2024 – A Year in Review at Durham College Posted on December 20, 2024 at 11:16 am. Durham College (DC) enjoyed an eventful year in 2024. We welcomed a new President and largest incoming cohort, we celebrated our largest graduating class ever, opened up our campuses to thousands of prospective students and cheered on our athletes. We made great strides in research, furthered our connections with our local and global community, kept in touch with our alumni and watched with pride as our students and employees thrived. Read on to explore some highlights from this remarkable year. News DC ushered in a new era with the appointment of Dr. Elaine Popp as President. With an eye to the future, we began development of our next Strategic Plan, which will launch in spring 2025. Our state-of-the-art electric vehicle (EV) lab, opened in 2023, was named the Vanhaverbeke Family EV Training Centre, in recognition of the generous support of philanthropists Edmond and Sylvia Vanhaverbeke. The main building of the Whitby campus was named in honour of former DC president Don Lovisa. A $300,000 grant from Intellectual Property Ontario (IPON) will allow us to continue supporting small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) with our consultation and IP investment program. Our Campus Health and Wellness Centre launched new resources in support of the mental health of our students. DC researchers are partnering with Ontario Shores Centre for Mental Health Sciences and the Abilities Centre in Whitby to study the impact of exercise on physical and mental health for forensic patients, thanks to a $350,000 College and Community Social Innovation Fund (CCSIF) grant. Researchers at the Social Impact Hub utilized a $360,000 grant from the CCSIF to launch a project to study and improve mental health care for Black communities. Accolades Durham College was named one of Canada’s Greenest Employers for the eighth time, a Greater Toronto Top Employer for the 14th time, and one of Canada’s Top 50 Research Colleges. DC received twice the recognition at the Colleges and Institutes Canada (CICan) Awards of Excellence. We received a bronze in the Excellence in Sustainable Development category, and Program Coordinator Laura Maybury earned a bronze in the Leadership Excellence Award for Faculty. Journalism student Andrew Neary received three impressive awards, including Experiential & Work-Integrated Learning Ontario (EWO) Work-Integrated Learning (WIL) Student of the Year, Co-operative Education & Work-Integrated Learning (CEWIL) Canada Emery-Dufault Student of the Year, and DC’s Alumni Association Scholarship for Academic Excellence. Police Foundations graduate Maya Austin received the Joe Moylan Award of Excellence, given each year to a remarkable Police Foundations graduate from an Ontario college. Our DC students brought home 10 medals from the Skills Ontario 2024 competition. Alexander Harley won gold in Auto Service Technology and moved on to the Skills Canada Nationals Competition in Quebec, where he finished fourth. The Barrett Centre of Innovation in Sustainable Urban Agriculture was recognized at the Royal Agricultural Winter Fair, receiving an Honourable Mention in the Urban Agriculture Excellence category from the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs (OMAFRA). Programs DC partnered with Sheridan, St. Clair and Fanshawe College to support women in the skilled trades. With over $2 million in federal funding, the partners will spearhead initiatives focused on elevating awareness and providing opportunities for women in exploring career education, networking and apprenticeships within the Red Seal skilled trades. That commitment continued with the Introduction to Millwrighting program, which provided 10 women with personalized support and training to help them prepare for the millwright aptitude test. An all-Indigenous group of 11 students successfully completed the five-week program. Our Journalism program marked its 50th anniversary with a special event in the Rotary Global Classroom. Six alumni took part in a panel discussion, sharing stories from their careers in the ever-changing industry and offering advice to today’s students. DC’s Barrett Centre of Innovation in Sustainable Urban Agriculture and the Durham Catholic District School Board (DCDSB) partnered on a Dual Credit program that gives Ajax high school students the experience of working on a farm. Four new programs will launch in fall 2025, including the Electric Drive Vehicle Technician (EDVT) program, focused on creating skilled technicians capable of maintaining and servicing electric and hybrid vehicles. Other new programs include Environmental Technician, Interior Decorating, and the Immigration Case Management graduate certificate, furthering our commitment to meeting industry and community needs by producing career-ready graduates. Events We celebrated Employee Appreciation Day with President Popp’s first address to the DC community in her new role. At Spring Convocation in June, we celebrated one of our largest graduating classes in history, while Dr. Elaine Popp was officially installed as President. Fall Convocation was equally special with over 2,200 graduates crossing the stage. Our Open House events in the Spring and Fall welcomed thousands of prospective students and their families who learned about our 145+ career-driven programs and toured our state-of-the-art facilities. The President’s Breakfast celebrated the donors who generously support our students. The Office of Research Services, Innovation and Entrepreneurship (ORSIE) opened its doors for the ORSIE Impact Expo, a celebration of the innovative research work happening at DC. Over 300 students completed the Centre for Success (CFS) and Adult Dual Credit (ADC) programs, overcoming unique challenges to achieve academic success. Experiential Learning Our students enjoy scores of opportunities to gain hands-on experience and put their skills to the test. Advanced Law Enforcement and Investigations students are taking advantage of a new virtual reality (VR) scenario program to develop their communications skills and practice some of the challenging situations they’ll face in their profession. The Faculty of Media, Art and Design’s 48-Hour Storytelling Challenge gave students a chance to showcase their artistic skills in a variety of mediums. Talented musicians hit all the right notes during Oshawa Music Week, an annual celebration of the local music community organized by Music Business Management students. Students from the Occupational Therapist Assistant and Physiotherapist Assistant (OTA/PTA) and Journalism – Mass Media programs teamed up to produce the Rehab Matters Newsletter. OTA/PTA students brought their expertise on rehab while the journalism students provided guidance on writing and editing. A number of Faculty-led Classroom Abroad trips allowed DC students to immerse themselves in new cultures while enhancing and applying the skills they have learned in the classroom. Athletics A successful winter season resulted in provincial bronze medals for the men’s basketball and women’s indoor soccer teams. In a strong fall season, our women’s softball team became both national and provincial champions. The women’s rugby team also became provincial champions, while the men’s baseball team earned provincial bronze. DC’s Esports team triumphed over their rivals from Ontario Tech University in the annual Campus Clash. We announced the formation of a sitting volleyball team, a new accessible sporting option for DC students. The women’s volleyball team prioritized their mental health by partnering with HONE Athletics to use a unique digital mental health platform to increase team communication and well-being through weekly check-ins. We look forward to another great year at Durham College in 2025.
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