On Sunday, November 17, Durham Ideas Den (DID) will launch their annual, full-day hackathon challenge, where more than 100 innovative students will come together to design practical solutions for existing social problems in the community.

The hackathon will showcase the Durham Region’s best and brightest of Durham’s post-secondary students, as well as community and corporate leaders, who will guide them in the process of turning a brilliant idea into a viable social venture. 

Last year’s competition was won by a group of Durham College Paralegal students and included more than 100 submissions from 25 teams.

“It is a win-win solution for all – students hone new skills through the creation of new enterprises, increasing their networks and employability,” said Pramilla Ramdahani, executive director, Community Innovation Labs. “Municipalities and businesses benefit from a new talent pool that seeks to tackle our toughest problems with innovative tools, processes and economic models.“

At the hackathon, students will form teams and enter into the Launch Factor, a 30-day challenge to build a tribe around their vision and crowd-fund their venture. Following the Launch Factor challenge, each of the DID teams will work on building their social ventures with continued support from the Community Innovation Lab and the mentorship community, until the deadline in March 2014, when each team will present what they’ve built to community members at a grand finale celebration. 

Do you own your own business? Have you ever thought of starting one? If you answered yes to either of these questions, then you should participate in the Do It In Durham event taking place from Monday, November 18 to Thursday, November 21.

Do It In Durham will provide free workshops and networking events; the chance to meet like-minded individuals; and the opportunity to win prizes worth up to $7,000.

The Spark Centre and BACD have joined forces with regional partners, including Durham College, for the event which allows participants to discover the educational resources, business connections and funds available in the Durham Region to help entrepreneurs start and grow businesses.

“Part of our mission is to transform Durham into a thriving, entrepreneurial place to be,” said Martin Croteau, executive director of the Spark Centre. “We know Durham is a great place to live and go to school, but it’s also become a fantastic place to start a business. Do It In Durham will make connection points for learning, support and recognition at every stage in that journey.”

Held across a number of locations across the Durham Region, Do It In Durham is happening in conjunction with thousands of other events around the world, in celebration of Global Entrepreneurship Week, a time to celebrate the innovators and job creators who are driving economic growth.

Durham College recently recognized the hard work and dedication of more than 750 students from more than 90 programs at the college’s fall convocation on November 1 at General Motors Centre in Oshawa, Ont.

With more than half of the graduates in attendance at the evening affair, the ceremony also paid tribute to the success of 377 students who earned a place on the highly regarded President’s Honour Roll.

The annual fall event recognized graduates from the schools of Business, IT & Management; Continuing Education; Health & Community Services; Interdisciplinary Studies & Employment Services; Justice & Emergency Services; Media, Art & Design; Science & Engineering Technology; and Skilled Trades, Apprenticeship & Renewable Technology as they were awarded their diplomas and certificates. 

In addition, the college also acknowledged 11 students as they received the Durham College Student Leadership Award. The award is granted to students in recognition of their outstanding contributions to campus life and the commitment and exemplary leadership they demonstrate during their time at the college.

Students must accumulate a pre-determined amount of leadership points through the college’s Co-Curricular Recognition program by participating in activities that enhance student life; engage students; and encourage involvement.

With the addition of another graduating class, the total number of Durham College alumni is close to 63,000 strong.

Durham College celebrated the official opening of the Centre for Food (CFF) yesterday, marking Durham Region’s first-ever post-secondary presence focused on field to fork.

Durham College president Don Lovisa was joined by celebrity chef and CFF ambassador Jamie Kennedy and chef Christian Pritchard, who acted as the event’s master of ceremonies, as the college showcased the new facility, which is located at the northwest corner of the Whitby campus. In addition, Roger Anderson, chair, Region of Durham; Pat Perkins, mayor, Town of Whitby; and Brittany Lombard, a second-year Culinary Management student, also offered remarks congratulating the college on the opening of the new building.

“Today marks an extraordinary day for Durham College as we celebrate the official opening of the Centre for Food,” said Lovisa. “Over the past four and half years, there have been many people who have helped turn our initial vision into this wonderful facility we are standing in today and I collectively thank each of you for your support.”

In addition to self-guided tours of the new building and the opportunity to try food prepared and served by the college’s culinary and hospitality students, guests enjoyed a musical performance by Canadian singer, songwriter and musician, Greg Keelor. The event also featured the opening of Bistro ’67, a new, 70-seat, full-service, green-certified teaching and learning restaurant, which offers dishes that include produce and delicious flavours from Durham Region that are prepared and served by students.

“Since Day 1 we have been committed to the creation of a centre that provides the curriculum, faculty expertise, and state-of-the-art facilities and equipment required to meet the growing need for new men and women able to fill both existing and emerging roles within the spectrum of a field-to-fork concept,” added Lovisa.

Accommodating approximately 900 additional students studying a variety of programs including Culinary Skills, Culinary Management, Cook – Apprenticeship, Hospitality Management – Hotel, Restaurant and Tourism, Hospitality Skills, Event Management, Special Events Planning, the CFF features state-of-the-art kitchens and labs including a food and beverage pairing lab and hotel living lab; classrooms and meeting spaces; a retail store that will feature products made by students including fresh-baked items, meals-to-go, preserved foods and ready-to-cook meals; and a demonstration lecture theatre.

In addition, the Horticulture – Food and Farming and Horticulture Technician programs, have been relocated to the college’s Whitby campus to complete the full cycle of farming to the preparation and celebration of food.

The overall Whitby campus expansion project has seen $44 million invested in an expanded post-secondary presence in the region with the college working to bring new full-time programs to life and develop the skilled workforce needed for local communities to grow and prosper.

The entire Durham College family extends its congratulations to President Don Lovisa who was named the Business Person of the Year by the Ajax-Pickering Board of Trade (APBOT) at its 19th Annual Business Excellence Awards, held at the Ajax Convention Centre on October 10.  

Lovisa was recognized for his leadership style, commitment to entrepreneurship on campus, community involvement, support of faculty and staff development and more. Addressing the audience as he accepted his award he said “I am both humbled and appreciative of this wonderful award and proud to be the president of Durham College. This award is a true reflection of the work of everyone at Durham College and affirms the direct social and economic impact we have on Ajax and Pickering and the broader Durham Region community.”

Under Lovisa’s leadership Durham College has become the fastest growing college in Ontario, moving from under 7,000 full-time post-secondary and apprenticeship students in his first year as president, to more than 10,000 at the start of the 2013-2014 academic year.

The college has also taken on several revitalization and construction projects including opening the Pickering Learning Site in September 2012 and the Centre for Food at the Whitby campus in September 2013. In addition, it has enhanced its academic programming via the introduction of more than 30 new full-time programs.

The Business Excellence Awards are given to outstanding local businesses and business persons in Ajax and Pickering for their achievements in several different categories including Business Excellence 1-9 Employees, Business Excellence 10-49 Employees, Business Excellence 50+ Employees, Global Business Excellence, Sustainability Champion and Business Person of the Year.

Congratulations President Lovisa!  

The Durham Region dining experience got a little more intriguing this month when Durham College officially opened the doors to Bistro ’67, a full-service, green-certified teaching and learning restaurant located at the new Centre for Food (CFF).

Offering dishes prepared and served by students in the culinary and hospitality programs, featuring produce and delicious flavours from the region, Bistro ’67 offers a unique ‘field to fork’ culinary environment to diners. This includes seating up to 70 guests and the opportunity to choose from a variety of seasonal dishes designed to satisfy any palate such as delicious soups and salads, intriguing sandwiches and entrees and decadent desserts.

In addition to featuring the latest in culinary technology, the restaurant also offers a boardroom (available for public rental) surrounded by glass walls overlooking the kitchen and a living lab with exposure to all restaurant related jobs.

The restaurant’s name is a tribute to the year that Durham College opened – 1967 – and reflects its rich history while providing a fresh, modern perspective. The name was chosen following a month-long contest in June that asked college staff and students and members of the community to submit their top suggestions.

The CFF is designed to accommodate approximately 900 additional students studying in a variety of programs including Culinary Skills, Culinary Management, Cook – Apprenticeship, Hospitality Management – Hotel, Restaurant and Tourism, Hospitality Skills, Event Management, Special Events Planning.

This incredible new learning centre also features state-of-the-art labs including a food and beverage pairing lab and hotel living lab, classrooms and meeting spaces, a retail store that will  feature products produced by students including fresh-baked items, meals-to-go, preserved foods and ready-to-cook meals and a lecture theatre.

To celebrate the restaurant’s official opening, all guests who visit during the month of October will have the opportunity to enter a draw for a chance to win dinner for four.

For more information about Bistro ’67, including hours of operation and menu items, please visit www.bistro67.ca.