Durham College and the University of Ontario Institute of Technology mourn the loss of Durham Regional Chair Roger Anderson

Oshawa, ON – Durham College and the University of Ontario Institute of Technology are deeply saddened by the passing of Durham Regional Chair Roger Anderson.

A long-time advocate for post-secondary education and a benefactor of both the college and university, Anderson made a profound impact on students at both institutions through his charitable initiative, the Roger Anderson Charity Classic golf tournament, which celebrated its 20th anniversary in 2017 and reached a milestone of more than $6 million raised to support local youth.

Anderson was Durham’s longest-serving regional chair and was the first person to be directly elected into the role in 2014. Prior to his terms as regional chair, Anderson served as a constable on the Durham Regional Police Service (DRPS) from 1978 to 1988 and as a broker with a local real estate business. He also served as regional councillor and deputy mayor for the Town of Ajax from 1991 to 1997.

Anderson was chair of the Durham Region Transit Commission since its inception on January 1, 2006, and served several terms as chair of the DRPS Board. He was active in the Association of Municipalities of Ontario (AMO) for 25 years, including a two-year term as president.

In honour of Chairman Anderson’s life, the college and university’s flags will be lowered on the day of his funeral, Thursday, March 29.

Quotes:

Roger and his family are in the thoughts of the Durham College community across the region and well beyond. Each year, through Roger’s generosity, the college bestows more than 100 awards, totaling $2.5 million, to students who might otherwise not have the means to pursue a post-secondary education. He recognized the connection between such opportunity and the pride and prosperity of Durham Region and hoped beneficiaries would go on to offer other students a hand up in their own way. This is the spirit in which we will carry forward Roger’s legacy.

Don Lovisa
President, Durham College

I share the condolences of our entire university community with the Anderson family. For two decades, the Roger Anderson Charity Classic raised more than $6 million to support local youth, including over $1.6 million towards scholarships for our students at the University of Ontario Institute of Technology. His legacy of generosity and leadership lives on in the lives of our students and alumni.

Steven Murphy, PhD

President and Vice Chancellor, University of Ontario Institute of Technology

 

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About Durham College

At Durham College (DC), the student experience comes first. With campuses in Oshawa and Whitby and a learning site in Pickering, the college offers more than 12,000 full-time post-secondary and apprenticeship students access to more than 140 full-time and eight apprenticeship programs in a number of different disciplines, enabling them to develop the skills required to meet the demands of today’s job market. The college is also set to launch its first four-year degree program, the Honours Bachelor of Health Care Technology Management, in September 2018.

The Oshawa campus features the state-of-the art Student Services building and will soon feature the Centre for Collaborative Education, a legacy project tied to DC’s 50th anniversary in 2017. The new facility will bring together local, Indigenous and global communities, providing a new home for several of the college’s most innovative and ground-breaking programs.

The Whitby campus features the award-winning W. Galen Weston Centre for Food, which includes Bistro ’67, a full-service, teaching-inspired restaurant, and Pantry, a retail store featuring food prepared by students in the college’s culinary programs.

For more information, visit www.durhamcollege.ca or call 905.721.2000.

 

About the University of Ontario Institute of Technology

 

The University of Ontario Institute of Technology advances the discovery and application of knowledge through a technology-enriched learning environment and the delivery of innovative market-driven programs responsive to the needs of students and industry. With more than 10,000 undergraduate and graduate students enrolled in more than 75 programs, the university promotes social engagement, fosters critical thinking and integrates outcomes-based learning experiences inside and outside the classroom. The university’s commitment to accelerating economic growth and social innovation is realized through faculty research collaborations with leading organizations such as Ontario Power Generation, IBM, The Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids) and the Durham Regional Police Service. To find out more, visit uoit.ca.

 

Media contacts:

Melissa McLean
Durham College
905.721.2000 ext. 2952
melissa.mclean@durhamcollege.ca

Bryan Oliver
University of Ontario Institute of Technology
905.721.8668 ext. 6709
bryan.oliver@uoit.ca