Speaking to a packed house, former professional hockey player and sexual abuse survivor Sheldon Kennedy had Durham College students, staff and faculty hanging on every inspirational word as he described how he dealt with and overcame years of abuse at the hands of his junior hockey coach, Graham James.

Kennedy, who played for the Detroit Red Wings, Boston Bruins and Calgary Flames, answered a number of questions from the large audience as he discussed how far he has come since those dark days, when he visited the Oshawa campus on April 1.

“Pedophiles and sexual predators make up about two per cent of the population,” said Kennedy. “But it’s the other 98 per cent that we need to focus on educating.”

“It’s all about empowering bystanders (to recognize the signs) – it’s about taking action.”

Also included in the audience were a number of victims of abuse who shared their stories and thanked Kennedy for providing them with strength and inspiration. He in turn recognized their courage.

He also emphasized what he believes is the difference in being a victim and a survivor.

“You need to work hard to get out of being a victim, it’s about taking a risk to trust again,” he said. “The goal is to get people from victim to survivor but I don’t believe you’re a survivor until you’ve got your power back.”

Amy Power, a second-year student in the Child and Youth Worker program, saw the chance to hear Kennedy speak as an opportunity to better understand those she hopes to help.

“As a soon-to-be-graduate, Sheldon’s visit was an inspiring learning experience for me as a professional and a mother,” said Power. “I will soon be working with youth with similar traumatic experiences and he not only gave me an increased knowledge on the subject of sexual abuse and prevention strategies, but also advice and ideas that I can carry with me throughout my career to better help my clients.”

Kennedy has turned his troubled past, which included struggles with alcohol, depression and cocaine addiction, into creating awareness about sexual abuse and preventing it. In 2004, he, along with Wayne McNeil, founded Respect in Sport – Canada’s only online bullying, abuse, harassment and neglect prevention program for coaches and community leaders.

Since its inception, the program has been implemented by a number of national and provincial sports organizations including Hockey Canada, USA Triathlon, Sport Manitoba and many more.      

As part of Durham College’s commitment to provide financial aid to students in need, the college hosted a donor reception at the Oshawa campus’s Student Services building on March 26.

Student recipients were able to meet their donors face-to-face and thank them for their assistance during their college journey. In the 2012-2013 academic year, more than $1.6 million was donated to Durham College-endowed bursaries which allows students to pay for essential items like laptops, textbooks and school supplies or for daily expenses like food or clothing.

Durham College President Don Lovisa spoke at the event and emphasized the importance of college donors and what these awards mean to the students.

“Long-term investments in our students by our endowment fund donors, are what helps lead to quality employment and stronger neighbourhoods across Durham Region, Ontario and Canada,” said Lovisa. 

An example of this type of partnership is the contributions of Ontario Power Generation (OPG). In 2010, OPG partnered with the college and the University of Ontario Institute of Technology (UOIT) for a five-year agreement. As part of the OPG agreement, Durham College will receive $2.95 million for capital improvements, education programs, equipment, training, scholarships and bursaries. 

Students interested in applying for a donor award can do so through MyCampus. For more information on the Durham College Awards program and a listing of awards, please visit the Donor Awards page.

Durham College’s campuses opened their doors and welcomed students, parents, families and other guests to their Spring Open House on March 23. The annual event, which showcases the college, its programs and facilities, saw close to 4,700 people visit its Oshawa, Whitby and Pickering locations.

Showcasing the college’s innovative programs, the event also provided tours of its high-tech classrooms, labs and state-of-the-art facilities while knowledgeable staff and students answered questions and supplied important information about a variety of college programs, processes and departments including financial aid and admissions.

Leading up to the open house, the event generated a large amount of activity on its microsite with 8,653 unique page views and through social media with more than 100 tweets sent through Twitter. Pictures of the event garnered more than 10,500 views on the college’s Facebook page, while digital signage at the Student Services building also displayed live tweeting throughout the day using content from guests, staff and volunteers.

One of the guests was Ashley Barton, a future Durham College student who thoroughly enjoyed her time at the event.

“I am starting the Practical Nursing program at Durham College in September and I’m so excited,” said Barton. “I had so much fun at the open house today!”

Durham College is welcoming yesterday’s federal budget and its emphasis on creating a strong, skilled economy through a focus on skills training, including the new Canada Job Grant, enhanced apprenticeship opportunities, and support for applied research and innovation at colleges.

In particular, the new Canada Job Grant will address Canada’s skills mismatch and ensure a greater number of people are prepared for success in the workplace. Directly connecting skills training with employers that have a plan to train Canadians for an existing or better job, the grant will provide access to a maximum $5,000 federal contribution per person towards training at eligible institutions such as Durham College.

In addition, new opportunities for apprenticeships were announced including ensuring that government contracts and funding for infrastructure and maintenance support the employment of apprentices, which will help increase the completion rate of apprenticeships. The reallocation of federal funding to increase opportunities for apprentices was also announced along with encouraging the use of apprentices in infrastructure projects receiving federal funding and examining the use of practical tests as a method of assessment.

“At Durham College and across the Ontario college system we have worked very hard to draw attention to the need for increased government attention on growing and strengthening Canada’s skilled economy,” said Lovisa. “I am very pleased to see the federal budget has introduced significant steps in that regard through a focus on new opportunities for skilled workers and training, in particular the Canada Job Grant and new apprenticeship measures.”

Given its significant applied research presence in Durham Region, Durham College is pleased to see the government take important steps to help colleges strengthen research partnerships with industry. This includes an investment of $12 million to enhance the College and Community Innovation Program, and renewing the Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario (FedDev Ontario) with funding of $920 million over five years to help create job opportunities and encourage economic growth.

“I am very pleased with the government’s recognition of the important role colleges play in preparing skilled employees who will move Canadian communities forward both domestically and internationally,” added Lovisa. “This includes our contribution to the research, commercialization and development of innovative new products and services and commitment to ensuring graduates are well-equipped with the research knowledge and skills needed to stimulate today’s economy.”

Lovisa was part of a panel of senior college and industry leaders from across Canada that met with Diane Finley, minister of Human Resources and Skill Development, in December 2012 to discuss the urgency in advancing a national skills agenda. He is pleased to see much of what was discussed at that session reflected in the budget given their importance to the country’s continued economic success. 

Congratulations to Zain Shafique, the new student governor for the Durham College Board of Governors for the 2013-2014 academic year.

Shafique, a first-year student in the Computer Programmer Analyst program, will begin his one-year term on September 1. Along with all board members, Shafique is accountable to the students of Durham College, their employers, the government of Ontario and the communities the college serves by ensuring that the college is effectively and appropriately managed to achieve its mandate and provide needed services.

Shafique has served as a cultural ambassador to the United States on an exchange program for the 2008-2009 academic year and has been awarded a Gold Medal and President’s Voluntary Award by Barack Obama. He is also an honorary Louisiana State Senator. In addition to hosting Culture Shake, a weekly radio show on Riot Radio, Shafique is an international student mentor.

Thank you to all of the students and nominees who participated in this year’s election and congratulations to Zain on a successful campaign. Good luck in your position!