Nurse Chevrolet Cadillac

Just as Durham College (DC) has been a part of Durham Region for the past five decades, Nurse Chevrolet Cadillac has also been a stalwart of the community since its founding in 1966. Established by W.S. (Bill) Nurse, the dealership not only sells and services cars, it is engaged in a culture of philanthropy that has supported multiple charities and organizations throughout the years.

At its helm is Bill’s daughter Mary Nurse, who joined the organization in 1997 and was subsequently approved as the dealer principal for Nurse Chevrolet Cadillac Ltd. Under her direction the dealership’s physical footprint, operations and chartable giving have grown significantly.

As those changes have taken place, so too has the development at DC. The Nurses moved to Durham Region shortly after the Simcoe Building – the only building on campus – had first opened. Mary, who was a high school guidance counsellor prior to taking over at the dealership, also remembers bringing students to the college’s Oshawa campus for tours.

From those early days onward, she has watched as the college has grown. Through forming its partnership and adding to its shared campus with the Ontario Tech University, to expanding its Whitby campus, DC has continued to develop its facilities and programs to meet the needs of its students.

Which could not be done without help from private and corporate donors like Nurse Chevrolet Cadillac, whose latest gift is helping to complete construction of the college’s new Centre for Collaborative Education (CFCE).  

Mary recently joined DC President Don Lovisa, student Annabelle Wilson and Senior Development Officer Jennifer Clark for a tour of the CFCE. Scheduled to open in fall 2018, she was able to see the space, including the classroom that will bear the dealership’s name in honour of their contribution, as well as hear about the services, supports and spaces that will call the CFCE home.

“Being able to tour the project was a wonderful way to bring the impact of our donation to life,” Mary said. “The plans the college has for the space are truly amazing and right on target with the needs of the employment market here in Durham Region. The facilities and training that will be available are truly relevant to the world of work after graduation and will certainly help students prepare for their careers.”

When asked about why Nurse Chevrolet Cadillac chose to financially support the CFCE she noted, “as a dealership we have a number of pillars that we use to evaluate potential donations. Education is one of them and we feel it’s the role of the community to support teaching and learning for the next generation. We had also made a donation towards the construction of the W. Galen Weston Centre for Food at the college’s Whitby Campus. Donating to this capital project seemed like the logical next step, one which would benefit both the community at large and DC students.”

A legacy project tied to the college’s 50th anniversary in 2017, the CFCE will replace the college’s aging Simcoe building, which was originally built as a temporary structure and opened in 1969. The new multi-level, 75,000-square-foot-facility will serve as an educational access point for students while bringing together local, Indigenous and global community groups and members of key business sectors.  

Click here to learn more about the programs and services that will call the CFCE home.