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DC prof Jeff Dalziel named Record Producer of the Year by Canadian Country Music Association

On September 7, Durham College (DC) professor Jeff Dalziel was named the 2018 Record Producer of the Year by the Canadian Country Music Association (CCMA) for the album What We’re Made Of by Warner Music Canada recording artists The Washboard Union.

A faculty member with the college’s School of Media, Art & Design since 2013, Dalziel teaches in the Music Business Administration and Music Business Management programs in addition to his work as a mixer, producer, songwriter, and multi-instrumental performing artist.

Dalziel received the award at the CCMA Industry Lunch & Awards, part of annual Country Music Week celebrations, held this year in Hamilton, ON. It was his second major win for 2018 having taken home Record Producer of the Year honours from the Country Music Association of Ontario in June.

With a career that spans nearly two decades, Dalziel is regarded as one of the top multi-genre music producers in Canada and currently has multiple hits on the charts and Canadian country radio. Under the banner of his own company, DIESELMUSIC, he provides A&R development for artists, produces, records, mixes, masters and co-writes songs for record publication, music, TV and film.

At DC, Dalziel uses his experience and expertise to prepare students for success in the highly competitive music industry. From major label presidents and A&R reps, to songwriters and artist managers, he draws top industry players to campus as guest speakers to provide the best music business learning environment in the country.

And while the CCMA Awards do not include a category for teaching, the number of Dalziel’s current and past students that he counted at the major industry event – working and thriving in the field they trained for and love – show he’s as successful in front of the classroom as he is behind the mixing board.

DC students and employees help celebrate Centre for Collaborative Education

On September 5, Durham College (DC) flung open the doors to the Centre for Collaborative Education (CFCE) and invited students and employees to explore the newest building on the Oshawa campus.

While enjoying free cupcakes and lemonade, as well as music spun by DJ Greedo, members of the campus community took self-guided tours of the CFCE’s innovative learning spaces, which include the following:

  • 360insights Entrepreneurship Centre, home to FastStartDC, a program that helps students and youth develop valid business ideas and plans to take their products and services to market quickly and successfully. 
  • Centre for Success and Academic Upgrading, home to the School-College-Work Initiative, a partnership between DC and five regional school boards, which assists at-risk students to earn their Ontario Secondary School Diploma (OSSD) in a college environment and find their way to post-secondary education. Students also have the opportunity to take college-level courses in order to earn dual credits that can be counted against both completing their OSSD and a chosen college program. Academic upgrading supports mature students in achieving prerequisites they need in order to pursue post-secondary education. 
  • Durham College Spa, an inclusive space committed to making beauty, health and wellness accessible and more affordable for all, while supporting the intensive training and learning of a new generation of massage therapy practitioners, makeup artists and estheticians. It includes a massage therapy clinic and makeup and esthetics labs. 
  • First Peoples Indigenous Centre (formerly the Aboriginal Student Centre) which uses a holistic approach to education, serving First Nations, Métis and Inuit students by focusing on their physical, mental, emotional and spiritual well-being. 
  • Global Classroom, where state-of-the-art technology enables students and faculty to discuss topics in a virtual classroom, joined by experts and other students from around the world in real time to foster intercultural competency and experience. 
  • Interprofessional Simulation Lab, a 21-bed unit that simulates a hospital environment for students in various health-care programs. 
  • Office of Student Diversity, Inclusion and Transitions, a space dedicated to ensuring that DC students feel welcomed and supported on campus through a variety of diverse and comprehensive programs designed to foster academic and social growth.

Located on Simcoe St. North, the CFCE stands just east of where the aging Simcoe building once stood. The new multi-level facility is a legacy project tied to DC’s 50th anniversary in 2017 and will now serve as an educational access point for students while bringing together local, Indigenous and global community groups and members of key business sectors.

Up next for the CFCE will be a formal, by-invitation grand opening celebration on Tuesday, October 2, which will include an Indigenous ceremony, official ribbon-cutting, unveiling of the donor wall and time capsule installation.

Student Orientation underway at Durham College

With the 2018-2019 academic year soon underway, Durham College (DC) is busy getting ready to welcome more than 7,100 first-year students to campus during its annual Orientation, which runs from September 4 to Thursday, September 13.

Designed to help first-year students acclimatize to college life, meet staff and faculty, explore student services and enjoy the college’s Oshawa and Whitby campuses, Orientation also provides students with an opportunity to learn more about program expectations and student clubs, all while developing new friendships.

“Orientation sets new students up for success by helping them establish a community of support on campus,” says Krista Licsi, student orientation and transitions co-ordinator, Office of Student Diversity, Inclusion and Transitions. “They can step out of their comfort zone to meet other first-year students, learn about their program and discover opportunities to get involved in campus activities, all of which will help them should they encounter any barriers while completing their program here at DC.”

This year’s Orientation includes over 25 activities to help introduce students to college life, including the First-year Fun Fair on September 4, followed by the men’s and women’s soccer teams in the 8th annual Campus Cup later in the day, pitting the DC Lords against the UOIT Ridgebacks.

New this year are a few activities, like the LGBTQ2+ Paint Night and Social on Wednesday, September 5, designed to help members of the campus LGBTQ2+ community make connections on campus; and the Black Student Success Network social event on Wednesday, September 5, providing students with opportunities for mentorship, wellness and social engagement.

For a full list of Orientation activities and more details please visit www.durhamcollege.ca/orientation.

DC welcomes new International Students to campus for Orientation

This week Durham College (DC) welcomed more than 1,000 new international students from 62 countries to campus for the 2018-2019 academic year. To help prepare students for the year ahead, an International Orientation was held on August 31 at the Oshawa campus.

DC president Don Lovisa and Dr. Elaine Popp, vice-president, Academic, kicked off the event by delivering welcome remarks on behalf of the entire college to the diverse group of new students.

Throughout the day, students received guidance on the many services and supports available to them and how to prepare for post-secondary education. They learned about their health insurance plan, banking in Canada, how to find part-time work and also gained valuable information about building a future in Canada. The event also facilitated the development of new friendships, with activities like Race Around DC, a fun twist on the traditional campus tour inspired by The Amazing Race Canada, and Get-to-Know-Your-Peers Bingo.

 “International orientation really kick-starts the college experience for students and provides them with the foundation of support they need to succeed while attending post-secondary studies in Canada,” said Janine Knight-Grofe, manager, International Education. “Our goals for orientation and every day after are fourfold – we work to integrate students into the DC community, foster an inclusive and caring environment, enhance understanding of expectations and resources, and build resiliency and personal development.”

More than 1,800 international students will be studying at DC for the 2018-2019 academic year. With additional students expected to arrive as the year gets underway, DC prides itself on offering international students the highest-quality Canadian education, a safe and vibrant campus environment and a fun and rewarding student life – with everything from clubs and cultural activities to sports and recreation – to balance studies with activities outside the classroom.

For more information, please visit the college’s International website.

DC congratulates research partner Partake Brewing on 2018 World Beer Awards win

Durham College (DC) research partner Partake Brewing (Partake) has been recognized on the global brewing stage, after being named the best low-alcohol pale beer by a panel of international judges at the 2018 World Beer Awards. The title was bestowed upon the company’s pale ale, a recipe which the college’s Centre for Craft Brewing Innovation (CCBI) helped develop.

Partake’s collaboration with DC and its Office of Research Services, Innovation and Entrepreneurship (ORSIE) began in October 2016. Funded through a $25,000 Engage grant from the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council, ORSIE researchers and the CCBI’s brewmaster used its brew lab and line to work with the company in developing the winning recipe.

This honour is the latest in a line of achievements for the growing craft brewer; Partake also recently secured a deal on CBC’s Dragon’s Den, again using a recipe – an India Pale Ale – developed in partnership with the CCBI. Its products can now also be found at select Beer Stores and LCBO locations across Ontario.

In all instances, the centre’s team has worked to help develop the recipes for the locally made, non-alcoholic craft beers that have the taste, variety, authenticity, creativity, and passion of their full-strength counterparts.

The World Beer Awards select the best in internationally recognized styles, awarding and promoting the world’s best beers to consumers and trade across the globe.

The CCBI, which is located at the Whitby campus, was officially launched in spring 2018. Consisting of a pilot brew line and brew lab, which were purchased using a $150,000 Applied Research Tools and Instruments grant from the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council, it offers craft brewers access to expertise and state-of-the-art technology, as well as micro-analytical and research services.

Three Durham College alumni nominated for 2018 Premier’s Awards

Durham College (DC) is pleased to announce that, in recognition of their outstanding career success related to their college experience and the significant contributions they have made to their community, three of its alumni have been nominated for Colleges Ontario’s 2018 Premier’s Awards.

Lorraine Sunstrum-Mann, who graduated from DC in 1998 from DC’s Registered Nursing program, draws on her passion for nursing and advocacy in her role as chief executive officer of Grandview Children’s Centre, the only children’s treatment centre in Durham Region. There she has championed its unprecedented growth and expanded its service offerings, while also giving back to the community. She has sat on and led both provincial and national committees focusing on children’s rehabilitation, has used her expertise to help develop Ontario’s Special Needs Strategy and has worked in direct care and senior-leadership roles at St. Michael’s Hospital and Lakeridge Health Oshawa. She is nominated for a Premier’s Award in the Health Services category.

Manjula Selvarajah, a 2014 graduate of the Journalism – Print and Broadcast program, works as a technology columnist and associate producer for Canada’s public broadcaster, CBC Radio. There she has appeared on and produced a variety of shows including Metro Morning and Big City Small World. She has also presented on the Live and Learn and Fresh Air shows. Manjula uses her training and voice to help the Tamil community, leveraging media platforms to tell their stories. She co-hosted one of the few English shows on Canadian Tamil television, Crossroads on Tamil Vision International, where she moderated panels on issues that affected Tamil Canadians and has blogged on tamilculture.com. She is nominated in the Recent Graduate category.

As chief executive officer (CEO) of Bird Mechanical Ltd., Brandon Bird, who graduated from DC in 2012 as a Level 3 Plumber Apprentice, is continuing the company’s three generations of excellence. Since taking over in 2016 as its youngest CEO, he has generated $30 million in sales revenue while overseeing a team of 80, 60 of which are tradespeople. Through strategic expansion and service offerings, the company has worked on projects ranging from $100,000 to $20 million; its clients include the Hospital for Sick Children and Cadillac Fairview. Brandon also chairs DC’s Mechanical Techniques Program Advisory Committee and serves on the Education Committee for the Mechanical Contractors Association of Toronto. He is nominated for a Premier’s Award in the newly-created Apprenticeship category.

Academic Kickoff energizes DC employees for new school year

On August 28, employees from all corners of Durham College (DC) gathered together at the annual Academic Kickoff event for a morning of inspiration and motivation ahead of the new school year.

Led by Dr. Elaine Popp, DC’s vice-president, Academic, the event gave colleagues at the college a chance to reconnect while also sharing and igniting new ideas to continue growing the student experience inside the classroom and beyond.

Dr. Gerard Puccio, department chair and professor at the International Centre for Studies in Creativity, Buffalo State, delivered this year’s keynote address. A renowned creativity scholar, Dr. Puccio discussed creativity as a life skill and shared strategies with DC employees to unleash creativity in their own work and inspire it in students.

The morning also featured a panel presentation and discussion by student entrepreneurs from FastStart, the college’s free, co-curricular program that helps DC students and youth from the greater college community to develop and launch their own businesses.

The FastStart panel shared examples of how DC encourages and supports students’ entrepreneurial pursuits. Emphasis was also put on promoting and encouraging entrepreneurship to more students, including those specializing in creative arts, social innovation, food and more.

Lords win first pre-season match on newly-turfed Vaso’s Field

In the first match played on Vaso’s Field since it was upgraded with artificial turf, the Durham College (DC) women’s soccer team walked away with a win against the St. Clair Saints on August 25.

The new FIFA-certified infill artificial turf is the first of its kind to be installed at a post-secondary school in Canada and offers an improved playing surface for varsity and intramural sports leagues and community recreation groups using the multi-sport facility.

“Today was a special day and I feel honoured that the DC women were the first team to play a match on the field and did the school proud in our victory,” said head coach Alex Bianchi. “This is a tremendous facility we now have, the field surface is really, really good and will serve present and future players very well. This facility is second to none and I’m excited to call this field ours.”

Lords players Vanessa Juras, Madison Haigh, and Shae-Lynn Young each contributed to the win with goals against the Saints, giving DC an easy 3-0 victory, and Jenna King earned the clean sheet for the Lords with seven saves.

Introducing the redeveloped DC Student Centre

As part of its ongoing commitment to putting the student experience first, Durham College (DC) is redeveloping its Student Centre to offer new spaces, dining options and additional space for supports.

While the location remains the same, the redeveloped space will now be home to:

  • New dining options for all students and employees, available as of Tuesday, September 4
    • Booster Juice – Enjoy premium smoothies and juices.
    • The Grill House – Enjoy fresh food options representing global cuisine.
  • New student spaces
    • eSports Gaming Arena – Scheduled to open in 2019, the arena is part one of a four-phase eSports plan, which will also see an eSports club, varsity program and eventually, integration of eSports into current and future curriculum.  More information about eSports at DC can be found on the website.
    • Student Lounge – Students will be able to enjoy downtime and study in the newly renovated Student Lounge, which is scheduled to open at the end of September.
  • SALS Tutoring Centre available as of Monday, September 3
    • Student Academic Learning Services (SALS) is extending their services to the Student Centre. In addition to the supports and programs offered in the Student Services building, students can access the SALS Tutoring Centre in room 217, a space dedicated to peer tutoring. SALS workshops and drop-in tutoring sessions will be offered and the area will also serve as a student study space for individuals and homework groups. Contact SALS by email or at ext. 2491 for additional information on available services.
  • DC Students Inc.
    • DC Students Inc. (DCSI) provides a range of services from administration of the health and dental plan to offering outreach services:  support, counselling, information, referrals, events, and training with a focus on four key areas: Women’s Issues, Pride and the LGBTQ Centre, sexual health and the Campus Food Centre, a food bank available to all DC students who need help making ends meet. Email DCSI for additional information on the services they offer.

As the college prepares for another exciting academic year, the Student Centre will continue to play a vital role in campus life and we look forward to sharing it with the college community.

New DC service to help break down barriers to post-secondary education

Durham College is pleased to share the launch of its new RISE program in the Office of Student Diversity, Inclusion and Transitions. Part of the Ontario Post-Secondary Access & Inclusion Program (OPAIP), RISE stands for reach, include, support and elevate, and aims to ensure equal opportunity exists for all Ontario residents to pursue a post-secondary education.

Replacing the First Generation initiative, RISE and its community partners, including school boards and agencies, will support any current or potential student who may need assistance overcoming barriers preventing them from considering, accessing or pursuing a post-secondary education.

RISE will offer one-on-one coaching to ensure a smooth academic and social transition to the post-secondary environment and facilitate and promote academic success by providing dynamic programming and making referrals to additional college and community services when needed.
For more information on RISE and its services, please visit www.durhamcollege.ca/RISE.