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Region of Durham to invest $1 million in Durham College

Durham College (DC) announced today that it will receive $1 million from The Regional Municipality of Durham in support of its new Centre for Collaborative Education (CFCE). Durham Regional Council approved the funding request at its meeting on February 8.

“On behalf of everyone at Durham College, I would like to express our gratitude to the Region for its investment in our new Centre for Collaborative Education,” said Don Lovisa, president, DC. “Not only is this contribution reflective of the ongoing support we’ve received from the Region over the years, it is also a vote of confidence in our vision for the CFCE – to create a 21st-century approach to learning that will enable the college to create an educational hub of excellence here in the region, while meeting the demands of students, employers and Ontario’s changing economy.” 

Timed to coincide with the college’s 50th anniversary in 2017, the multi-level, 75,000-square-foot facility and legacy project will replace the aging Simcoe building. The CFCE will be home to multiple departments. This includes the School-College-Work Initiative and the affiliated Centre for Success program, the Centre for Indigenous Peoples, and the Office of Student Diversity, Inclusion and Transitions. It will also offer spaces for innovation and collaboration, and open learning and social spaces for students, faculty and the community. ‎

“This funding is an important investment in our future – it supports the people and businesses that will drive our economy forward,” said Roger Anderson, regional chair and chief executive officer of The Regional Municipality of Durham. “Durham College is a cornerstone of our community, offering educational programs that provide the necessary tools for success.”

Scheduled to open in 2018, the CFCE will act as an educational access point that brings together students, local, global and Indigenous community groups and members of key business sectors.

All levels of government have now invested in the CFCE. After securing $35 million in funding from the federal and provincial governments in 2016, DC launched a capital campaign to raise the additional $5 million required to complete construction of the new building. The Region of Durham’s $1 million investment follows the recently announced $1 million investment from the City of Oshawa. DC continues to fundraise to reach its $40 million goal. 

Bistro ’67 welcomes new executive chef Raul Sojo

Durham College (DC) is proud to welcome Chef Raul Sojo to the DC family as the new executive chef, Bistro ’67, at the W. Galen Weston Centre for Food.

In this position, Chef Sojo is responsible for the field-to-fork food operations of Bistro ’67, DC’s full-service, teaching-inspired restaurant. He also works closely with students and faculty from the Centre for Food’s academic programs to help prepare the next generation of food and hospitality professionals.

Chef Sojo brings deep culinary expertise and experience to Bistro ’67. Most recently, he held the positions of chef de cuisine at the Oshawa Golf Club and executive chef and owner of RSVP Chef and Catering Services. In addition, he is a collaborator with a food magazine in Colombia and has taught for DC part-time. Chef Sojo holds Red Seal Certification and a diploma in Culinary Management.

From Bistro ‘67’s state-of-the-art kitchen and learning environment, Chef Sojo will create unique dining experiences for patrons as he designs and executes fresh, inspiring menus that incorporate his passion for field-to-fork. His original menu debut for Bistro ’67 will be a prix fixe menu offered on Friday, February 10 and Saturday, February 11, which will include an array of delectable dishes including:

  • Ontario parsnip soup with DC bacon lardson and parsley oil to start.
  • Choice of corn-fed Ontario beef striploin, pan-fired Canadian branzino or potato gnocchi.
  • Buttermilk vanilla panna cotta with beetroot sponge and lemon gel for dessert.

For more information and reservations, please visit www.bistro67.ca.

DC grads wow audience with their success stories during Alumni in the Pit

On February 7, Durham College (DC) alumni captivated their audience with stories of hover engines and the Canadian Football League (CFL) during the college’s Alumni in the Pit event.

The event, which can be viewed here, saw John Hotts, associate creative director at OneMethod design shop, and Brent Lessard, technical co-ordinator at International Leak Detection (ILD) and co-founder of rLoop, return to campus to share their experiences following graduation. The DC grads also answered questions and provided guidance to students about to embark on their own career paths.

“When you love what you do, it doesn’t feel like work,” said Lessard, who graduated from DC’s Mechanical Engineering Technology program in 2014.

“Failure is okay,” added Hotts, a 2008 graduate of DC’s Advertising and Marketing Communications program. “You will make mistakes, but it’s important to learn from them.”

Although Lessard had already completed some post-secondary education before he began his DC journey, he said it was the applied learning experiences offered at the college that made a difference and kept him engaged in innovation and technology.

It was that engagement that also helped prepare Lessard for his biggest opportunity. When SpaceX, a company that manufactures and launches rockets and spacecraft, announced a Hyperloop pod competition, Lessard put his DC training to work and co-founded rLoop, a team of more than 140 people worldwide, to develop a prototype — one that ultimately won the competition’s non-student category.

“It’s like a plane without wings,” said Lessard of the travel pod. “It’s propelled by active magnetic levitation or ‘hover engines’, and moves through a tube at hyper speed.” He added that if implemented in Canada, the pod could transport people from Toronto to Montreal in 22 minutes. “You could live in Montreal, work in Toronto and go to Ottawa for dinner.”

Now recognized as one of Canada’s top creatives under 30 years old, Hotts also had past experience in his field before attending DC. He shared with students that it was the field placement opportunity through his advertising program that helped him break into the industry.

“You have to plan and put together a resumé and a portfolio you are proud of,” said Hotts of the experience. He added that one of his professors helped him and a classmate secure the interviews for their placements – a connection he remembers and is grateful for to this day.

It was at this placement that Hotts learned two career rules he still carries with him to any job: first, check your ego at the door, and second, ask all the dumb questions. Following these two rules combined with his unbridled creativity and talent have landed Hotts projects with big-name brands such as Sweet Jesus, Delissio, World Wildlife Fund, Kit Kat Canada and Coors Light. However, it’s his redesign of the CFL’s logo that stands out among the rest. “It has longevity and has been engrained into Canadian culture,” said Hotts fondly.

Alumni in the Pit is part of DC’s backpack2Briefcase program, a series of events designed to help students and recent alumni make a smooth transition from college to the workplace.

Events and workshops are held throughout the year to offer opportunities for both personal and professional development that will enhance the skills and training students learn in the classroom.

A heartfelt thanks to Durham College students

Durham College (DC) employees shared their heartfelt thanks with students around campus as they handed out cookies on February 2 and 3. 

The heart-shaped sweet treats were to show appreciation to our students and thank them for choosing DC. Students also had the opportunity to share the love by capturing the moment in a life-size Instagram photo frame and posting it on social media.

 “My school loves me!” posted one student on Twitter, while another posted, “the cookies were great and helped with our test stress!”

DC appreciates all of our students and we work hard to ensure their experience comes first.

From our hearts to yours, thank you to all students and employee volunteers for participating in this great event!

DC welcomes Ontario Premier Kathleen Wynne to Oshawa campus

On February 6, Durham College (DC) welcomed Ontario Premier Kathleen Wynne back to the Oshawa campus as part of her ongoing tour of post-secondary institutions across the province, which began in January.

During her visit, DC had an opportunity to proudly showcase some of its amazing faculty and students as the premier met with representatives from the Early Childhood Education program, which is housed under the School of Health & Community Services.

Premier Wynne then had the opportunity to engage with faculty and students from the School of Science & Engineering Technology, as students from the Biomedical Engineering Technology program shared some of their current project work.

Durham College to receive $1 million from the City of Oshawa in support of Centre for Collaborative Education

Durham College (DC) is pleased to announce that it will receive $1 million from the City of Oshawa in support of its new Centre for Collaborative Education (CFCE).

 The funding is being allocated from the city’s newly established Infrastructure Fund, and is the result of a request made by the college to the City of Oshawa. The request was approved through a nearly unanimous vote by Council on January 25, 2017 at the City of Oshawa council meeting. 

 The investment will support the construction of the CFCE, a multi-level, 75,000-square-foot facility and legacy project tied to the college’s 50th anniversary in 2017.

“This generous donation is a strong reflection of Durham College’s longstanding relationship with the City of Oshawa,” said Don Lovisa, president, Durham College. “It not only represents an investment in education but in the broader Oshawa community, which we have proudly been a part of for the past 50 years. On behalf of DC, I extend my sincere thanks to the City of Oshawa for making its first capital commitment to Durham College a significant one that will help us build our new Centre for Collaborative Education.”

The CFCE, scheduled to open in 2018, will act as an educational access point for students while bringing together local, Indigenous and global community groups and members of key business sectors.

“The City of Oshawa and its residents have and will continue to benefit from Durham College’s years of dedicated service to the education and social structure of the region,” said Oshawa Mayor John Henry. “This investment recognizes the college’s ongoing commitment to excellence, and the benefits the CFCE and its exceptional programming will afford students and the broader community alike.”

The centre will not only become a landmark at DC’s Oshawa campus, where it will replace the aging Simcoe building, but also within the city of Oshawa. It will be home to departments such as the School-College-Work Initiative and affiliated Centre for Success program, the Centre for Indigenous Peoples, the Office of Student Diversity, Inclusion and Transitions, the Spark Centre, health and science facilities and foundations programs, as well as offer  global, open and collaborative learning and social spaces.

Ontario colleges launch 50th anniversary innovation fund contest for students and alumni

To help mark their 50th anniversary celebrations in 2017, Ontario colleges have launched a new William G. Davis Innovation Fund contest that encourages full-time students and alumni to pitch creative projects and initiatives to compete for cash prizes.

The fund is named after former premier William G. Davis, who served as Ontario’s education minister from 1962 to 1971 and brought in the legislation that established the college system. It serves as a tribute to the bold and creative thinking that revolutionized post-secondary education in Ontario.

Entrants can be a graduate or current full-time student from one of Ontario’s 24 colleges with an idea that could improve Ontario and beyond. Applications can be made in the categories of entrepreneurialism, health and welfare, arts and culture, or community benefit.

The first-place winner will receive $15,000 to help fund the project and the second-place entry will receive $5,000.

For full details about the fund, including a detailed timeline for submissions and voting, full contest rules and regulations, please visit amazing50.ca/innovationfund. Successful entries must be achievable, sustainable, measurable, original and linked to the individual’s college experience.

Current, full-time DC students as well as alumni will be able to start posting proposals in March. A shortlist of the top applications will be publicized in August and the winners will be announced in November.

Durham College celebrates student achievement and donor generosity

On January 30, Durham College (DC) recognized both academic achievement and community generosity during the college’s annual Student and Donor Recognition Evening.

The event celebrated the accomplishments of DC’s scholarship and bursary award recipients and gave DC the opportunity to thank the countless individuals, organizations and corporate donors who choose to support students and post-secondary learning. It also gave donors the opportunity to meet with the students who benefit from their generosity.

“The support of our donors means that our students can continue to access first-class post-secondary education, which in turn will enable them to gain the skills and knowledge they need to move confidently from college to a successful career”, said Don Lovisa, president, Durham College. “Whether it’s sponsoring a bursary so a student can pursue their education without the burden of financial limitations, or funding a scholarship, which celebrates a student’s hard work and academic success, we are very grateful for the support of our community.”

During the evening Lovisa paid special tribute to two long-standing donors. The college has enjoyed a decade-long partnership with Ontario Power Generation. Over that period, OPG has invested more than $5-million to support student success, scholarships and bursaries, as well as capital expenditures, new program development and equipment.

In addition, the Roger Anderson Charity Classic, an annual fundraising golf tournament celebrating its 20th anniversary this year, was also recognized for being a long-time donor to DC. Funds raised at the event provide assistance to students across Durham Region, including those attending DC. Mr. Anderson was joined by his two sons Warren and Ryan, who also enjoyed the opportunity to meet student recipients of the bursary.

Several new donors were also recognized during the ceremony including:

  • Bowmanville Lions Club – Russell Oke Award
  • David Worsley Bursary
  • Debbie Low Premier’s Award Bursary
  • Organization of Canadian Nuclear Industries
  • Kent and Douglas Farndale Culinary Award

Durham College lowers campus flags to honour Quebec City mosque victims

Durham College (DC) remains stunned and deeply saddened by the hateful attack committed at a mosque in Quebec City this weekend. As the college grieves for everyone directly affected by this tragedy and the larger Muslim community across Canada, DC also wants to offer a direct message of love and support to our Muslim students, employees and community partners.

To share this message and honour the victims of Sunday night’s attack, we will lower our campus flags on Tuesday, January 31.

At DC, we take immense pride in being a welcoming place where we are all respected for the unique identities that each of us brings to campus. As an organization, we strive to provide a safe environment where diversity is embraced and everyone is treated with dignity. Our commitment to these values will not waver, particularly in the face of attacks that are designed to target and frighten members of our community.

The college wishes to extend our profound sympathies to the families and friends of the victims, and to everyone who has been affected by the events in Quebec City. Our team at the Office of Student Diversity, Inclusion and Transitions is available for anyone who needs support during this difficult time. Confidential counselling and support services are also available for DC students and employees.

First graders dance and learn at DC's annual Aboriginal Awareness Day

More than 300 Durham College (DC) students plus 60 first graders celebrated Aboriginal Awareness Day on Friday, January 20.

“The day says to our DC Aboriginal students that we want to celebrate you. We want to help them be proud of who they are if they aren’t already,” says Peggy Forbes, Aboriginal student advisor and coach with the DC Aboriginal Students Centre.

“All of the students were very involved. The first graders (of Kawartha Pine Ridge District School Board) had a great time with us. They were dancing and laughing,” says Forbes of the annual celebration at DC.

“The elementary students also wrote on our water raindrops (display) saying why water is important to them” reflecting the theme of the day, she said. The celebration was very inclusive, as the term Aboriginal includes First Nations, Métis and Inuit, she added.

Special guests of the day-long event, which opened with a Smudge ceremony, included: Métis Nation of Ontario Senator Cecile Wagar, of the Oshawa and Durham Region Métis Council, who also performed as a member of the All Our Relations Métis Drum Circle; Darrell LaFrance, a storyteller from the Algonquin Pikwanagan First Nations; Elder Shirley Williams, who provided the opening prayer; Métis musicians and siblings Alicia and Liam Blore playing fiddle and guitar, respectively; and Elder Gerard Sagassige, who was the master of ceremonies.

Cassie-Jean Dillon, culture and activities assistant at the Aboriginal Students Centre, said, “The day was important to celebrate and educate the broader community about the Aboriginal community.”