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Durham College’s Social Impact Hub receives $25,000 Connection grant from SSHRC

Durham College’s (DC) Office of Research Services, Innovation and Entrepreneurship (ORSIE) is pleased to announce it has received a Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada (SSHRC) Connection grant for $25,000.

The funds will support DC’s goal of enhancing experiential learning opportunities through the creation of a student research assistant position, as well as increasing social innovation knowledge mobilization by hosting a collaborative event this spring. The goal is to demonstrate the recent successes and importance of social innovation applied research activities to identify and solve community challenges.

Connecting with stakeholders will serve to raise awareness of socially innovative applied research activities led by DC’s Social Impact Hub and to share the knowledge and insights gained through previous and current projects. To enhance knowledge sharing, Public Relations, Video Production and Journalism – Mass Media students will create a promotional social media campaign, as well as supporting material, such as video clips and interviews with researchers, to be presented at the collaborative event. Leading the students is a group of DC faculty members who, as co-applicants on the grant, have contributed time and expertise to the project’s various components. Faculty members include Teresa Goff and Jennifer Bedford from the School of Media, Art & Design; Lorraine Closs from the School of Health & Community Services; and Nicole Doyle, School of Justice & Emergency Services.

As the college’s fifth applied research centre, the Social Impact Hub seeks to identify creative solutions to complex social problems through leading-edge projects and initiatives. Launched in June 2021, the Social Impact Hub has tackled a number of pressing issues facing the community, including enhancing virtual mentorship to reduce social isolation of youth, addressing issues that impact parents with intellectual and/or developmental disabilities, co-creation of financial empowerment strategies with individuals experiencing low income and the unique co-design of a youth-led housing hub.

Hosted in DC’s innovative Rotary Global Classroom, in partnership with the Regional Municipality of Durham and the City of Oshawa, attendees will have the opportunity to engage in meaningful discussions to:

  • Identify social challenges in the surrounding community.
  • Share social innovation expertise and research activities at the college with the broader community.
  • Create new partnerships and synergistic ways to engage with stakeholders.

By increasing awareness, the Social Impact Hub can leverage faculty and stakeholder expertise and resources to support the exploration of further collaborations and contribute to shared community goals.

“We are incredibly grateful for the support of the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada and the Connection grant,” said Debbie McKee Demczyk, dean, ORSIE. “This event will strengthen Durham College’s commitment to innovation while identifying collaborative strategies for sharing social impact research activities in order to address the gaps and inequalities that exist within our society.”

To learn more about the Social Impact Hub, visit www.durhamcollege.ca/socialimpacthub.

Durham College is pleased to once again be named one of Canada’s Top 50 Research Colleges for 2021 by Research Infosource Inc. As the facilitator of all applied research at DC, ORSIE provides support through access to funding opportunities, faculty expertise, state-of-the-art research facilities and student learning experiences. In partnership with industry and community agencies, projects are carried out by DC faculty experts and students and administered by ORSIE. Since its inception in 2009, ORSIE has undertaken 411 research projects and initiatives. To connect with ORSIE, please reach out online.

Durham College professor wins gold medal for cybersecurity invention at international competition

Durham College (DC) is proud to share that Dave Palachik, a part-time professor in the Electronics Engineering Technology program, was awarded with a gold medal in the Software Invention category at the 6th Annual International Invention Innovation Competition for his Quantum Resilient Encryption cybersecurity solution.

Organized by the Toronto International Society of Innovation & Advanced Skills, the competition saw 652 inventions submitted by competitors from more than 70 countries worldwide within a diverse selection of categories, from bicycle improvements and EEG brain wave detection, to diagnostic medical bandages and more. Gold medal winners were judged by a Board of Advisors and judges from organizations across the globe.

Palachik’s Quantum Resilient Encryption will have real-world application to help prevent super-machines and new Quantum computers from decoding transmitted data.

Congratulations to Palachik on this exemplary award!

For more information on the Electronics Engineering Technology program, please visit www.durhamcollege.ca/ELTY.

Students and alumni gear up to get hired at Durham College and Ontario Tech University’s Virtual Job Fair

For the second consecutive year, Durham College’s (DC) annual Gear Up to Get Hired events and Job Fair went virtual to help students and alumni job seekers find part-time, seasonal, full-time and contract roles and prepare for life after college.

From January 24 to February 2, students and alumni attended webinars and sessions, prepared by DC’s Career Development office, on how to create a personal pitch, resumé writing techniques, using LinkedIn and more before putting their new skills to work at the Virtual Job Fair on February 3.

Durham College and Ontario Tech University students and alumni networked virtually with organizations and businesses from a variety of economic sectors, including community services, manufacturing, skilled trades, information technology, engineering, health care, hospitality and emergency services.

This year’s interactive platform replicated a traditional, in-person job fair, offering students exciting new features to personalize their experience, such as the ability to upload a resumé and academic information to their profile. With 112 employers in attendance, the platform provided the opportunity for over 1,300 one-on-one conversations between job seekers and employers. It also featured added recruitment benefits for employers, including dedicated business profiles and the ability to search for qualified candidates.

DC’s Career Development office provides students and alumni with year-round support for all things career-related, including support for resumé building and cover letter writing, interviewing skills and job search strategies. To learn more, please visit www.durhamcollege.ca/careerdevelopment.

FastStartDC Spotlight: Jonathan Katalayi-ngalamulume, JKT Training

There’s no doubt this last year has been full of challenges, change and opportunities for DC students and entrepreneurs alike. Despite the uncertainties, there were many silver linings, including the inspiring stories of FastStartDC alumni entrepreneurs. Jonathan Katalayi-ngalamulume is a recent graduate of the Social Service Worker program at Durham College and a prime example of a student entrepreneur who took a leap of faith to create a business out of their passion. Jonathan is an avid basketball player, personal trainer and wellness coach and recently decided to turn his passion into a side-hustle with JKT Training.

As an expert trainer and coach, Jonathan saw an opportunity to share his incredible passion and skills with others. A natural people person, highly skilled in coaching both on and off the court, Jonathan loves helping people achieve their life goals, whether through his social service work or as a basketball trainer. Doubling down on the bottom line, his clients’ success is really what inspires him to keep sharing his gift with the world. Jonathan’s goal for both himself and his clients is to improve daily. He believes the goal is not perfection, but rather to always strive to be better than you were yesterday. 

While Jonathan knew entrepreneurship would allow him to do what he loves, it took some perseverance and inward reflection to get to where he is today.

“I’ve always had a desire to start my own business but didn’t always know how. I decided to go for it and put myself out there,” said Jonathan. “I had enough clients to grow through word of mouth and I believed in myself and the results my clients were getting from my workouts.”

When coming to FastStartDC, Jonathan had already made some significant progress getting his business up and running. With the basics in place, FastStart was able to help fine-tune and amplify the hard work Jonathan had already put forth and carry the business over the finish line.

“I had a logo and a slogan, but I wanted it to be better. I wanted to elevate it and that is when I reached out to FastStart,” said Jonathan. “I am very thankful to them.”

The FastStart team provided Jonathan support on branding, website design, content strategy, photography and videography to help tell his story and share his expertise, while building on his already highly-engaged following. As a result of tapping into the FastStart entrepreneurial supports as a student, Jonathan was able to hit the ground running with his business following graduation.

“Working with the FastStart team is one of the best decisions I have made. I am so happy and satisfied with the support I received,” said Jonathan. “They are a group of talented individuals who have assisted me and I couldn’t be happier with the experience.”

FastStart was able to help Jonathan gain the skills he needed and the clarity to know what he was offering was in fact unique and valuable to his customers. The FastStart team wishes Jonathan and JKT Training well! We are proud to be featuring JKT Training on FastStart’s The Start Market, an online marketplace for DC students and alumni entrepreneurs.

To learn more about JKT Training, visit www.johnkttraining.com.

Durham College recognized as one of Canada’s Top 50 Research Colleges

Durham College (DC) is pleased to announce it has once again been named one of Canada’s Top 50 Research Colleges for 2021 by Research Infosource Inc. This is the eighth time the college has received this honour, which is informed by data on research income, intensity, partnerships and projects at colleges across the country.

This year, in addition to moving up in the main ranking to 39th, the college was also ranked second for Paid Student Researchers and Industry Research Income Intensity among mid-tier institutions.

DC’s Office of Research Services, Innovation and Entrepreneurship (ORSIE), which facilitates all applied research at the college, has been supporting small to medium-sized businesses and student experiential learning through innovation and collaboration since its inception in 2009.

“This recognition is an incredible success for our research team at the college,” said Debbie McKee Demczyk, dean, ORSIE. “Not only does it recognize the innovation taking place within our research centres, but it also showcases the college’s strong commitment to experiential learning and community partnerships.”

Highlights from 2021 include the launch of a new applied research centre – the Social Impact Hub – which joins the already well-established AI Hub, Centre for Craft Brewing Innovation, Mixed Reality Capture Studio and Centre for Cybersecurity Innovation, allowing the college to further broaden its expertise and diversify its research portfolio. ORSIE also hosted its second Enable AI Summit in 2021 for 230 industry professionals, and received funding to support its first-ever postdoctoral fellowship.

Over the last decade, ORSIE has worked with 190 industry partners on 409 projects involving more than 665 students, allowing DC to make its mark as a leading research institution through cutting-edge innovation, growth and impactful work.

Durham College announces partnership with Chambers of Commerce and Boards of Trade across Durham Region

Durham College (DC) is pleased to announce a region-wide partnership between the college’s School of Business, IT & Management (BITM) and the eight Chambers of Commerce and Boards of Trade located in Durham Region. Launched in Fall 2021, this partnership provides every first-year BITM diploma student a membership in all Durham Region Chambers and Boards of Trade for the duration of their studies, plus an additional year following graduation.

The goal of this partnership is to enhance their experience by helping students jumpstart their careers. Membership to the municipal Chambers of Commerce and Boards of Trade will grant students access to events where they can meet local professionals and potential future employers, develop key relationships in the industry and engage in professional development opportunities.

“As leaders in transformative education, this new partnership demonstrates Durham College’s commitment to supporting the local business community through the creation of highly skilled students, graduates and applied researchers,” says Kevin Baker, executive dean, School of Business, IT & Management. “Partnering with Durham Region’s Chambers of Commerce and Boards of Trade will provide exciting and unique educational opportunities for students to develop an understanding of the community’s business sector and create meaningful connections with industry members within it.”

Sharing a dedication to fostering business communities through connection, learning and leadership, DC is proud to be partnering with the following:

  • Ajax-Pickering Board of Trade
  • Brock Board of Trade
  • Clarington Board of Trade
  • Greater Oshawa Chamber of Commerce
  • Newcastle and District Chamber of Commerce
  • Scugog Chamber of Commerce
  • Uxbridge Chamber of Commerce
  • Whitby Chamber of Commerce

Speaking to this new partnership and the benefits it brings to the education and business communities, the Durham Region joint Chambers and Boards of Trade said, “this collaboration with Durham College is precedent setting. The Chambers and Boards of Trade in Durham Region are thrilled to participate in this initiative. Bringing educators, the business community and students together across municipalities to deliver strategic programing supports our collective desire to nurture talent in our region. This partnership ensures we have the workforce to sustain the continued growth and prosperity of our communities.”

In addition to increasing their profile and establishing meaningful connections, DC students will gain unique business insight prior to entering the workforce, providing them with the necessary skills to face complex challenges and embrace opportunities for growth.

As the first partnership of this magnitude, Durham College is looking forward to elevating the student experience and leading the way for future partnerships to be developed and explored.

FastStartDC spotlight: Erin Malcolm, She Wolf Inc.

Over the course of the pandemic, FastStartDC has continued to support Durham College’s (DC) student entrepreneurs to find novel ways to bring their business ideas to life. Despite the challenges, our students have demonstrated innovative thinking, discovering inspiration within themselves, their personal experiences and from each other.

DC alumna Erin Malcolm is a graduate of the DC’s Entrepreneurship and Small Business program and a shining example of how our students have turned innovative ideas into viable businesses during uncertain times. Erin started her academic program knowing that she wanted to enhance her skillset while building a business that would allow her to leverage her creative energy for good in order to help others. What wasn’t quite as clear for Erin was what form her new enterprise would take.

“Entrepreneurship has always been a part of who I am and how I relate to the world,” says Erin. “I have always craved independence and I know that I am really creative and possess a wildly vivid imagination.”

What Erin didn’t know at the time was how the things she learned in her program at DC, combined with the free entrepreneurship supports available through FastStartDC and the inspiring faculty and staff she met along the way, would allow her to graduate with an incorporated business, She Wolf Inc., and launch two sub-businesses by the end of 2021 and a third slated for 2022.

The FastStartDC team provided Erin with the support to build a viable business model and long-term strategic plan and helped guide her through the launch process to tell her unique story through her branding and marketing.

“The mentorship I received was irreplaceable, and the connections I was able to make will be invaluable as I continue to grow my business. My only regret is that I didn’t start working with FastStart sooner.”

As a DC student, Erin was able to take advantage of the many services offered through FastStart. At no cost to her business, she received logo and branding support, website development, photography, videography, postcard and workbook design and social media strategies and templates.

“FastStart was instrumental in the development of the She Wolf Inc. brand and all that comes along with it.” says Erin. “FastStart helped bring my vision to life by listening to who I wanted to serve, and how I wanted to serve them, and then helping to express that through the many layers of my brand.”

In addition to She Wolf Inc., Erin’s experiences starting and running a small business helped her identify opportunities and address gaps in the market.

Erin’s Methodically Yours is a consulting business that provides small enterprises with a variety of services so owners can focus on growth. These services include bookkeeping, digital marketing (social media, email marketing, blog posts), graphic design, copy writing, customer relationship management and employee onboarding supports.

As a way to give back, Erin also launched Whole Hearted Coaching. As the creator and chief coach behind The Whole Hearted Coaching program, Erin is building on her first-hand experience with emotional healing and seeks to share this insight with women all over the world who are in need. The Whole Hearted Coaching program is designed for women who are feeling burned out, uninspired, anxious, depressed, or directionless. The program includes mindfulness, emotion regulation, finding your “spark”, connecting to your future self, cleaning house from the inside out, and learning how to set clear goals and a path for moving forward. To ensure every young woman in Canada that desires to participate in the program has access to it, Erin started the Whole Hearted Coaching Program Scholarship Fund that aims to help women facing financial barriers participate in the coaching program.

Without a doubt, Erin is a DC alumna to watch. Her passion to give back and support women in need is admirable. The team at FastStart wishes Erin well and is excited to watch her businesses flourish as she makes a meaningful impact in the world.

Global Issues students address human trafficking with competitive poster campaign

Students enrolled in Durham College’s (DC) Global Issues: Extremism and Trafficking course had an opportunity to address a real-life issue when they were asked to create an appeal poster to attract the attention of a human trafficking victim and provide vital contact information for immediate assistance.

The campaign was designed to encourage students to apply their newly developed skills in graphics software while considering the issue of human trafficking in their community. Led by Murray Rose, professor, School of Justice & Emergency Services (JES), and former investigator with the Durham Regional Police Services Human Trafficking Unit, the project’s final component asked students to present their posters to an expert panel of members of the college community and external partners, including:

  • Joanne Spicer, associate dean, JES
  • Yvonne Armstrong, program co-ordinator, Advanced Law Graduate Certificate program, JES
  • Jeff Tucker, constable, Durham Regional Police Services and former investigator in the Human Trafficking Unit
  • Laura Burch, manager, Bethesda House
  • Darlene Rosa, chief operating officer, Timea’s Cause Inc.
  • Jenna Peace, student chair person, Durham College Student Association and graduate, School of Media, Art & Design

“As a panelist, it was incredibly rewarding to witness the level of student engagement on this project,” said Joanne Spicer, associate dean, JES. “By fostering their creative voices, the students proved how innovation and analytical thinking can effectively be used in their future careers to make a positive impact in their community.”

After a difficult deliberation, the panel was able to narrow it down to two finalists, Robyn Leger and Julie Potapinski, both post-graduate certificate students in the Advanced Law Enforcement and Investigations program. As the finalists, Robyn and Julie collaborated to create a combined final poster.

Know the signs of human trafficking poster

“By working together with experts in the field of anti-trafficking, we can improve the experiential learning of Durham College students entering the field of law enforcement,” said Murray. “Collaborations like these continue to help bring awareness to this important cause, and strengthen the unique student experience offered at Durham College.”

After four years of teaching the course, Murray hopes to continue partnering with local organizations, such as Bethesda House, a shelter that facilitates care for domestic violence and human trafficking victims, and Timea’s Cause Inc., an organization dedicated to assisting survivors of human trafficking, to build on the momentum of the poster campaign and further enhance the course’s innovative training opportunities.

DC receives $900,000 from Weston Family Foundation to build new Centre for Organic Regeneration

Durham College (DC) is pleased to announce that it has received $900,000 in funding from the Weston Family Foundation to create a new Centre for Organic Regeneration at the W. Galen Weston Centre for Food.

A 1,500-sq. ft. facility and composting system, the Centre for Organic Regeneration will enable DC to complete the field-to-fork (and now back-to-field) loop by processing food waste from the Whitby campus and returning it to the earth, specifically the W. Galen Weston Centre for Food fields. This will reduce food waste on campus by 90 per cent while lessening the need for compost from outside sources.

The new facility will also create research and work-integrated-learning opportunities and will be incorporated into the curriculum for related programs.

“Sustainability in urban farming has always guided the development of the Weston Centre,” said Don Lovisa, president, DC. “The new organic regeneration facility is one more way we can continue to lead the way in best practices for food and farming.”

This donation represents the Weston Family Foundation’s ongoing commitment to ecologically based agriculture practices, and its overall goal of delivering measurable impacts to the well-being of Canadians.

“We are pleased to help bring this world-class facility to life at Durham College,” said Emma Adamo, chair, Weston Family Foundation. “We hope the Centre for Organic Regeneration will not only significantly reduce food waste on campus, but also provide a model for other like-minded institutions to emulate moving forward.”

DC is proud of the continued growth and innovation at the Whitby campus and recognizes the integral link between this success and the generous history of support from the Foundation. Past donations have helped establish the W. Galen Weston Centre for Food, as well as the vertical and hydroponic facilities and expanded greenhouses, in addition to funding scholarships and bursaries for students studying programs through DC’s School of Hospitality & Horticultural Science.

“Just as it takes a team of faculty, students and employees to bring our fields, gardens and orchards to life each year, it also takes a network of businesses and organizations to help the college achieve its goals,” said Lovisa. “We are extremely grateful to the Weston Family Foundation for their support of the work we do each and every day to drive positive change and innovation in food and farming education.”

DC’s Academic Upgrading office helps Indigenous students pursue millwrighting trade

Durham College’s (DC) Academic Upgrading office is delighted to announce the successful completion of the Introduction to Millwright project at the Ontario Power Generation (OPG) Darlington Energy Complex.

The six-week training program was delivered to a cohort of eight individuals from Indigenous communities in the area who made significant life changes to commit to the program with the goal of being successfully indentured into the Millwright Regional Council of Ontario (MRCO) as first year apprentices.

The program consisted of two weeks of in-class academic upgrading to prepare students for the communications, math and spatial reasoning segments of the Millwright aptitude test, as well as a four-week Introduction to Millwrighting course delivered by qualified MRCO sister training instructors with weekly support from the Academic Upgrading team.

In addition to DC’s Academic Upgrading program, the following organizations were involved in the creation, funding and delivery of the Introduction to Millwright project:

  • Aboriginal Apprenticeship Board of Ontario
  • First Nations Power Authority
  • Indigenous Opportunities Network
  • Kigita Mikam Aboriginal Employment & Training
  • Millwright Local 2309
  • Millwright Regional Council of Ontario
  • OPG
  • Organization of Canadian Nuclear Industries

This successful partnership between DC, industry, union and community-based organizations is a testament to what can be accomplished when there is a demonstrated commitment to improving opportunities for Indigenous candidates into the trades.