advice especially rang true with Chase Hadden, a second-year Sports Administration student who knows that hard work can equal reward.

“What I took from it was that if you work harder than anybody else, they’ll look at you and notice that and consider you for a better position further down the road,” said Hadden.

Prior to joining Rogers in 2010, Pelley also served as president and CEO of the Canadian Football League’s Toronto Argonauts franchise with which he won a Grey Cup in 2004.

In addition to sharing stories about his passion for sports and his drive to succeed, he also answered a number of the students’ questions, ranging from resumé tips; sports broadcasting rights; and whether an NFL team would ever come to Toronto.

While stressing that the sports sector is highly competitive, he also told the audience that they should make sure it’s something they love to do.

“You’re going to spend more than 50 per cent of your life at your job so make sure you find something you’re passionate about. Do not live for the weekend.”

Durham College proudly announced recently that Virginia Harwood, a professor with the School of Justice & Emergency Services, has been awarded the College Sector Educator Award by the Society for Teaching and Learning in Higher Education (STLHE). She is being recognized for her efforts to promote and support the development of her peers with regard to teaching excellence. This includes helping to support and ensure the success of her fellow professors and students and the teaching and learning leadership she provides both in and outside of Durham College.

“On behalf of faculty, staff and students at Durham College, I extend my warmest congratulations to Virginia on this wonderful achievement,” said Don Lovisa, president, Durham College. “This national award is reflective of her strong commitment to seeking innovative ways to inspire excellence in her peers including innovative mentoring and coaching techniques and her desire to promote new curriculum delivery and teaching methods among her colleagues in order to ensure students have the best post-secondary experience possible during their time on campus.”

In addition to her role as a professor, Harwood, a 1987 alumna of the college’s Legal Administration/Law Clerk program, also developed the college’s Mediation – Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) one-year graduate certificate program in 2010, which she continues to teach in and co-ordinate. Designed for individuals with existing educational or industry experience, the program includes a hybrid delivery model that enables students to participate in online chats and assignments and use digital technologies to interact with guest speakers.

“I am truly honoured to have been nominated and selected as a recipient for the College Sector Educator Award,” said Harwood. “I am extremely proud to represent Durham College.”

Harwood joined the college in 2002 after spending 17 years working as a law clerk for a major Toronto law firm and as a sole practitioner working in civil litigation; family law; estates; legal research; and real estate. An avid lifelong learner, she is a member of the Institute of Law Clerks of Ontario; holds a qualified mediator designation from the ADR Institutes of Canada and Ontario; is an affiliate member of the Ontario Bar Association – ADR section; and is a volunteer member of the Board of Directors of the Durham Community Legal Clinic.

In addition to receiving the College Sector Educator Award, she was recognized with Durham College’s Vice-President, Academic Faculty Award for Academic Excellence in August 2011 and in 2012 was nominated for an Association of Canadian Community Colleges Teaching Excellence Award.  

Harwood holds an advanced diploma in Legal Administration/Law Clerk; a certificate in Adult Education; a Bachelor of Education in Adult Education; a certificate and advanced certificate in ADR; and is a part-time student in the Master of Education program at the University of Ontario Institute of Technology. In addition, she volunteers on several committees; mentors new faculty; is co-facilitator of the Teaching in Community program; and established the college’s Campus Conflict Resolution Services.

Nominations for the STLHE College Sector Educator Award were received from educators across Canada.

Nominees asked to provide evidence of their own teaching excellence and participation in activities that support the teaching excellence of peers including student, peer and supervisor feedback; leading workshops; presenting at conferences; mentoring others; participating on academic committees; being active in academic associations; researching

and publishing related to teaching; and leading projects and program teams. Harwood will receive her award at the 2013 STLHE Conference in Cape Breton in June.

A national association of academics interested in the improvement of teaching and learning in higher education, STLHE’s membership is comprised of faculty as well as teaching and learning resource professionals from post-secondary education institutions. 

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