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Durham College students achieve sweet success with Pop-up Bake Shops

With their semester coming to an end, students in the Advanced Baking and Pastry graduate certificate program at Durham College (DC) were put to their final test – create a Pop-up Bake Shop in which to package, market and sell their creative concoctions. 

On April 8, teams of students took their work to market with a series of Pop-up Bake Shops featured at DC’s W. Galen Weston Centre for Food (CFF), where they competed for the honour of top shop. After months of preparation, the students were able to see their semester-long projects come to life as they sold an array of artisan breads, confections and preserves to members of the community under their own unique brands.

“It’s awesome and really fun,” said Caitlin Lounsberry, an Advanced Baking and Pastry Arts student who had been looking forward to this day all semester. “Part of the goal is to break-even on the cost of creating our company, but it’s really not about the money – it’s about the food.”

Her team, Creative Café and Confectionary, based their theme around treats traditionally found in a coffee shop, stocking their booth with coffee-flavoured pastries, candies and chocolate baked goods. The team came up with the idea during their entrepreneurship class where students had the opportunity to develop a company and market it. 

Students drew on those entrepreneurial lessons and skills in their capstone project class, where the Pop-up Bake Shop event originated, with each team responsible for their shops’ baking, marketing, budgeting, ordering, packaging and any business decisions related to the event day. Other teams included The Butterstick, Sensible Creations and Classy Bees. 

“It’s exciting to see all of our creativity and hard work come together,” said Kasey Rogers, student and co-creator of Classy Bees, which offered trendy treats like emoji-themed sweets, including lollipops.

“We just want to make things that people will think is post-worthy and to add to social media,” said Rogers’ teammate Medora El-Haj. “We like to describe ourselves as the Saturday Night Live of bakeries. Always keeping up with trends to keep people coming back.” 

DC’s Pop-up Bake Shop event is an opportunity for students to gain hands-on experience as well as showcase what they have learned in their program – from the kitchen to the computer to the counter and beyond.

“The students get to run a business for a day, which is an incredible learning experience before moving into the industry,” said Tanya Heck, pastry chef and professor at DC. “It is not only about food creation, but incorporating the business aspect that will help students succeed after graduation, whether they want to open their own business or work for an established organization.”

Provincial government invests $1.9 million in Durham College

Following the recent announcement from the provincial government, of their $50-million investment in colleges across Ontario, Durham College (DC) is pleased to share that it will receive $1.9 million of that legacy funding.

As DC celebrates its 50th anniversary in 2017, so too does the college system in Ontario. The funding for all 24 of the province’s colleges was awarded in celebration of this milestone year.

The idea of partnering with the provincial government, to establish a legacy fund of $50 million for 50 years, was proposed by chair of the Colleges Ontario 50th anniversary task force and DC President Don Lovisa, in order to benefit all Ontario colleges in a meaningful way.

“What a fantastic way to celebrate this milestone and truly start something amazing,” said Lovisa. “In making this generous funding commitment, the provincial government is recognizing the outstanding achievements of Ontario’s colleges over the past 50 years, while also creating a lasting impact on future generations of students across the province, including Durham College.”

Durham MPP Granville Anderson was onsite at DC’s Whitby campus where he revealed how much of the funding the college will receive, and what this means to students and the greater Durham Region community.

“Over the past 50 years, our colleges have done so much to build Ontario up,” said Durham MPP Granville Anderson. “They provide students with unique experiences and important skills which prepare them to be successful in the workforce. Durham College, specifically, plays a vital role in our community, so it was my pleasure to announce our government’s $1.9 million investment to help make this great school even better.”

During the announcement, DC shared that it will use its portion of the funds to construct a two-storey galleria at its Whitby campus, providing much needed touchdown space and collaboration zones for the more than 2,000 full-time students who call the Whitby campus home.

Construction on the galleria space is expected to begin shortly.

DC says thanks to its placement and practicum hosts

Representatives from businesses, government institutions and non-profit organizations across Durham Region and the Greater Toronto Area gathered at the W. Galen Weston Centre for Food on April 3 for Durham College’s (DC) annual Placement Host Appreciation Evening.

Organized by students in DC’s Event Management (graduate certificate) program, the event was held to recognize the invaluable contribution placement and practicum hosts make to experiential learning when they open their doors to DC students. In fact, more than 600 organizations serve as hosts to more than 5,000 students each year.

Guests heard from Elizabeth Corner, director, Medical and Academic Affairs at Lakeridge Health, and Bob Verwey owner, Owasco Automotive Group, about their experiences hosting DC students.

Jennifer Jones, a third-year student enrolled in the college’s Human Resources – Business Administration program also spoke about her placement at the Durham Children’s Aid Society.

Durham College and UOIT to host 6th Annual Charity Cup

For the sixth year in a row, Durham College (DC) and the University of Ontario Institute of Technology (UOIT)’s men’s and women’s varsity soccer teams will face off in the annual Charity Cup fundraiser.

The event will take place on Tuesday, April 4 at 6:30 p.m. at the Campus Fieldhouse. Along with the free admission, there will be a raffle, prizes, local youth soccer teams and of course, entertaining soccer.

All proceeds made before during or after the event will go towards Their Opportunity, a local non-profit organization that helps provide underprivileged youths the opportunity to enroll in organized sports by offsetting the sometimes high enrollment fees.

“I think the Charity Cup is the culmination of being an athlete and giving back to the community,” said Erik Petrovic, member of the UOIT Ridgebacks men’s soccer team. “Giving back to the community that gave us an opportunity is something that feels right.”

There will be popcorn donations starting up on Wednesday, March 29 to March 31 and then April 3 to 4 at the Oshawa Campus. Donations exchanged for popcorn will raise awareness about Their Opportunity and the game. The two teams hope to see all staff, students, friends and family out to support this fundraiser and help give a child and opportunity to change their lives.

“Organized sports provided me with so much more than physical exercise,” said Taylor McGee, fifth-year player on the DC women’s soccer team. “Organized sports allows kids to develop valuable social skills, make lasting friendships, improve their self-confidence and so much more. I want others to have the same opportunity that I had and that is why this is such a great cause.”

DC Spring Open House draws a full house on campus

On March 25, Durham College’s (DC) annual Spring Open House quickly became a full house as the college welcomed more than 3,000 prospective students, as well as their family and friends, to DC’s Oshawa and Whitby campuses and Pickering Learning Site. 

Each of DC’s more than 140 full-time programs, and numerous student services, were set-up in rooms and booths across each location to showcase all that the college has to offer. Upon arrival, guests were greeted by DC’s team of enthusiastic volunteers and even had a chance to meet DC president Don Lovisa, decked out in his green DC 50th anniversary necktie as a nod to the college’s milestone birthday in 2017.

Volunteers encouraged guests to ask questions and get answers from the people who know the DC experience best – the hundreds of faculty, staff, alumni and students who were on hand to offer insight into everything from program details, to setting career goals, to what life on campus is really like, and much more.

Information sessions were held on a range of topics, including applications and admissions, career development, how to put accommodations in place through the college’s Access and Support Services, and tips on how to pay for school from DC’s Financial Aid and Awards office who walked students and parents/guardians through the process of applying for student loans, grants and scholarships that can help make the journey through post-secondary education an easier one. Walking tours were also offered throughout the day to allow guests to further explore DC’s state-of-the-art facilities, as well as on-campus housing.

Enterprising members of DC’s Enactus Canada team, comprised of student-entrepreneurial leaders who are passionate about advancing the economic, social and environmental health of Canada, and FastStart, an entrepreneurial training partnerships aimed at university and college students, made the most of the extra traffic on campus by holding a barbeque fundraiser in support of the Enactus team’s upcoming trip to Vancouver to compete in a national competition.

Those who missed the Spring Open House are still in luck – tours of the college can be arranged anytime by visiting www.durhamcollege.ca/campustours, emailing campustours@durhamcollege.ca or calling 905.721.3000.

DC’s Fall Open House will be held on Saturday, November 18 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

DC hosts Bank of Canada Governor Stephen S. Poloz speech to students

In celebration of Canada’s 150th year, and in recognition of Durham College’s (DC) 50th anniversary, Bank of Canada Governor Stephen S. Poloz returned to his hometown of Oshawa to visit the college and speak with students, faculty, alumni and community guests about Canada’s economic history.

During his speech, which was hosted in partnership with the University of Ontario Institute of Technology and Trent University Durham, Governor Poloz took his audience on an exploration of the events and turning points over the past 150 years, that have helped shape the nation and its economy, as Canada evolved from a colonial outpost into one of the best places in the world to live.

Governor Poloz took care to connect aspects of Canada’s economic past with current issues at stake for the country. “What experience has shown is that the fears of openness are misplaced,” stated Canada’s chief economist. “Protectionism does not promote growth and its costs are steep.” He also noted that exposure to competition can in fact drive innovation.

In his introductory remarks, Governor Poloz also shared his own DC story in celebration of the college’s 50th anniversary, recounting his memory of when the college first opened its doors in 1967. With student residences not yet built, the governor’s family responded to the call for host families and welcomed three students from DC’s first class into their home.

The governor’s speech was webcast live and can be viewed here.

DC offers robust suite of services to help organizations take their business to the next level

If you think Durham College (DC) is just for students – think again! From seasoned professionals with decades of experience to newer offerings based on the latest industry trends, DC Solutions for Business brings together experts from across the college to offer a range of results-driven services to help businesses reach their goals.

DC Solutions for Business is a network of service area professionals who work seamlessly with clients to provide innovative support, customized solutions, expertise and training that align with the specific needs of each individual client. This can include, but is not limited to, talent acquisition, skills training and upgrading, research and development, funding procurement, hosting student placements and charitable giving.

“Working with DC Solutions for Business offers business owners and employers an excellent opportunity to assess their operations and talent pool to ensure company resources align with an overall vision or goal,” said Tara Koski, director, Career Development and Co-operative Education, DC. “Opportunities for growth are available for any organization willing to explore, and our experts can provide customized, innovative solutions to identify and address challenges.”

DC Solutions for Business offers a range of services from which organizations can choose, either singularly or in a combination that will best suit their needs, provided by the following service areas:

  • Career Development and Co-operative Education.
  • Community Employment Services.
  • Corporate Training Services.
  • Event and catering services.
  • Office of Development and Alumni Affairs.
  • Office of Research Services, Innovation and Entrepreneurship.

“No matter their size, stage or specialization, businesses need direct access to trusted advisors and service providers,” said Koski. “They also need the support of an adaptive team that can provide the expertise and training needed to emerge at the forefront of today’s rapidly changing market.”

From research and development services and prototyping new technologies to customized training and building an employee dream team, DC Solutions for Business can meet business owners and employers where they are and help them evolve to where they want to be tomorrow.

To learn more, please visit www.durhamcollege.ca/solutions.

Grads-to-be learn about convocation and alumni benefits at Countdown to Grad

Durham College’s (DC) spring and fall 2017 graduates-to-be enjoyed more than just a free lunch during the college’s annual Countdown to Grad events held at the Oshawa and Whitby campuses and Pickering Learning Site.

The events provided students with a fun opportunity to find out everything they need to know about their upcoming graduation while also learning about alumni benefits, career development services and convocation details. They also enjoyed a free slice of pizza and received a gift from the Alumni Association.

The events, sponsored by the Durham College Alumni Association, were held on March 7 (Oshawa campus), March 9 (Whitby campus) and March 10 (Pickering Learning Site) and over 500 attended.

For more information about DC’s spring 2017 convocation ceremonies, please visit the Spring Convocation page.

Robots battle it out at DC

High school robotics teams from across Ontario converged at Durham College’s (DC) Oshawa campus from March 3 to 5 for the 2017 FIRST® Robotics Competition: Ontario District – Durham College event. FIRST is an acronym that means For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology.

This is the third year DC has sponsored the FIRST event, welcoming more than 1,000 students on 40 teams. Competitors demonstrated their engineering skills and knowledge playing FIRST Steamworks, a new game developed for the annual robotics battle. By the end, one alliance, comprising three teams working together, walked away victorious. Congratulations goes to teams 1285 (The Big Bang), 4939 (Allspark9) and 4946 (The Alpha Dogs), who all hail from the Peel District School board. They will be competing at the Ontario District Championships at the beginning of April and then, if successful, will head to the World Championships in St. Louis at end of that month.

The FIRST Robotics Competition: Ontario District – Durham College event was the first of nine qualifying competitions being held across Canada. FIRST is an international, not-for-profit organization dedicated to inspiring young people’s interest and participation in science and technology. In 2017, over 3,000 teams comprising more than 78,000 students from around the world will compete in FIRST Steamworks.

DC Lords take silver in both men's and women’s volleyball

For the first time in Durham College’s (DC) long and storied athletics history both the men’s and women’s volleyball teams won silver medals in the same year at the Ontario Colleges Athletic Association (OCAA) championships.

For the men’s team this was the first OCAA medal for the program since 2006 and the fourth silver medal for the program overall, with championships coming in 1988 and 1996.

At the OCAA championships the women’s team played for the gold medal game against the Humber Hawks, who have been the reigning champions of the OCAA for the past decade.

The women finished the year with 26 overall wins, breaking the previous record of 24 set by the 1999 team which went on to win bronze at the OCAA championship that year.