Durham College celebrates 2025 Alumni of Distinction recipients Posted on May 28, 2025 at 9:42 am. This year, Durham College (DC) welcomes five individuals to the long list of outstanding graduates who have been recognized as the college’s Alumni of Distinction. The 2025 Alumni of Distinction recipients Jeremy Burns, Aaron Dale, Chris Cull, Shawn Small and Paula Sojo, will be celebrated at DC’s Spring Convocation. “We are so proud to celebrate this group of inspiring DC graduates,” said Ariel Sully, Associate Vice President, Advancement and Alumni Relations. “Each of them has found success in a career path using their own experiences to guide and assist others.” Jeremy Burns Penelogy and Youth, 2005 Law and Security Administration, 2004 Aaron dale Police Foundations, 2005 As Canadian Armed Forces veterans, Burns and Dale have a personal understanding of the gaps in support for military veterans. Together, they co-founded the Military Veterans Wellness Program (MVWP), a pioneering initiative designed to support Canadian military veterans in their transition to civilian life and improve public safety. The program is now part of mandatory training for Toronto police officers and more than 18,000 people have participated in the training in Canada. MVWP has been adapted internationally and is in the process of implementation in Australia, Ukraine, and the International Criminal Police Organization (INTERPOL). Burns graduated from the Penology and Youth program in 2005 and the Law and Security Administration program in 2004, while Dale graduated from Police Foundations in 2005. Both have served as Toronto Police Service officers for the past six years. CHRIS CULL Heating Ventilation and Air Conditioning Technician, 2007 A 2007 graduate of Heating Ventilation and Air Conditioning Technician, Cull’s inspiring achievements in health sciences are rooted in his personal transformation from opioid addiction to recovery and advocacy. Collaborating with DC’s Social Impact Hub, he created his 2023-2024 docuseries, Surviving Addiction, which highlights the humanity behind addiction and how it affects individuals and those surrounding them. A motivational speaker, filmmaker, and policy consultant, he has advised numerous institutions, including but not limited to, the Ontario Health Mental Health and Addictions Centre of Excellence, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, the Canadian Centre on Substance Use and Addiction, the Government of Canada, and the United Nations Commission on Narcotic Drugs. In addition, he is a member of the World Health Organization's Strategic and Technical Advisory Group on Mental Health, Neurological and Substance Use Conditions. SHAWN SMALL Sports Administration, 1998 Founder and President of RISE Integrated Sports + Entertainment, Small has built an agency that champions diversity, inclusion, and innovation in sports partnerships. Throughout his career, he has spearheaded major sponsorship initiatives for organizations, including Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment, Northern Super League, and the Canadian Elite Basketball League. An industry leader, he regularly shares his insights as an event speaker, panellist, and awards judge. Beyond driving measurable success for sports organizations, Small is dedicated to mentorship, helping to guide the next generation of sports leaders. He has also made an impact on DC students, previously teaching in the program that shaped his own professional journey in 1998, Sports Administration, and serving as a member of the Program Advisory Committee. PAULA SOJO Photography, 2025 Video Production, 2024 At the age of 18, Paula Sojo was diagnosed with a severe case of Crohn’s disease, resulting in 17 surgeries and a permanent ostomy. Determined to help others, she teamed up with her brother to found Ostome Fashion, a thriving business that provides fashionable and empowering options to all ostomy users. With help from family, friends, and mentors, she has not only changed her life but also promoted representation and acceptance and empowered her community. Sojo is a 2024 graduate of the Video Production program and will cross the Convocation stage for a second time this spring as a 2025 graduate of DC’s Photography program. Thousands of graduates will celebrate their achievements next month at DC’s Spring Convocation, which takes place from Monday, June 16 to Thursday, June 19 at the Tribute Communities Centre. Video production student heads to Ottawa to highlight benefits of DC-led trip to Guatemala Posted on October 2, 2023 at 9:44 am. Durham College (DC) student Shane Friedman was one of 13 students to participate in what he calls a “life-changing” trip abroad to Guatemala and now he’s sharing the benefits of the trip with education and government leaders in Ottawa in October. In February 2023, a group of students from the Faculty of Media, Art and Design (MAD) travelled to the small Indigenous community of Las Arrugas, Guatemala through a Faculty-Led Classroom Abroad (FLCA) trip. While there, DC students worked with Indigenous youth in the community. “Our goal was basically to teach the students there about media production – whether it be photo or video – and then how to take those skills and reach out to their local media outlets or leverage social media so that they could produce their own content and tell their stories and try to empower themselves and advocate for their own rights,” said Friedman, who is now a second-year video production student. DC students also produced content from the trip including a short film from Friedman where he interviewed a leader in Las Arrugas. He shared his film in April when the DC students reunited with their friends from Guatemala virtually in The Rotary Global Classroom at Durham College. He explains that the DC students not only picked up real-world media production experience, but they could demonstrate that they were doing good in the community they visited. “We could come back and say, look, the people in this community greatly benefited from us being there and here are the photos and video to actually provide proof of that.” In Ottawa between October 2 and 4, Friedman will be attending events organized by Global Skills Opportunity (GSO) and Colleges and Institutes Canada (CICan). Domestic students who participate in FLCA trips are funded by GSO with no cost to the students and Friedman said he plans to talk about what a “tremendous experience” the trip was for him and his peers at DC and how it benefited the community in Guatemala. DC faculty member and Film and Motion Design: Media Fundamentals program coordinator Jennifer Bedford led the FLCA trip and gave Friedman kudos for his team spirit and impact on his peers. “Shane’s enthusiasm was contagious, inspiring his fellow team members and the local community alike. His positive attitude and tireless work ethic were instrumental in keeping things on track and motivating the team, even in challenging circumstances,” she said. “His ability to maintain a sense of excitement and purpose greatly contributed to the project’s overall success in Guatemala.” Bedford said the international learning opportunity for MAD students is a catalyst for engaging with Indigenous and all communities worldwide. “The Home and Away: Storytelling FLCA gives DC students an opportunity to collaborate with local Mayan youth to craft and share media stories highlighting Indigenous rights, not only in Canada but also on a global scale,” she said. “This cross-cultural journey will equip them with the essential skills needed to be both global citizens and professionals.” Learn more about Faculty-Led Classrooms Abroad at Durham College.
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