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!”