A collaborative donation, tuition relief scholarships and lodging among support being offered

Oshawa, ON – Durham College (DC) is collaborating with numerous colleges across Ontario to make a joint donation of $200,000 to UNICEF’s Ukraine emergency fund.

“The ongoing humanitarian crisis in Ukraine is devastating,” says Don Lovisa, president, DC. “Our hearts go out to all those whose lives have been impacted, and we want to help families access the necessities they need, while easing their burdens during this difficult time.”

Donations to the emergency fund will support UNICEF’s ongoing programs and response to the escalating need in Ukraine by providing communities with safe water, urgent medical aid and health-care services, child protection and education. UNICEF has been working in the Ukraine since 1997.

In addition to other supports, 18 colleges are contributing to the joint donation, alongside Colleges Ontario (the sector’s advocacy organization) and the Ontario College Application Service (OCAS).

“So many Ukrainian men, women and children are either displaced or living through the terrible situation in Ukraine,” said Linda Franklin, the president and CEO of Colleges Ontario. “This tragedy has affected everyone on our campuses and created a strong desire to help.”

DC has a long history of providing integrated support services for students in need, including those impacted by world events and humanitarian efforts, to address food insecurity, physical and mental well-being, emergency housing and more. In response to the situation in Ukraine, DC will also offer the following assistance to international students impacted by the humanitarian crisis:

• International tuition relief bursaries valued at a maximum of C$15,000 each and available to full-time international students.
• Emergency bursaries providing financial assistance for non-tuition expenses, including lodging, food, transportation and more.
• Access to ten fully-subsidized on-campus residence accommodations for those impacted by the unrest in the Ukraine, including students and families transitioning to Canada.

“This support will help our international student community have access to the resources they need to succeed, despite the crisis occurring in their home country,” says Lovisa.

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About Durham College
With campuses in Oshawa and Whitby, Durham College (DC) offers over 11,400 full-time students access to more than 140 post-secondary programs, including four honours bachelor degrees and nine apprenticeship programs.

DC enables students to develop career-ready skills for the ever-changing job market by providing an exceptional college education. With a focus on experiential learning, led by expert faculty, through field placements, applied research, co-ops and other hands-on opportunities, DC grads are known for having the skills and knowledge employers need.

At the Oshawa campus, the Centre for Collaborative Education brings together local, Indigenous and global communities, featuring the Durham College Spa, Global Classroom and interprofessional simulation and anatomy labs. The campus is also home to four of the college’s applied research centres, including the AI Hub, Centre for Cybersecurity Innovation, Mixed Reality Capture Studio and Social Impact Hub. Additionally, the flexible, fully automated, and industrial-grade Integrated Manufacturing Centre serves as a model of the new standards in advanced manufacturing, mechatronics and engineering education.

At DC’s Whitby campus, the new 60,000 sq. ft. Centre for Skilled Trades and Technology shines a spotlight on industrial skilled trades training, innovation and education, and includes a double-height shop lab, new classrooms and student touchdown spaces, among other features. The campus also features the W. Galen Weston Centre for Food, which is home to the award-winning full-service restaurant, Bistro ’67; retail store, Pantry, featuring food grown and prepared by students; and the Barrett Centre of Innovation in Sustainable Urban Agriculture and its community-inspired urban farm.

Media contact:
Shelly Totino
Communications and Marketing
m: 905.626.0675
shelly.totino@durhamcollege.ca