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Durham College honours graduates at 2015 fall convocation

The arrival of fall signals the beginning of school for many but for some it also means the ending of the educational chapter of their lives. On October 29, Durham College recognized this occasion with their annual fall convocation, marking the successful graduation of more than 1,100 students from more than 115 programs. 

The event also honoured students who earned a place on the highly regarded President’s Honour Roll as well as recipients of scholarship and leadership awards. 

Graduates from the Centre for Food and the schools of Business, IT & Management; Continuing Education; Health & Community Services; Interdisciplinary Studies & Employment Services; Justice & Emergency Services; Media, Art & Design; Science & Engineering Technology; and Skilled Trades, Apprenticeship & Renewable Technology were awarded their diplomas and certificates in front of hundreds of family and friends.

 With the fall convocation, Durham College now boasts more than 73,000 alumni over its 48-year history.

Four DC grads hired as DRPS constables

After years of hard work, dedication and volunteering, four Durham College (DC) graduates saw their dreams become reality as they were sworn in as constables with the Durham Regional Police Service (DRPS).

Christine Barnett, a 2011 graduate of the Victimology program, Ryan Roffey, a 2009 graduate of the Police Foundations program, Ryan Sheridan, a 2013 graduate of the Police Foundations program and Sunil Madhaven, a 2010 graduate of the Law and Security Administration (now Protection, Security and Investigations) program all attribute their success to the dedicated professors and the structure of their respective programs in DC’s School of Justice & Emergency Services.

“The field placement at the end of the two-year program really helped me with networking and getting to know the right people to help me in my future,” says Madhaven.

“I felt very confident going into the Ontario Police College because I already had a great background in these subjects as a result of the Police Foundations program,” says Sheridan. “The professors at DC provided me with amazing support in my pursuit of a position with the DRPS.”

For more information about programs in DC’s School of Justice & Emergency Services please visit http://www.durhamcollege.ca/academic-schools/school-of-justice-emergency-services.

Lords win softball championship on home field, team’s first since 2011

The Durham College (DC) women’s softball team is back on top after winning the 2015 Ontario Colleges Athletic Association (OCAA) championship. The host Lords defeated the Humber Hawks 7-3 on October 24 at Durham Field to win the OCAA title, the program’s first since 2011.
 
Championship MVP Caitlyn Omelanchuk pitched a complete game for Durham, allowing three earned runs on nine hits and six walks in the win. She struck out three in the final.
 
“It’s always good to win at home, but it’s also good to win anywhere,” said head coach Jim Nemish. “We’ve been looking to put a new championship sign up there on the outfield fence; it’s been a few years. It’s just special to win at home on your home field.”
 
At the plate, player of the game Justine Pike led the Lords, going 2-for-2 with a walk and an RBI. Rebecca Ropp was also named a tournament all-star for DC, finishing the tournament with a .538 batting average.
 
DC made their way to the championship final by defeating the Canadian Collegiate Softball Association (CCSA) champion St. Clair Saints, 8-5 and Fanshawe Falcons, 11-3 on Friday.
 
“They’re a young team and we’ve been up and down all season, but last Sunday we had a good talk with the girls and told them they’ve got to play with heart,” said Nemish. “This game is played with heart, discipline and being able to make adjustments. They bought into that and we went on a roll, sweeping Fanshawe, Conestoga and then went undefeated. You can use the cliché ‘peaked at the right time,’ but the girls played solid ball and believed in themselves this weekend.”

Durham College students put the spotlight on sports

Senior students from Durham College’s (DC) Broadcasting – Radio and Contemporary Media program are hitting it out of the park with their series The Untitled Sports Show, which airs on Rogers TV Durham.

Creator and producer, Nick Konarowski is joined on-air by classmates Mike Bryen and Phil McCabe as well as Sport Business Management graduate Christian Skirdine.

Together, these DC students use skills from their respective programs to explore the world of sports in Durham Region. The Untitled Sports Show is a mixture of in-studio sports chat and on-location segments with athletes. Konarowski pitched the idea to Rogers TV in the spring and the team of DC students filmed the show throughout the summer. The first 30-minute episode was aired on September 27.

In addition to profiling the guest athletes, they take the opportunity to learn from them – with a little friendly competition too. The guest athlete is asked to teach the students and their audience an element of their sport. The co-hosts then split into two teams to try it out themselves. 

“We had Toronto Argonauts kicker Swayze Waters teach us how to kick a field goal,” said Konarowski. “Mike Bryen won that challenge.”

Konarowski graduated from Trent University with a bachelor of arts but decided to return to school at DC in the hopes of turning his hobby into a career. He shares his passion for sports with the Durham community as a new episode of The Untitled Sports Show airs each week.

DC once again named one of Canada’s top 50 research colleges

For the third consecutive year, Durham College (DC) has been ranked among Canada’s top 50 research colleges for research income by Research Infosource Inc.

Supported by DC’s Office of Research Services, Innovation and Entrepreneurship (ORSIE), applied research plays a vital role at the college; students have the opportunity to develop their skills and interests and faculty can build their research portfolios. It also provides small- and medium-sized enterprises and organizations within the community with viable solutions to meet their needs and strengthen their position in the marketplace.

“We are thrilled to once again be named one of Canada’s top 50 research colleges,” said Debbie McKee Demczyk, director, ORSIE. “The projects undertaken by our investigators and students drive both the scholarly and educational agendas forward while also making a measurable impact on the wider community. Whether it’s entrepreneurship, advanced manufacturing or emerging agribusiness, DC is at the forefront of applied research trends.”

Visit the ORSIE website to learn more about applied research at DC. More information and a complete list of Canada’s Top 50 Research Colleges can be viewed on the Research Infosource Inc. website.

Durham College signs Indigenous Education Protocol

On Friday, October 16, Durham College (DC) President, Don Lovisa, along with several Aboriginal community representatives including Chiefs and a Métis Senator gathered to sign the Indigenous Education Protocol for Colleges and Institutes, continuing the college’s commitment to supporting Aboriginal students on campus.

The protocol highlights the importance of structures and approaches required to address Indigenous Peoples’ learning needs and support self-determination and socio-economic development of Indigenous communities.  It also complements the recommendations outlined in the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s call to action.

DC is situated on the traditional territories of the Mississaugas of Scugog Island First Nations, and acknowledges the Mississaugas of Scugog Island First Nations community for allowing us to be guests on their territories.

As partners working together in the community, DC has always strived to recognize and support the cultural and educational traditions of Indigenous Peoples on campus and utilizes a holistic approach to education serving Aboriginal students and providing culturally meaningful supports and programming throughout their academic journey.

Enjoy a unique dining experience with celebrity chef Jamie Kennedy at DC’s Bistro ’67

Durham College (DC) is pleased to offer a series of distinctive dining and culinary experiences with celebrity chef and Centre for Food (CFF) ambassador Jamie Kennedy on select Thursdays throughout the year with the introduction of Jamie Kennedy Thursdays at DC’s Bistro ’67. As part of the event, guests will have the opportunity to personally interact and socialize with Chef Kennedy while sampling the delicious cuisine.

The first special evening kicks off at Bistro ’67 at the college’s Whitby campus on Thursday, October 22 at 6 p.m. with a four-course meal influenced by JK: The Jamie Kennedy Cookbook, featuring blue cheese and leek tart; pressed perch terrine with watercress puree and beet-pickled wild leeks; curried sweet potato soup with raita; navarin and chop of lamb; and bread and butter pudding with maple walnut ice cream.

Tickets are $100 plus tax per person and can be purchased by contacting Kelly O’Brien at 905.721.2000 ext. 4255 or kelly.o’brien@durhamcollege.ca. Please note: a limited number of tickets are available.

Inspired by the CFF’s field-to-fork philosophy and prepared by DC’s culinary students with assistance from Chef Kennedy, these evenings will include great food in a creative learning environment, demonstrating what happens when communities, local farmers and education work together.

Jamie Kennedy Thursdays at DC’s Bistro ’67 continues on Thursday, November 19 with a menu featuring fall game.

Durham Lords baseball giving back to their sport

The Toronto Blue Jays are the hottest team in the majors. Minor baseball registrations are up. Canada has fallen back in love with America’s pastime.

In 2015, the Durham College (DC) Lords’ men’s baseball team is doing their part in growing the game internationally having teamed up with Play Global.
 
A charitable initiative formed in 2012, Play Global teaches baseball to coaches and youth in areas of conflict and developing countries including Uganda, using baseball as a way to help kids see past their differences, respect others and play as a team. 
 
“It is really important for our guys to give back,” said DC head coach Sam Dempster. “With all of the challenges kids face in Uganda (poverty, malnutrition, malaria, etc.), they still want to play baseball. The sport has given so much to our players growing up so we are excited to be able to give back.”
 
At the Lords’ home opener on September 13, a fundraising barbecue was held in support of the charity, raising $350, a portion of which was used to purchase warm-up t-shirts crested with Ugandan Baseball logos. These shirts are currently being worn by the team and at the end of the season will be autographed and sent to Ugandan youths.

Along with the shirts, the team will also send a variety of baseball equipment including gloves, cleats, bats, uniform tops, pants, hats, baseballs, batting helmets and catcher’s gear as well as a number of DC campus recreation t-shirts.

For more information on the Durham College baseball team, visit www.durhamlords.com.
 
For more information on Play Global, visit www.play-global.org.

 

DC enrolment continues to grow despite a provincial decline in applications

While most post-secondary institutions in Ontario realized an overall decline in applications, Durham College (DC) announced it has experienced an increase in enrolment of more than 1.3 per cent since fall 2014. One of only three colleges in the Greater Toronto Area to increase confirmed applicants, DC’s history of growth continues to positively impact the economic and social development of Durham Region.

“With September officially behind us, we are pleased to say we’ve gotten off to a strong start,” said Elaine Popp, vice-president, Academic. “Our increased enrolment numbers indicate that more students than ever, both domestically and abroad, recognize Durham College’s commitment to fostering their success, both during their studies and upon graduation. From the introduction of new programs to providing more pathways and opportunities for students to gain real-world work experience, we are living our mission that the student experience comes first.”

In total DC welcomed more than 11,200 full-time post-secondary and apprenticeship students to its Oshawa and Whitby campuses and Pickering Learning Site including more than 5,700 first-year students and 523 international students from 48 countries. Through its nine academic schools, the college offers more than 140 full-time programs and more than 450 pathway opportunities with universities in Ontario, Canada and around the world.

DC’s commitment to developing new, market-driven programs continued with the introduction of Accounting and Payroll, Advanced Baking and Pastry Art (graduate certificate), Human Resources – Business – Transfer to UOIT Bachelor of Commerce (Hons), Insurance and Media Fundamentals.

In addition to welcoming new students and adding new curriculum, DC launched the second year of its highly successful, multi-platform Experience DC social media marketing campaign. With a goal of engagement with prospective and current students, parents, teachers and the community, this year’s campaign features 39 team members, including students, employees and alumni. Visitors to the website will get the inside scoop on DC from those who know it best and will follow their adventures through social media, videos and blogs as they Experience DC their way.

For more information and details on any of the college’s programs, please visit www.durhamcollege.ca/programs.

Durham College students brush up on best practices

Students from Durham College’s (DC) Dental Hygiene and Personal Support Worker (PSW) programs had the opportunity to broaden their area of knowledge and expertise through an experiential learning session facilitated by their professors.

The 90-minute session is in its third year, with the purpose of promoting collaboration and dialogue between the dental hygiene and PSW students. This allows students to share best practices surrounding senior care in the areas of mobility and the importance of oral maintenance.

At the beginning of the session students are divided into pairs, with a representative from each program. During the first 45 minutes the PSW students facilitate discussions surrounding mobility. The focus of this component is to educate dental hygiene students about the numerous mobility limitations a client may experience. PSW students then demonstrate and guide dental hygiene students through best practices for transferring clients from wheelchair to dental chair.

During the second half of the session, the dental hygiene students took the lead with a presentation relating to oral care, diseases and prevention methods. Following the presentation, they discussed and demonstrated effective strategies for clients who are resistant to oral care.

To help facilitators continue to improve this learning opportunity, participants were asked to complete a short, reflective survey on the experience.

This experiential learning session will be showcased at the upcoming Canadian Dental Hygienists Association conference in Victoria, B.C. this October.