On October 25, more than 550 Durham College (DC) students received their credentials during this year’s Fall Convocation ceremony, with friends, family and the college community cheering them on.

“Convocation is an opportunity for our students, along with their families and the college community, to come together to recognize the hard work and dedication that has led to the completion of their credential,” said Paul Bishop, executive director, Strategic Enrolment Services and registrar, Durham College. “It’s a celebration not only of their academic success but also what’s to come. Each student graduates with the skills they need to succeed and we have every confidence their futures will be bright.”

Held at the Tribute Communities Centre in downtown Oshawa, graduates from the Centre for Food and schools of Business, IT & Management; Continuing Education, Health & Community Services; Interdisciplinary Studies; Justice & Emergency Services; Media, Art & Design; Science & Engineering Technology and Skilled Trades, Apprenticeship & Renewable Technology received their diplomas and certificates.

Manjula Selvarajah, a freelance journalist, technology columnist for CBC Radio and producer for local CBC Radio shows, as well as a 2014 graduate of DC’s Journalism – Print and Broadcast program (now known as Journalism – Mass Media), Alumni of Distinction Award recipient and Premier’s Award nominee, addressed the graduates during the ceremony.

On October 23, two teams of second-year students in Durham College’s (DC) Culinary Management program took home multiple awards at the 2018 Student Chef Challenge, hosted at DC’s W. Galen Weston Centre for Food.

Sponsored by Ontario Sheep Farmers and Mushrooms Canada, the challenge brought together students from DC, Fleming College and Centennial College to prepare and present three internationally-inspired lamb and mushroom dishes to a panel of industry judges.

Students worked with faculty mentors to guide them through the finer aspects of butchery – an essential skill required of today’s culinary arts professionals – and were provided with high-quality ingredients, including fresh mushrooms from Gordon Food Service (GFS), to test their expertise in recipe development techniques.

DC’s Team A, comprised of second-year students Kacey Payne, Sharon Nanninga and Patrick Eckert won second place overall in the competition. Team B’s Kinsley Moore, George Donovan, and Caden McBeth won the award for Best Butchery Skills and were presented with a set of high-quality butcher knives from Canada Cutlery Inc.

This exciting experience for students went above and beyond regular classroom learning, giving them the opportunity to receive valuable feedback from judges and begin building a name for themselves in the industry.

All recipes from the competition will be featured in a future cookbook jointly-published by Ontario Sheep Farmers and Mushrooms Canada, with the students receiving credit for their contributions.

On October 22 and 23, Durham College (DC), in partnership with Ontario Power Generation, hosted over 550 girls in Grades 7 to 9 from several regional school boards for a program of exploration and inspiration aimed at connecting young women with careers in science, technology and skilled trades.

The two-day conference featured keynote presentations from serial inventor and speaker Ann Makosinski and entrepreneur and HGTV designer Jo Alcorn. Students participated in hands-on workshops while taking advantage of DC’s industry-grade facilities and innovative learning spaces.

“This conference has been a fantastic way for us to introduce the next generation of women to careers in science, technology and the skilled trades, helping them to discover new skills and capabilities,” said Don Lovisa, president, Durham College. “By doing this early in their academic career, these students are able to see the possibilities for their future, giving them more opportunities to explore paths they may not have considered before.”

A selection of unique programming was offered throughout the conference, including workshops that allowed attendees to write code, test out a welding simulator, build robots, create a sheet metal candle holder, patch and plug a tire and frame a wall. The students also had opportunities to perform scientific experiments in industry-grade laboratories that included conducting an acid-base titration and testing water to simulate how water plant operators test chlorine levels in our drinking water.

Feedback from students highlighted the positive impact of hearing from two strong and successful female role models. The hands-on opportunities provided them with the chance to experience different career possibilities, expanding their knowledge and interests.

Imagine having to write, shoot and edit a short film in under 48 hours. It may sound impossible, but for students from the School of Media, Art & Design (MAD) at Durham College (DC), this is just a regular assignment and the goal of the 3rd annual 48-Hour Film Challenge.

On October 9, more than 400 MAD students spanning five programs were placed into 50 teams and each given a line of dialogue, prop and hero type that had to be included in their final submissions. Second-year and graduate-program students participating as veterans were also required to take on the role of producer or director to make the competition more challenging for them. On October 12, the films were screened at the Cineplex Odeon Theatre in Oshawa and judged by a panel of industry professionals.

Members of the film crew for this year’s best picture winner, Butterfly Man, which includes Steve Donoghue, Thi Thu Hang Bui, Nicholas Eeuwes and Amy Fawcett, will now have their names engraved on the prestigious Deanie Award, a trophy featuring a miniature likeness of MAD executive dean Greg Murphy. The following films were also honoured at the screening:

• Dustin Time – Reluctant Hero category
• The High Road – Returning Hero category
• MeCycler – Anti-hero category
• Justice is Delivered – Accidental Hero category

“This year’s challenge was very successful,” said Jennifer Bedford, a professor in both the Photography and Video Production programs for MAD. “Creative arts fields are known for having very tight deadlines and high expectations, and this challenge emphasizes the importance of producing great work under a lot of pressure. We’re thrilled that, for the third year in a row, we had a 100-per-cent success rate for all films being submitted.”

The following industry professionals and DC employees comprised the jury which chose the winners in all categories: Eileen Kennedy, liaison, Durham Region Film Office; John Arkelian, film critic, Cinechats and ArtForum; Melissa Pringle, corporate and board secretary, Office of the President, DC; Janine Knight-Grofe, manager, International Education, DC; Marnie Mandel, cultural development coordinator, City of Oshawa; and Sandra Fox, foley artist, Footsteps Post-Production Sound Inc.

The film challenge brought together students from DC’s programs in Advanced Filmmaking, Broadcasting for Radio & Contemporary Media, Media Fundamentals, Photography and Video Production, along with mentoring staff and faculty.

The largest competition of its kind in Canada, the event is designed to help students meet and collaborate across program boundaries and form a community of emerging content creators. It also provides students with an opportunity to flex their creativity and develop so-called “soft skills,” such as communication, teamwork and problem solving, which are vital to achieving success after graduation.

The health and safety of Durham College’s (DC) and the University of Ontario Institute of Technology’s campus communities are of the utmost importance. With this in mind, both institutions are introducing an interim smoke-free campus policy.

As of October 15, smoking and/or vaping of any type, including tobacco, cannabis and shisha, is prohibited anywhere on the shared north Oshawa campus, DC’s Whitby campus and the university’s downtown campus location. This includes all student residences. The policy applies to all members of the campus community, including students, faculty, staff, visitors and contractors.

The university and college have discussed becoming smoke-free for more than a year, sharing a concern about the well-known risks and negative impacts of second-hand smoke. Given Canada’s legalization of recreational cannabis use on Wednesday, October 17, and the Government of Ontario’s introduction of Bill 36, the Cannabis Statute Law Amendment Act, 2018 (allowing cannabis smoking wherever tobacco is permitted), it was determined a smoke-free policy was needed.

With a goal of having the permanent policy in place in early 2019, consultations with the campus community will begin shortly to understand its potential impact.

“With the announcement of our smoke-free campus, Durham College and the university are joining over 65 other institutions across Canada in placing an imperative on wellness,” said Don Lovisa, president, Durham College. “I am proud of the leadership role we have taken in providing a healthier environment for our students, employees and the broader community. As we begin the process of changing behaviors on campus, we are also working to provide additional support through educational programs and resources, as this new policy guides the college towards a cleaner future.”  

It is understood many people will have questions during this adjustment period. The traditional burning of substances that form a part of Indigenous culture and heritage such as tobacco, sweet grass, sage, and cedar, among others are exempt from the university’s and college’s smoke-free policy. The institutions will also work with those requiring accommodations for medical cannabis prescriptions to develop an individualized plan to accommodate their needs.

For more information about the interim policy, next steps, support resources and FAQs visit www.durhamcollege.ca/smokefree. 

On September 20, the grounds of Durham College’s (DC) W. Galen Weston Centre for Food (CFF) were once again filled with guests dining under the stars during the fourth-annual Harvest Dinner, as 130 community members celebrated fall’s abundance.

In keeping with the CFF’s field-to-fork philosophy, the family-style meal featured food planted on and picked from the CFF’s grounds and prepared by its students. Beginning with assorted appetizers including DC-made charcuterie and cheeses, the meal consisted of seven courses ranging from a trio of garden fresh salads, baked black beans with triple-smoked pork belly to Ontario lamb and apple goulash and roasted Ontario-beef striploin. Desserts included pavlova with raspberry pink-peppercorn marmalade and beet-velvet cake.

The event was the culmination of countless hours spent preparing in the CFF’s fields, labs and classrooms. It was a true team effort that saw Horticulture – Food and Farming and Horticulture Technician students cultivate and harvest the produce used in the meal, Culinary Management, Culinary Skills and students prepare the dinner and students from the Special Events Management, Hospitality – Hotel and Restaurant Operations and Hospitality Skills programs serve guests.

For those who missed the Harvest Dinner, CFF fruits and vegetables, as well as other local ingredients, will continue to be served at Bistro ’67, the college’s full-service, teaching-inspired restaurant. Fresh produce and student-prepared goods are also available at Pantry, the retail store within the CFF. For anyone looking to expand their own culinary skills, cooking classes and demonstrations are available through DC’s School of Continuing Education.

For more information, visit www.durhamcollege.ca/cff.

Durham College (DC) is pleased to welcome approximately 13,600 full-time post-secondary and apprenticeship students, including over 1,800 international students representing 64 different countries from around the world. This includes over 7,300 first year students and, as a testament to the value of a college education and the importance of both theoretical and experiential learning, over 530 students will join DC having already attended university.

“This is going to be another exciting year for DC,” said Paul Bishop, executive director, Strategic Enrolment Services, registrar, Durham College. “The diversity of our student population – from first-time students to those with previous university experience – is a testament not only to the market-driven programs offered at the college but also its commitment to ensuring students are learning the skills they need to succeed in today’s rapidly changing economy.”

Over the last several years, DC has developed a number of programs that are not only the first of their kind in Canada, they have also been created in direct response to industry needs. These include the college’s new degree, the Honours Bachelor of Health Care Technology Management, which addresses an identified gap in the health care sector for professionals with a hybrid skill set consisting of medical technology expertise and business management acumen, and Mechanical Technician – Elevating Devices.

Other programs new to DC this fall include Civil Engineering Technician, Civil Engineering Technology,Cosmetic Techniques and Management, Data Analytics for Business Decision Making, Esthetician – Spa Management and Power Engineering Techniques – Fourth Class, all of which have been created with a successful career after graduation in mind.

Also new is the Centre for Collaborative Education (CFCE), which just opened its doors at the college’s Oshawa campus. Home to the Durham College Spa providing massage therapy, cosmetic and esthetic programs and services, as well as many other innovative spaces, such as the Global Classroom, the CFCE was designed to support experiential, modern approaches to learning, helping usher DC and its approximately 13,600 students into the future.

On September 5, Durham College (DC) flung open the doors to the Centre for Collaborative Education (CFCE) and invited students and employees to explore the newest building on the Oshawa campus.

While enjoying free cupcakes and lemonade, as well as music spun by DJ Greedo, members of the campus community took self-guided tours of the CFCE’s innovative learning spaces, which include the following:

• 360insights Entrepreneurship Centre, home to FastStartDC, a program that helps students and youth develop valid business ideas and plans to take their products and services to market quickly and successfully. 
• Centre for Success and Academic Upgrading, home to the School-College-Work Initiative, a partnership between DC and five regional school boards, which assists at-risk students to earn their Ontario Secondary School Diploma (OSSD) in a college environment and find their way to post-secondary education. Students also have the opportunity to take college-level courses in order to earn dual credits that can be counted against both completing their OSSD and a chosen college program. Academic upgrading supports mature students in achieving prerequisites they need in order to pursue post-secondary education. 
• Durham College Spa, an inclusive space committed to making beauty, health and wellness accessible and more affordable for all, while supporting the intensive training and learning of a new generation of massage therapy practitioners, makeup artists and estheticians. It includes a massage therapy clinic and makeup and esthetics labs. 
• First Peoples Indigenous Centre (formerly the Aboriginal Student Centre) which uses a holistic approach to education, serving First Nations, Métis and Inuit students by focusing on their physical, mental, emotional and spiritual well-being. 
• Global Classroom, where state-of-the-art technology enables students and faculty to discuss topics in a virtual classroom, joined by experts and other students from around the world in real time to foster intercultural competency and experience. 
• Interprofessional Simulation Lab, a 21-bed unit that simulates a hospital environment for students in various health-care programs. 
• Office of Student Diversity, Inclusion and Transitions, a space dedicated to ensuring that DC students feel welcomed and supported on campus through a variety of diverse and comprehensive programs designed to foster academic and social growth.

Located on Simcoe St. North, the CFCE stands just east of where the aging Simcoe building once stood. The new multi-level facility is a legacy project tied to DC’s 50th anniversary in 2017 and will now serve as an educational access point for students while bringing together local, Indigenous and global community groups and members of key business sectors.

Up next for the CFCE will be a formal, by-invitation grand opening celebration on Tuesday, October 2, which will include an Indigenous ceremony, official ribbon-cutting, unveiling of the donor wall and time capsule installation.