Durham College (DC) is proud to join Canadians across the country in observing National Nursing Week 2020 from Monday, May 11 to Sunday, May 17. We are honouring DC healthcare heroes in particular – our nursing faculty and employees, both present and past, and the thousands of nursing students and alumni who have entrusted us with their training and preparation to not only enter a career but to answer a calling.

The theme of this year’s celebration, as decided by the International Council of Nurses, is Nurses: A Voice to Lead – Nursing the World to Health. It is intended to recognize how nurses are central to addressing a wide range of health challenges. In the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, this year’s theme also captures the ways in which nurses find themselves at the heart of the frontlines.

Working across a wide variety of specialized healthcare areas that include public health, gerontology, pediatrics, mental health, critical care and much more, nurses draw on their clinical judgement and expertise to provide compassionate care to keep the public, nursing home residents and patients safe while providing them with much needed comfort.

Beyond our deep appreciation for the work nurses do, DC remains committed to providing exceptional education and opportunities for professional development at every stage of their careers.

Please join us in thanking nurses this week and every week year-round.

Durham College (DC) is pleased to announce that President Don Lovisa’s contract has been extended for a fourth term. He will remain in the role until March 31, 2024 with an option to renew at that time.

Lovisa, who is DC’s fifth president, was appointed to the role in 2008. Since then, the college has thrived under his leadership, experiencing significant strategic growth in enrolment, research, capital development and market-driven programs.

From the development of the Whitby campus, including a new student residence and the start of its phase IV expansion in support of skilled trades, to the new Centre for Collaborative Education at the Oshawa campus, DC’s physical footprint has grown thanks to Lovisa’s vision, with at least one major capital project completed each year since 2010.

Developing alongside its infrastructure has been the college’s applied research centres. Now with four distinct areas of focus – entrepreneurship, craft brewing, artificial intelligence and mixed reality capture – DC continues to raise the bar for innovation, while supporting student development and community businesses.

During Lovisa’s tenure, the college has also launched two bachelor degree programs and increased its focus on experiential learning both in and out of the classroom, which has contributed to an 85 per cent increase in total enrolments (domestic and international) since 2008.

As the current chair of Colleges Ontario, Lovisa is able to share his experience as a community builder, directly influencing the broader college system across the province.

“It is a great honour to continue in my role as president,” said Lovisa. “Creating, building and working with great colleagues is key to our success and I am incredibly proud of the accomplishments we have achieved as a team. While the past few months have been filled with challenges and uncertainty, I am confident that together, our DC community will continue to support one another, leading the way for a bright future. As a college we are entering this new decade at the forefront of post-secondary education.”

The DC Board of Governors, who oversee the president’s role, is confident Lovisa’s leadership will continue to guide the college through the next phase of its evolution.

“We are inspired by President Lovisa’s unwavering commitment to DC and look forward to seeing all the college will achieve during his fourth term and beyond,” said Ivan DeJong, chair, DC Board of Governors.