encore - december 2010

APPLIED DREAMS.THE MAGAZINE OF NIAGARA COLLEGE CANADA | www.NiagaraCollege.ca | WINTER 2011 APPLIED DREAMS.

NC Teaching Brewery OpensStudents learning to make their “First Draft”

Going GlobalCourse teaches students to think globally and live locally

A new name, focusIntroducing the Canadian Food & Wine Institute

New Niagara Athletic Centre makes history: first ever game between the Niagara College Knights and Brock Badgers

The Niagara CollegeTeaching BreweryThe first of its kind in Canada

Niagara Waters SpaSensational and relaxing spa services

GreenhouseBeautiful Student grown plants and flowers

Teaching WineryWine tasting, tours and retail boutique

Benchmark RestaurantSavour delicious & fresh Niagara food5 Great

reasons to come back to college...Where indulgence supports education!

Teaching BreweryDelightful brews from first to last drafts

NiagaraCollege.ca

The enterprise operations at our Niagara-on-the-Lake Campus now include Canada’s first-and-only teaching brewery, the Niagara College Teaching Brewery. Cheers!

Winter 2011 | www.NiagaraCollege.ca | encore 1

encore

ON THE COVER Niagara College students Austin Roach, Mike Hallman and Jordan Rista are excited about what they are brewing at the Niagara College Teaching Brewery.Photo by Dan Ricci

Encore is published twice annuallyby Niagara College Canada and the Niagara College Foundation and Alumni Relations.

Mailing address: Niagara College Canada 300 Woodlawn Road Welland, Ontario, Canada L3C 7L3

Vice-President, Student and External Relations Sean Kennedy

Director, Marketing and Communications Gordon Hunchak

Manager, Marketing and New Media Dorita Pentesco

Director of Development, Niagara College Foundation and Alumni Relations Lyn Russo

Editor Senior Communications Officer Michael Wales

Contributing Writers Elise Auger, Alison Burgoyne, Steve Cino, Gosia Puzio, Lyn Russo, Joanne Cousineau, Tracy Leblanc, Michael Wales, Lauren Jones

Photography Dan Ricci, Luke Gillett, Gosia Puzio, Michael Wales, Lauren Jones, David Devine

Graphic Design Mark Hughes

Comments and submissions are welcome. Contact [email protected]

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academics

myCollege2 President’s message

3 At a glance

4 The new NC

5 AHI update

6 New board members

7 NC Hosts Canada’s colleges

8 The Core welcomes students

myStory9 Fall Convocation

9 Vietnamese Prime Minister visits NC

10 NC teaching brewery

12 New athletic centre makes history

13 Georgian Minister visits NC

13 Student produced commercials

14 NC Launches Canadian Food & Wine Institute

16 Showing our green side

16 Enviro program accredited

16 Japanese student athletes visit NC

17 Awards of Excellence - Best of the Best

myExperience18 The global classroom

myCommunity22 Many Hands supports Salvation Army

22 Habitat for Humanity

23 NC opens employment centre

23 Premier celebrates culinary achievement

myConnection24 Alumni Benefits and Services

24 Alumni Council membership list

25 Premier Awards

27 Alumni circle of excellence

27 Toyota donation

29 Building futures campaign form

2 encore | www.NiagaraCollege.ca | Winter 2011

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WelcomeWELCOME TO THE WINTER 2011 EDITION OF ENCORE. It’s been an exciting year, a time marked with new buildings, new programs, and a record number of new and returning students.

This year our enrolment has passed 9,000 students, including more than 4,500 students who began their college experience with us in September. These record numbers are a clear indication of the growing recognition of the value of applied education, and Niagara College’s reputation as a leader in student satisfaction, and one of the most enterprising Colleges in Canada.

Seven new buildings were opened at our main campuses this fall, including an Academic Wing, Athletic Centre, Learning Commons, Student Centre and technology expansion at our Welland Campus, and a culinary expansion and Teaching Brewery at Niagara-on-the-Lake. These projects are part of the largest capital expansion in our College’s history, and allow us to create state-of-the-art learning environments and new student gathering spaces while expanding our capacity in programs that serve key industries in our region and beyond. This spring we will cap off this transformation with the opening of the $40 million Applied Health Institute at our Welland Campus.

We launched new programs this fall, including Computer Systems Technician, Digital Photography, Recreation Therapy, Welding Technician, and Brewmaster and Brewery Operations Management – a unique program that is drawing attention across Canada and beyond, and is the subject of a main feature in this edition of encore. In this issue, you’ll also read about Professors Lora Miani and Bill Boehlen, who took students to South Africa as part of a new course called Go Global Live Local; the launch of the Canadian Food and Wine Institute, which takes Niagara College’s food, wine and beer education to a new level; television commercials produced by Niagara College broadcasting students and much more.

I hope you enjoy this issue, and as always, we’d love to hear from you. Please send comments, suggestions and story ideas to [email protected] PATTERSON, Ph.D.PRESIDENT, NIAGARA COLLEGE CANADA


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PATTERSON RBC’S BUSINESS CITIZEN OF THE YEARNIAGARA COLLEGE PRESIDENT, DR. DAN PATTERSON, received the top honour of Business Citizen of the Year during the RBC Business Awards at the Niagara Wine Festival’s opening event, Sept. 17.

The RBC Ontario Awards are among the highlights of the annual Niagara Wine Festival, and include Ontario’s Grape King, Business Citizen of the Year and the Best Ontario VQA Wine List for Ontario and Niagara Licensees. The awards honour supporters of Ontario’s grape and wine industry.

“Niagara College has a wide-range of programs that focus on Ontario wines,” said Patterson. “We graduate more than 1,000 students every year who are well versed about the industry and the quality of Ontario wines.”

The College further supports the grape and wine industry through applied research projects, participation in industry events and its unique Wine Visitor + Education Centre – showcasing Canadian wine, wine tourism, the Niagara College Teaching Winery, and academic and wine industry programming.

Earlier this year, Patterson was recognized for his long-term achievements and contributions to the local community with the Lord Mayors Award of Excellence – Citizen of the Year, at the 2010 Spirit of Niagara Awards.

GOLF TOURNAMENT NETS $68,000 FOR STUDENTSTHE 9TH ANNUAL NC GOLF CLASSIC on Sept. 17 at Thundering Waters Golf Club sold out a month in advance and raised a record $34,000. When the matching formula of the Ontario Trust for Student Support is applied, at least $68,000 will be added to the College’s endowment fund for scholarships and bursaries.

From left: sponsor Kyle McGregor of Campus Living Centres; Bob Jackson, tournament chair; Sean Kennedy, CEO, NC Foundation and College Vice-President Student and External Relations; and presenting sponsors Robert Aquino and Daniel Aquino of Aquicon Construction.

Niagara College’s Sean Kennedy, Vice-President of Student and External Relations, and President Dan Patterson accept a cheque donation on behalf of the Niagara College Foundation from Les Marmitons Niagara’s Conor McCotter, Sommelier and Vice-President of Fundraising, and President Ross Macfarlane during the Mardi Gras Gala and fundraising dinner held in February.

AT A GLANCERetirees honoured for almost 700 years of combined service

NIAGARA COLLEGE HONOURED ITS RECENT RETIREES during a Retirement Banquet held Oct. 21, at Club Roma in St. Catharines, for an amazing 679.51 years of combined service.

This year’s festivities celebrated honourees in attendance, including Bruna Buonocore, Sharon Yacyshyn, Lorraine Gelinas, Barry Sharpe, Darla Germain, Martha Casson, Helene Moscato, Helen Tatarnic and Darlene Mancini.

Steve Hudson, Vice-President of Academic, and David Veres, Dean of Community & Health Studies Division, entertained the crowd as they highlighted memorable moments and achievements of the honoured guests. President Dan Patterson was also in attendance to help present the honourees with a plaque and gift.

The ceremony also celebrated retirees who could not attend the event, including Linda Andrusyk, Gino Arcaro, Anthony Baronas, Vince DiLeo, James Eden, Janet Forfar, Sandra Fox, Paul Hutchinson, Joe Kelly, Sandra Kerr, Erik Madsen, Sarah Milligan, Diane Mercier, Alma Rainville, David Robinson, Valerie Stacey, Laureen Ventnor and Rita Zaturski.


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STUDENTS ARE BEGINNING TO REAP THE BENEFITS of Niagara College’s new and updated facilities. After months of construction, five new buildings opened at Welland this Fall, along with new and expanded spaces at the Niagara-on-the-Lake Campus, as part of the largest capital expansion project in Niagara College history.

The record number of new and returning students who started the Fall 2010 term found new and improved learning environments, including brand new classrooms, lecture theatres and labs, and increased student gathering spaces.

New spaces opening at Welland include the Athletic Centre, Academic Wing (Simcoe Building expansion), Technology Centre expansion, Student Centre and Learning Commons. At Niagara-on-the-Lake, a culinary expansion, including a new food lab, and a new teaching brewery were opened during the start of term.

The new heart of the Welland Campus has become the Library and Learning Commons area. The former Manera Court is now an enclosed, barrier-free environment promoting informal, social learning and resources to ensure student success with study areas, a lounge and meeting rooms. It is a link between the library, cafeteria, computer resources and major classrooms. This internal courtyard

features an atrium roof and living wall. The new Academic Wing is an extension of the existing Simcoe

building, and includes two 140-seat lecture theatres and three 70-seat lecture theatres as well as its labs, classrooms and faculty offices.

In the Skilled Trades and Technology Centre, 70,000 sq. ft. of new and renovated lab and classroom space has been added to the original building that opened in 2007. The addition creates new classroom space and increased space for welding programs. The Technology Centre is now better able to support trades such as welding, metal fabrication, construction, carpentry, cabinetmaker and electrician, and the renovation has created more than 700 new spots in the skilled trade and apprentice programs.

The new Student Centre is known as “The Core.” This two-storey great hall has an attached games room and enhanced bar and food serving facilities, as well as an enclosed outdoor patio and volleyball court. The Core provides office space for the Student Administrative Council and staff. The second floor features an alumni lounge overlooking the gym. The Student Centre has internal connections directly to the gym for special events and offers a prominent new meeting/work room. The Core is a greatly enhanced facility for student gathering, entertainment and other key services delivered

The New

Construction progress at the Welland Campus is close to completion as seen in this photo taken in October, 2010. Photo: David Devine


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by the Student Administrative Council. The centre is the new main entrance to the Welland Campus, and is well-equipped to host a variety of functions and larger events, in conjunction with the attached Athletic Centre.

Features of the five-storey high Athletic Centre include a two-storey entry concourse and an Athletic Hall of Fame. The expanded fitness and aerobic centres and central athletic therapy area help to provide students in the Health and Fitness program with a hands-on learning environment.The complex houses a double varsity-sized gymnasium with bleacher seating for up to 1,000 spectators to cheer on their teams, and offers ample change rooms for students, faculty, referees and the public. It is expandable for a future third gym and related spaces.

The expansion project has allowed the College to incorporate new technologies into the classrooms and buildings themselves. In some classrooms and the study areas of the Library and Learning Commons, SmartBoards have been installed for teaching and studying purposes. These computerized and interactive whiteboards enhance the student learning experience. Green technology equipment, including self-sustaining solar panels, a wind turbine and a geothermal heating and cooling system has been integrated into the classrooms of the Technology Centre and doubles as a teaching aid. Exposed meters in these classrooms allow students to study clean technology performance levels. Along with the enhanced learning spaces on the inside of the Athletic Centre, the outside of the building also features new technologies in the form of a partial green roof to help with roof water management and further campus sustainability.

Applied Health InstituteTHE APPLIED HEALTH INSTITUTE AT THE WELLAND CAMPUS has taken shape over the summer and fall months, with construction on track for a March 31 completion. The $40 million facility, jointly funded by the federal and provincial governments, will allow the College to consolidate all applied health programs – including Paramedic, Pre-Health, Dental, and the Practical Nursing and Personal Support Worker programs – into one complex, and will also create space for new programs and 1,000 new students. In addition to classroom, labs, offices and an auditorium, the AHI will also include a new community dental clinic on the first floor.

Simcoe Expansion >

Learning Commons ^

^ Niagara College Teaching Brewery


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Three new Governors join BoardThree new Governors, including an executive with Niagara Casinos, and elected Faculty and Student representatives, joined the Niagara College Board of Governors this fall.

APPOINTEE RICHARD TAYLOR is Vice President of Operations for Niagara Casinos, and is among the Ontario gaming industry’s pioneers having been in the business for over 16 years. Taylor has been involved in the opening of numerous casinos and slots-at-racetrack facilities throughout Ontario, and has worked on the regulatory side of the gaming industry as Director of Gaming Compliance for the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario.

DAVID PASTIRIK was recently elected as the Niagara College Academic staff representative on the Board. A Professor and Coordinator of International Business, David comes with teaching experience from both McMaster and Niagara Universities. His practical knowledge is based on his 27 years in the steel industry as an Engineer and Director of Sales and Marketing. David joined Niagara College in 2004 and has developed a true dedication to his students and colleagues. David holds a Bachelor of Engineering and a Master of Business Administration.

GRANT DALTON is the elected student representative on the Board of Governors and is in his third year of the Bachelor of Applied Business – International Commerce and Global Development program. In addition to his full time studies, Grant has served as a student leader with the Niagara College Student Administrative Council for two terms as; Vice President – Student Affairs and Vice President – Communications. He is dedicated to supporting his peers through his student leadership activities.

Summer 2010 | www.NiagaraCollege.ca | encore 7

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NIAGARA COLLEGE WELCOMED MORE THAN 700 DELEGATES from colleges and institutes across Canada, and internationally, June 6-8, as it hosted the Association of Canadian Community Colleges (ACCC) Annual Conference – the premier event bringing together the college sector. The conference drew senior administrators, faculty and staff, board members, students, international guests and business leaders who shared success stories and helped to shape a new direction for the future for Canadian colleges.

Among the highlights of the conference was an evening at Niagara College’s Niagara-on-the-Lake Campus, featuring tours of the Wine Visitor + Education Centre and NC Greenhouse, sampling of award-winning wine from the Niagara College Teaching Winery and cuisine from the Canadian Food and Wine Institute. The evening also included entertainment by street performers and an Aboriginal dance group, The Lost Dancers, music by local artists and a special Canadian Forces fighter jet flyover. Guests also had the opportunity to practice their golf swing at the golf simulator and enjoy select services at the Niagara Waters Spa.

Distinguished speakers throughout the conference included: Alan Broadbent, Chair of the Maytree Foundation; Farley Flex, Canadian Idol judge; Al Hatton, President and Chief Executive Officer of the United Way of Canada; Ann Medina, noted journalist; Stephen John Murgatroyd, innovation strategist; and, Jayson Myers, President and CEO of Canadian Manufacturers and Exporters.

The Association of Canadian Community Colleges is the national and international voice of 150 Canadian colleges, institutes of technology, polytechnics, university-colleges and cégeps. Visit accc.ca for more information.

NC hosts Canada’s Colleges


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THE CORE REPLACES AFTER HOURS, a separate building that housed the Welland Campus student centre for more than 20 years. With a growing student population, there was an increasing need to create a central location for students to call their own.

“We have received great positive feedback and the attendance throughout the day is more than we ever expected,” said Brian Costantini, President, Niagara College Student Administrative Council (SAC).

The new facility features a two-storey great hall area with pub services and attached games room, pool tables and fireplaces; enhanced bar and food serving facilities; second-floor lounge area; a lounge overlooking the new double-varsity gym; internal connections directly to the gym for special events; prominent new meeting/work room; office space for the SAC facility managers and student union; expanded food bank in a more private location; and enclosed outdoor patio and volleyball court.

Students were involved in the planning stage of the centre to ensure their needs were met.

“Prior to construction, student surveys were conducted and past student leaders were interviewed to see what students really wanted,” said Costantini. “We wanted the centre to be as inviting and comfortable as possible, but still have a student centre/sports bar feel to it.”

Students benefit from internet access, more seating, longer hours, a large and affordable food menu, as well as a small canteen offering quick access to coffee, tea and snacks on the way to class.

The new pub includes a capacity of about 300 standing students and 125 sitting. Students can relax while watching any of the nine flat screen televisions located in the centre, including six mounted on walls and three hanging from the ceiling.

The Centre is also able to host a variety of functions and larger events for the College, local community and visitors from Niagara and beyond. The unique connection with the Athletic Centre allows spectators to enjoy the student centre while viewing events occurring in the gymnasium.

“We can now accommodate more events and functions,” said Costantini. “During events, such as varsity games, students will be able to watch the action in the gym from our lounge area, while enjoying food and drinks from the pub.”

Together with the new Library and Learning Commons, students at the Welland Campus can truly find a place to study, socialize or just relax.

Students get a New Home

“We have received great positive feedback and the attendance

throughout the day is more than we ever expected,” said Brian Costantini,

President, Niagara College Student Administrative Council (SAC).

Students at the Welland campus have a new place to work, study and play, with a new state-of-the-art, fully-accessible student centre, fittingly called ‘The Core.’


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Convocation Fall 2010

Prime Minister of Vietnam Nguyen Tan Dung visits Niagara College

VIETNAMESE PRIME MINISTER, NGUYEN TAN DUNG, visited Niagara College June 28, following the G20 Summit. The Vietnamese Prime Minster toured the new Wine Visitor + Education Centre and had lunch at the Canadian Food and Wine Institute. Although not part of the G20 group of countries, the Vietnamese Prime Minister was invited to attend the summit, representing the Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN). The visit follows a visit to Niagara College by the Deputy Prime Minister of Vietnam in September, 2009.

Mike Trojan, CAO of the Regional Municipality of Niagara and Lloyd Schmidt, Winemaker, Viticulturalist and Founder of International Viticulture Services, were honoured this October along with more than 500 graduating students at Niagara College’s fall convocation ceremony. The two ceremonies held Oct. 27 and 28th at the Niagara-on-the-Lake campus, honoured graduates in many program areas, including: Community and Health Sciences; Academic Studies; Liberal Arts and Sciences; Food and Wine Sciences; Environment, Media and Technology; Hospitality and Tourism; Business; and Continuing Education. Trojan received the Niagara Award while Schmidt earned an Honorary Diploma in Winery and Viticulture.Mike Trojan accepts the Niagara Award

from Niagara College President, Dr. Dan Patterson

More than 500 Happy students received their Niagara College Diplomas during convocation ceremony

Allan Schmidt (left), NC Board of Governor, and his father, Lloyd Schmidt (right) honorary diploma recipient

At Left the Prime Minister receives a sample of NC wine from Winemaker Terence Van Rooyen.


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Niagara College

Teaching BreweryThe one-of-a-kind program will be housed in Canada’s first

and only teaching brewery. Based on the College’s extensive experience and unprecedented success with its Teaching Winery – Canada’s first and only commercial teaching winery – the open-concept state-of-the-art 1,500 sq. ft. teaching brewery facility will be fully-integrated with the new program, allowing students to brew their own craft beer on-campus.

Craft brewing is among the fastest growing alcoholic beverage segments, and with continued skills shortages projected, and the need to fill industry-specific positions with qualified people who have practical experience and specialist knowledge in beer production, brewery management and product sales/marketing, there is a need for a training system that addresses all aspects of brewery education.

“We will effectively be in full production by January of 2011,” says Jon Downing, a veteran in the craft brewing industry, founder of Mississauga-based Downing International Brewing Consulting and brewmaster for the new College teaching brewery.

Originally from Bratvalley, England, a small town outside of Stonehenge, Jon began his career at the tender age of just 14. This isn’t the first impression Jon has had on the region; 26 years ago Jon opened the first brewpub in Ontario right here in Welland – the Atlas Hotel – and previously taught in the wine program at

the College. The new teaching brewery is the 107th brewery Jon has personally opened.

A move into the brewing industry was a natural step from the successful wine and viticulture programs at the College and the award-winning teaching winery. Graduating more than 30 wine students a year since 2000, the College features a 40-acre vineyard allowing the students to produce 4,500 cases and

16 different varieties of wine annually. The Brewmaster/Brewery Operations

Management program also becomes a key element in Niagara College’s Canadian Food and Wine Institute – a unique educational model that combines food, wine and beer education.

About three years ago, the wheels were put in motion to plan a curriculum and a facility that would produce highly-skilled graduates that are

Niagara College is in the midst of packing a case of 24 students

for the booming craft brewing industry, the first batch who will graduate from the new two-year

Brewmaster and Brewery Operations Management program in 2012.


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demanded in the industry. “Recruitment was definitely not an issue,” said Kevin

Sommerville, program coordinator and brewing ingredients professor. “We had over 180 applicants for the 24 available spots.”

A 2006 Sales and Marketing graduate of the College himself, the Niagara Falls-native brings with him an impressive resume, including education at the World Brewing Academy in Chicago, Illinois, and Munchen, Germany, working as an assistant brewer at Alley Kat Brewing Company in Edmonton, Alberta, and currently a head brewer at TAPS Brewery in Niagara Falls.

“This is definitely something that the industry needs,” continued Kevin. “Many brewers in Ontario started off as home brewers with no real training. But it really is one thing to learn the process from someone and something very different to really understand the art and science that goes behind brewing.”

Niagara College has worked closely with the Ontario Craft Brewers Association in developing the program. Currently, craft brewers in Ontario must look outside the province, and often Canada, to find trained and qualified workers to grow their industry.

“The diverse backgrounds of program faculty allow for a well-rounded approach,” said Mirella Amatto, sensory evaluation professor. “I’m distilling everything I have learned and communicating it to the students. I can offer different perspectives from what a judge looks for to what the media wants – I’m on all sides of the fence.”

Mirella joins the program with her own bragging rights. A former Opera singer, Mirella quickly realized her passion for beer and in 2008, opened her company, Beerology – a Toronto-based consulting firm devoted to all things beer. A cicerone, the

equivalent to a sommelier in the wine industry, and a national-level judge, Mirella brings with her a focus on sensory evaluation.

“Beer has always been in the cards for me,” adds Mirella. “And with an industry prevalent with new technological advancements, it is becoming crucial to taste the beer and evaluate it. Sensory evaluation training is hard to come by, giving our students the upper hand when entering the industry.”

Students in the new program benefit from a technical hands-on approach not available anywhere else, allowing graduates to take on any job in the industry. Students will experience the entire

process, from production and packaging to marketing and selling.“Some brewers understand the brewing side, but not the

business side, or vice versa,” said Jon. “Our fully-qualified and trained graduates will evolve the industry, offering a fresh look and drive to the more than 50 breweries in Ontario alone.”

The program will cover all aspects within the industry, utilizing a small student brew pilot system for assignments and larger brews for commercial resale.

Students will brew a variety of beer, including lagers, ales and wheat beers. The first brew will include summer ale or pale ale-style beer. Fittingly called ‘First Draft,’ the beer is now on sale at Niagara College’s Niagara-on-the-Lake Campus.

LEFT TO RIGHT: Niagara College Teaching Brewery faculty members: Cicerone Mirella Amatto, and Brewmaster Jon Downing

Program Coordinator and Brewmaster Kevin Sommerville


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THIS SEASON, THE NIAGARA COLLEGE KNIGHTS HAVE A NEW HOME in the Athletic Centre at the Welland Campus. The new Athletic Centre replaces the Mackenzie Athletic Centre – one of the oldest buildings at the Welland Campus, and is one of the key projects in the College’s $90 million campus redevelopment.

The college officially opened the brand new five-storey high Athletic Centre with a historic match up between the Niagara College Knights and Brock University Badgers men’s basketball teams – the first time the two storied programs have met on the court. Dubbed the first annual Peninsula Hoops Classic, the event took place Wednesday, September 29, with all proceeds

going to the United Way of South Niagara.

Despite the score of 91-59 for the Brock University Badgers, the United Way of South Niagara was the big winner when the final buzzer sounded. More than 1,000 spectators filled the stands, and the event raised $4,000 in support of this year’s United Way campaign. The money was raised through ticket sales, a 50-50 draw, and the Niagara College Student Administrative Council’s contribution of a portion of its concession sales.

Along with the double varsity-sized gymnasium, the new Welland Campus Athletic Centre features expanded fitness and aerobic centres, along with a central athletic therapy area to provide a hands-on learning environment to students. With ample change rooms available for students, faculty, referees and public use, the Athletic Centre is ideal for hosting sporting events, as well as College and community events as the gymnasium doubles as an ideal location for conferences, trade shows or conventions.

The Centre has already been selected to host two high-profile championship tournaments in 2011. The 2011 Canadian Colleges Athletic Association (CCAA) Women’s Basketball Championships will take place in the Athletic Centre March 15-19. This tournament is among the premier collegiate sporting events in Canada. The College has also partnered with E.L. Crossley Secondary School to co-host the 2011 OFSAA Triple A Girls Volleyball Championships on March 8-9. Both tournaments will bring hundreds of student athletes, parents and coaches to Niagara. As part of a new sponsorship arrangement, the College will also play host to games in the 2011 Tribune Boy’s Basketball Tournament – the oldest high school basketball tournament in Ontario.

The Athletic Centre is home to the Niagara Knights Varsity Athletics, and Niagara College’s Fitness and Health Promotion, and Recreation and Leisure Services programs.

New Athletic CentreMakes History


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Georgian Minister tastes NC’s best

Talented Students: NC’s best Advertisement

THIRD-YEAR BROADCASTING – RADIO, TELEVISION AND FILM (BRTF) STUDENTS helped promote Niagara College throughout Ontario and beyond, as four television commercials, written and produced by the students, aired on network television.

The ads are part of a unique learning component incorporated into the BRTF program in 2008.

Twenty-three BRTF students were involved as crew for the commercials, which were shot on equipment donated by PS Production Services in Toronto. Approximately 20 students in the College’s Acting for Film and Television program, as well as additional students in other programs provided on-camera talent for the project.

The five spots are tied together with Niagara College’s strong brand – including its commitment to student success, and tagline of “Applied Dreams.”

The spots aired in rotation on CHCH TV and can be viewed online at NiagaraCollege.ca/video.

THE MINISTER OF AGRICULTURE FROM THE REPUBLIC OF GEORGIA, Bakur Kvezereli, tasted what Niagara College has to offer during a visit to the Niagara-on-the-Lake Campus, July 29. The Minister, accompanied by several dignitaries, sipped on award-winning Niagara College Teaching Winery wine and sampled culinary creations from the world-renowned Canadian Food and Wine Institute. The visit also included discussions between the College and the Minister on developing a partnership to benefit the local wine industry.


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THE NAME HAS CHANGED TOO; this Fall, Niagara College’s School of Food and Wine Sciences and Niagara Culinary Institute became the Canadian Food and Wine Institute. But it’s more than a change in name, it’s a change in focus. It’s a unique approach that the College plans to take beyond the borders of Niagara to

establish a national presence, and claim its place as a leader in culinary, wine and beer education in Canada.

“The most exciting part is that now, when we want to try something new, we ask, ‘How do we do this across the country?’” says Jon Ogryzlo, Dean of the Canadian Food and Wine Institute.

A new name, a new focus for Food and Wine EducationLike its namesake region, NC has emerged as a leading destination for food and wine. Its culinary programs have risen in stature over decades, and since 2002, the Niagara College Teaching Winery has served as the model for winery and viticulture education. Add the recently-launched Niagara College Teaching Brewery, and you get a unique approach that combines the elements of food, wine and beer.

Our showcase facilities create a learning experience that students won’t find anywhere else in the country...Jon Ogryzlo


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THE NEW BENCHMARK FOR STUDENT CUISINE

AS PART OF THE LAUNCH of the Canadian Food and Wine Institute, the teaching restaurant has changed. Fall 2010 saw the launch of Benchmark, replacing the former Niagara Culinary Institute Dining Room.

Overseen by Chef-Professor Michael Olson, Benchmark serves as a fresh new showcase for Niagara College’s culinary, wine and beer programs. Benchmark offers local, fresh food options for students, staff and the public in a circular dining room that provides a panoramic view of the Niagara escarpment and the College’s teaching vineyards. Fresh and local Canadian cuisine is offered for lunch and dinner in the dining room, as well as a new “Bench to Go” outlet. Menus and hours are available online at niagaracollege.ca/dining

“We’re developing a national perspective instead of local or regional. We’re developing programs that will be useful across Canada.”

“The progression from Niagara Culinary Institute to Canadian Food and Wine Institute has been to focus on becoming nationally known,” adds Craig Youdale, Chair of Food and Wine Sciences. “We want to take our abilities and apply them on a national level.”

Niagara College culinary programs have developed steadily over the years, moving from the Rainbow Centre to the Maid of the Mist Campus, and in 2003 to a state-of-the-art facility at the Niagara-on-the-Lake Campus, known until recently as the Niagara Culinary Institute. The facility includes specialized food and bake labs, a culinary theatre and the 100-seat teaching restaurant, Benchmark.

In 2002, Niagara College launched the Niagara College Teaching Winery as a practical learning enterprise supporting the Winery and Viticulture Technician program. It was the first commercial teaching winery in Canada, and in eight years it has won medals, awards and acclaim for its wines. It’s now housed in the Wine Visitor + Education Centre, a facility that opened at the Niagara-on-the-Lake Campus in 2009, and serves as home to the winery, a retail outlet for NCT Winery Wines, a starting point for wine tourists and an important resource for industry.

The NCT Winery model was used to create the Brewmaster/Brewery Operations Management program and the Niagara College Teaching Brewery. Launched in Fall 2010, the program will educate the future brewers and brewmasters who will fuel the burgeoning craft brewery industry.

All of this sits on the 114-acre Niagara-on-the-Lake Campus, which is also home to a fully-operational greenhouse, chef’s garden and 40-acres of teaching vineyards.

“Our showcase facilities create a learning experience that students won’t find anywhere else in the country,” says Ogryzlo.

Combined, these elements create a learning opportunity built on the synergies that exist between food, wine and beer, and practical experience in the heart of one of Canada’s burgeoning culinary and wine destinations.

“The more integrated information a student gets on a practical level, the better they will be,” said Youdale. “Our students have gardens, a vineyard and brewery at their fingertips. You can’t beat practical experience. The more practical experience, the better the student.”

The approach also extends beyond postsecondary programs, and aims to position Niagara College as a key education and research

restaurant

resource for industry and a partner for other postsecondary institutions across Canada.

“Part of our mandate will be to meet the needs of a range of learners from across the country through unique programming such as summer learning institutes, specialized seminars and certificates and distance education,” Ogryzlo said, adding that the national approach also establishes a new bar for measuring success.

“Becoming the Canadian Food and Wine Institute helps to link ourselves to national standards for the quality of our students and the products our students prepare and create,” he said. “By working towards national standards, students have a broad skill base to promote to employers.”

A region known for grape and tender fruit growing, and other food products also provides a great opportunity to capitalize on the growing trend toward local food.

“The Canadian Food and Wine Institute is uniquely positioned to promote farm-to-table cuisine,” said Ogryzlo. “Our students, whether they are in culinary, wine or beer, have the opportunity to follow food from field to table, and acquire the farm to consumer experience.”

Currently, the Canadian Food and Wine Institute includes a full range of certificate, apprenticeship, diploma and advanced diploma programs in culinary, winery and viticulture and beer. New programs for Fall 2011 will include the Professional Chef Management post-graduate program, and a Culinary Innovation and Food Technology program. Learn more at niagaracollege.ca/programs/programs_academic_culinary.htm


myStory

SHOWING OUR GREEN SIDE

FOURTH ANNUAL GREEN DAY NIAGARA COLLEGE SHOWED ITS GREEN SIDE Sept. 15, as the student-led environmental group, Niagara Environmental Corps (NEC), hosted its fourth annual Green Day @ Niagara event at the Niagara-on-the-Lake Campus. Guests and participants learned about local environmental organizations at the Walker Industries Exhibitor Tent, which included displays by conservation groups, nature clubs, local municipalities and industry partners, including special guests “Skyhunters Birds of Prey.” The event also featured the first-ever swap meet to educate staff, students and the community about the importance of reducing, reusing and recycling. Visitors had the opportunity to donate or trade gently used items, including clothing and accessories. The NEC also sold rain barrels throughout the event to help fund environmental projects and promote awareness on campus and within the local community.

Green Day @ Niagara promotes student involvement and volunteerism in raising environmental awareness, as well as encourages students to engage in habitat conservation, ecosystem restoration, urban sustainability and environmental education projects on campus and throughout the Niagara region. For more information, visit NiagaraCollegeNEC.ca

Program’s national accreditation first in CanadaNiagara College’s Environmental Management and Assessment (EMA) Graduate Certificate program has received national accreditation from Environmental Careers Organization (ECO) Canada, marking the first time this type of program has received the accreditation in Canada. ECO Canada’s Accreditation program is a national project developed to serve the needs of more than 400 environmentally-related education programs in Canada. The program has established a self-sustaining national standardized accreditation for environmental post-secondary education, promoting enrolment in accredited programs, such as Niagara College’s EMA program, creating linkages between graduates and certification for environmental professionals, and supporting national mobility and communication between post-secondary educational institutions. For more information, visit eco.ca

ATHLETES TEST SKILLS AT NC NIAGARA COLLEGE HOSTED MORE THAN 30 STUDENT-ATHLETES AND THEIR BASKETBALL COACHES FROM JAPAN, as part of the Niagara International Friendship Exchange for Education (NIFEE) program, July 29 to August 9. The student-athletes toured the Niagara Region and experienced Canadian culture first-hand, while testing their basketball skills at the College’s Welland Campus. Next year, roles will be reversed, when the host student-athletes from Niagara will travel to Japan and homestay with the families of the Japanese student-athletes, experiencing Japanese basketball and culture. Founded in 1991, Niagara International Friendship Exchange for Education (NIFEE) is a non-profit organization dedicated to the ongoing development of overseas educational and cultural exchange opportunities through the game of basketball. Since the program’s inception, over 1,200 families have participated from the Niagara Region and Japan. For more information, visit nifee.org.

Summer 2010 | www.NiagaraCollege.ca | encore 17

myStory

APPLIED DREAMS.

Four Year Bachelor of Business Degrees

For more information, please visit NiagaraCollege.ca/degree

Niagara College’s bachelor of business degrees combine the targeted practical hands-on learning strengths of a college with the theoretical foundations of a four-year bachelor’s degree, giving students a unique advantage in today’s job market.

• International study opportunities • Paid Co-op placements and real world training • High employment rate • Highly credentialed professors with industry experience and connections

• Applied Research opportunities

> Hospitality Operations Management

> International Commerceand Global Development

The “Best of the Best”NIAGARA COLLEGE RECOGNIZED THE TOP OF THE CLASS within the College with the annual employee Awards of Excellence.

Hal Biard, Award of Excellence – Support Staff winner, is a Network/Telecommunications Specialist. Hal is responsible for keeping all network and telecommunications connections and systems running at the College. Throughout the construction of new College buildings, Hal has been instrumental in ensuring the successful creation of telecommunications networks within the new facilities. Hal has been with the College for 17 years.

Betty Ann Chandler, Award of Excellence – Faculty winner, is a professor in the English as a Second Language program. She is a dedicated teacher and goes above her role to ensure the success of her students in Niagara and beyond. Having previously taught in the Nursing program, Betty Ann has been with the College for 27 years.

David Veres, Award of Excellence – Administration winner, is the Dean of the Community & Health Studies Division. David previously held roles as Dean of Hospitality and Tourism, Chair of Hospitality & Tourism, co-ordinator of the Event Management Graduate Certificate program and as a professor. Starting as a part-time instructor, David has been with the College for 15 years.

“Our success as a college comes from the strength of our team,” said President Dan Patterson, “and these are the individuals who have distinguished themselves among a very hardworking and accomplished group of faculty, support staff and administrators. They are truly the best of the best.”

The Niagara College Awards of Excellence are presented annually to an employee from each of the College’s three employee groups – Faculty, Support Staff and Administration – and honours individuals who exemplify outstanding characteristics in the areas of personal qualities, work performance and customer service.


myExperience

The six-week general elective course was developed by Pre-Health Science Professor Lora Miani, and provides students from a variety of program areas with the opportunity to explore contemporary global issues. It ran for the first time in Spring 2010, and students had the option of participating in projects with local organizations, including Welland’s Hope Centre and AIDS Niagara, or venturing overseas to work with the Ikhwezi Lokusa Wellness Centre, an HIV/AIDS clinic and counselling unit in East London, South Africa.

Miani was inspired to develop the course after taking a group of Pre-Health students to South Africa in 2009. While the Go Global Live Local course creates an opportunity to learn about issues like education, health and poverty on a global scale, Miani said the South African portion of the course gave students a chance to learn a bit about themselves.

“It’s about learning their limitations and learning what fuels their passions,” she said. “They don’t have to change the world, but changing one life is a step toward doing that.”

In all, seven students jumped at the opportunity to take the international option, including two pre-health students, three dental hygiene students, one Occupational Therapy Assistant student, and one student from Brock University, who is studying in the Concurrent Education program.

Joining them was a crew of four third-year Broadcasting: Radio, Television and Film (BRTF) students, along with BRTF professor Bill Boehlen, who kept the cameras rolling throughout the entire two-week adventure. This year, a second group of BRTF students took the more-than 40 hours of footage and created a documentary that chronicles the trip.

The constant presence of rolling cameras was a challenge – for both the students and the South Africans they encountered.

“At times I wondered if people would say what they wanted to say with the camera there,” said Miani. “I was concerned it might become a different story.”

Miani found, however, that for some South Africans, the

cameras made them feel as though their stories were important.“It was almost liberating for some people,” she said.The filming also ensures a permanent record of the experience,

she added.“I’m thankful because this trip will forever be remembered and

archived.”Boehlen said he and his student crew found the students and

the locals they encountered to be extremely cooperative, which was key to the success of the project.

“We’re very grateful to them to allow us to constantly film them,” he said.

For the broadcasting students it was an exhausting and eye-opening experience that provided a glimpse of what may lie ahead, as they move into careers in the industry.

Long days of shooting were followed by logging every shot taken; a process that took at least three hours a night.

“It was a great experience working in another country,” said Rob Wassink, a third-year Television student. “Even before the plane touched the ground, as I saw the landscape unfolding below, I was very eager to start filming. There was an abundance

The Global ClassroomIT’S A COURSE THAT BORROWS ITS NAME FROM A FAMILIAR CATCHPHRASE URGING PEOPLE TO HAVE A BROAD WORLD VIEW WHILE TAKING ACTION IN THEIR OWN COMMUNITIES. NIAGARA COLLEGE’S GO GLOBAL LIVE LOCAL COURSE PUTS THAT ADVICE INTO PRACTICE, USING A CLASSROOM THAT STRETCHES FROM STUDENTS’ HOME COMMUNITIES TO COASTAL SOUTH AFRICA.

Rob Wassink filming a landscape


myExperience

of available shots all around me.”In addition to the obvious life experience, third-year

Television student Paul Kirkby says he learned important lessons about filming that will serve him well in his future career.

“This trip has made me a better camera operator,” he said. “When we shoot, I don’t just think as a camera operator, but also as an editor. I know to make sure you have all the shots you can possibly get – full coverage is key to getting the best footage possible. Being in South Africa really taught me that.”

Dan Ricci, also a third-year Television student, played a slightly different role on the crew – he primarily shot still photos and maintained a regular blog that combined words with his incredible photos to report on the journey in real time.

For Ricci, the shock of witnessing an entirely different culture provided a changed point of view, and subtle changes in his lifestyle.

“It’s little things,” he said, “like I’m a lot smarter about what I spend money on. It changed my way of living.”

“They gave everything they had,” said Boehlen of his

students. “I was extremely pleased with the crew. This trip was about taking the students out of their comfort zone, in a safe way, and pushing them to their potential.”

The trip included a full and ambitious agenda of tours, visits, presentations and workshops that covered a wide range of issues, from healthcare and education to business, culture and politics. The first two days were spent at the Ikhwezi Lokusa Wellness Centre in East London, an HIV/AIDS clinic where the students participated in discussions with doctors, clients and staff, and visited the homes of four clients. Other stops included schools, including Walter Sisulu University, progress associations and health centres, all designed to provide an insight into a culture and way of life that was beyond the imagination of most participants. It even included a visit to a private game reserve where, along with a close-up view of South African wildlife, students had an opportunity to discuss ecology, endangered species and sutainable reserves.

“You can’t write a curriculum for this,” Miani said, “it writes itself.”

“It’s about learning their limitations and learning what fuels their passions,” she said. “They don’t have to change the

world, but changing one life is a step toward doing that.”

Left to Right: Third-year BRTF students Paul Kirkby, Rob Wassink, Logan Bright, BRTF professor Bill Boehlen, and Dan Ricci.


myExperience

While all the stops offered a new insight into life in South Africa, it was a visit to the Enkamzilweni Orphanage that had the most lasting impact on both the Go Global students and the film crew. The orphanage sits in Duncan Village, an impoverished area composed mostly of six-by-10 foot shacks. While there, the students helped clean the orphanage and donated supplies.

“By that point we’d seen a lot of poverty; we’d seen a lot of the good and bad of South Africa,” said Logan Bright, a third-year Film student. “But going to the orphanage and seeing these kids who have nothing, who are going to grow up into the worst world, and they don’t even know it, that was hard.”

At a high school in Butterworth, the tables were turned and it was the South African students who were asking the Canadian students about their way of life.

“It was incredible to see how smart these students were,” said Dusty Campbell, who was in his first-year of the Dental Hygiene program while enrolled in the Go Global course.

“South Africa has an amazing history, a complex current situation, but a bright future,” said Raelene Downs, a first-year Dental Hygiene student who made the trip with her sister, Taylor.

Taylor was a second-year student at Brock University, studying

concurrent education when she made the trip. As the only Go Global student who wasn’t in a health-related program, Taylor focused on the educational issues in South Africa, and said she was struck by how South African students at all levels value the opportunity to learn.

“The raw passion for learning I experienced through the students we met was so inspiring,” she said, adding that the experience has caused her to reconsider her long-term goals. “This course has made me wonder whether or not I want to teach in Ontario, or go abroad,” she said.

Boehlen said the footage shot during the trip will be handed over to a crew of third-year television production students who will edit the footage down to create the documentary, with a public screening scheduled for December 3.

This year, Miani said the Go Global Live Local course will run in the Winter and Spring terms. In the Winter term, the course will include local placements, and a team-teaching approach that will include four faculty members covering their areas of expertise, including environment, health care, sociology and culture. In the Spring term, the students will complete a two or four-week placement in South Africa.

In the meantime, she couldn’t be happier with the outcome of the first course.

“I couldn’t have asked for a better group; they were mature, open and honest,” she said. “And I think they now have a better sense of where they fit in the world.”

Clockwise from left: NC Professor Lora Miani takes time to speak with an orphan youth in Mdantsane, South Africa. Young children attend school in Butterworth, South Africa. Professor Bill Boehlen shares stories with an audience in Butterworth, South Africa.

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MANY HANDS RENOVATE SALVATION ARMYTHE SALVATION ARMY OF FORT ERIE HAS BEEN CHOSEN as the recipient of the 2011 Many Hands Project, scheduled to begin January 2011 and reach completion April 2011.

The Salvation Army focuses on improving the lives and welfare of vulnerable individuals within the local community through numerous programs, such as local food banks, shelter services, addictions services and crisis support.

Now in its fourteenth year, Many Hands is a community-driven project organized by Niagara College students as part of the Event Management Graduate Certificate program together with Construction Studies students, who complete the renovations. Students assist a not-for-profit organization by enhancing, improving and renovating their facility.

This year’s renovations will include an expansion of the food storage and preparation areas, installation of new cabinetry and replacement of old materials, such as drywall and flooring. Once completed, the renovations will provide the Salvation Army with a usable space to better serve the local community. For more information, visit www.NiagaraCollege.ca/ManyHands

Course descriptions and registration at NiagaraCollege.ca/ceor call 905-988-4306 for more information.

BUILDING A SOLID FOUNDATIONSINCE THE START OF THE FALL TERM, Niagara College students have been busy working with Habitat for Humanity Niagara building a home for a local family.

This year, 70 students within the College’s Construction Techniques and Renovation Technician-Construction (Co-op) programs will take on the challenges of building the home. The build site will once again take place on Frazer Street in Welland – the third Habitat home to be built at the location.

The students will split their time between on-site and in-class participation, allowing the build site to act as a living lab for classes, giving students the opportunity to experience a real-world environment.

Students in the Construction Engineering Technology - Architecture program are also involved in the design phase of the project.

This is the fifth year, and sixth home-building project, that Niagara College students have been involved in as part of a unique partnership between the College, Niagara Homebuilders’ Association and Habitat for Humanity Niagara.

Niagara-on-the-Lake Campus

April 2nd & 3rd, 2011

905-641-2252 ext. 6406 NiagaraCollege.ca/InYourBackyard

Niagara College’s 42nd ANNUAL

EXPERIENCENiagara College’sGreenhouse Plant SaleCanadian Food and Wine InstituteWine Visitor + Education CentreNEW Benchmark RestaurantNiagara Waters SpaNEW Teaching Brewery Interactive Golf SimulatorVendor MarketplaceStudent Administrative Council

FAMILY FUN,CHILDREN’S ACTIVITIES, DOOR PRIZES and FOOD!FREE ADMISSION and PARKING


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Premier Celebrates Culinary Achievement

CANADIAN FOOD AND WINE INSTITUTE BAKER APPRENTICE RUTH BLEIJERVELD, second from right, recently presented Ontario Premier Dalton McGuinty with samples of the creations that earned her the title of Intercollegiate Chocolate Master 2010. Joining Ruth and the Premier were, from left, CFWI Chefs Dan LeBlanc and Osvaldo Avila. Bleijerveld earned her title after winning the Gold Medal at the World Chocolate Masters -- Ontario Intercollegiate Chocolate Competition, which took place in Toronto last spring.

NC opens Employment and Training Solutions in downtown St. CatharinesNIAGARA COLLEGE OFFICIALLY OPENED its Employment and Training Solutions offices November 19 in downtown St. Catharines, providing a one-stop resource centre for individuals seeking employment services.

Located at One St. Paul Street, Niagara College Employment and Training Solutions offers a full range of employment services funded by Employment Ontario.

“This is an opportunity for us to bring our employment services under one roof, and to enhance the services we provide,” said Niagara College President Dan Patterson. “Niagara College is uniquely suited to provide provincially-funded employment services, and to help potential employees and employers connect.”

Employment services are available to any unemployed individual, and the offices will serve as a job resource and information centre that will provide access to computers, Internet, fax machines and copiers for job searching, information of current trends and available training options. No appointments are necessary and drop-ins are welcome.

Other services available include one-on-one guidance from experienced employment consultants, career assessments, workshops and job matching and placement. The offices will also house the Self Employment Benefit Program, which provides assistance in the planning and development of a self-employment plan.

Regional Chair, Peter Partington, Niagara College President, Dr. Dan Patterson, St Catharines Mayor Brian McMullan and St Catharines MPP and Minister of

Community Safety & Correctional Services, Jim Bradley


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HAVE A STORY TO SHARE? We’re always looking for stories to share with the Niagara College Community. Send your profile to us and we may include it in a future edition of encore.

Contact us!Details on these and other Alumni benefits and services please visit us at

NiagaraCollege.ca/Alumni

Free access to OptimalResume™

Alumni Relations provides free access to OptimalResume™, a comprehensive career management platform with a variety of tools to help you create, present, manage and share your professional credentials. › Generate a professional resume in variety of formats with Resume Builder › Create an online gallery of your work with Portfolio Manager › Refine interviewing skills with real-to-life, multi-media interview scenarios with Optimal Interview

Visit niagaracollege.ca/optimalresume to obtain the alumni access code.

BUY GIFT CARDS AND HELP US HELP STUDENTSThe Niagara College Foundation sells gift cards from retailers like Canadian Tire, Cineplex Odeon, Zehrs, Petro Canada and more than 100 others. You pay face value for the cards and the Foundation receives a rebate, which supports our efforts to help our students with scholarships and bursaries. Whether you are buying your weekly groceries and gas or presents for employees or friends, purchase your gift cards from the Niagara College Foundation. Information and order forms are available at NiagaraCollege.ca/fundscrip or call 905-735-2211, ext. 7840

PLAN A CLASS REUNION If you are interested in spearheading a reunion for your class, please contact Alumni Relations. Recent reunions have included a campus tour, time spent in the library archives, meeting with faculty and social time to catch up.Staff will help initiate the planning process and provide a comprehensive reunion handbook, which includes resources to assist with logistics and marketing. Call 905-735-2211, ext. 7865 or email [email protected]

SOCIAL NETWORKING WITH NC ALUMNIJoin our Facebook fan page and learn about discount opportunities and reconnect with other Niagara College graduates. More than 550 people from 18 countries like the Niagara College Canada Amumni fan page.

Join our Linked-In group and learn about professional opportunities and events, apply for jobs, post jobs and network with alumni in your field. The Niagara College Alumni Linked-In group has more than 200 group members ranging from grads just starting their careers to seasoned professionals.

Follow NC_Alumni on Twitter for updates on NC Alumni and Niagara College. More than 160 people/organizations are followers.

HEART OF NIAGARA HOTELSIf you are planning to return to the Niagara region, or if you have family visiting you, consider booking a hotel room with one of three Heart of Niagara Hotels. Ask for the Niagara College rate when you make your reservation.

THE HOLIDAY INN St. Catharines-Niagara1-866-934-8004

THE QUALITY HOTEL St. Catharines-Niagara1-877-688-2324

THE DAYS INN St. Catharines-Niagara1-888-688-2325

CAA NIAGARACAA Niagara has offered to waive the Enrolment Fee for new members in the Niagara region, plus an additional one-time discount on first-year membership dues. Visit our website to obtain the promotion code.

2010-11 ALUMNI COUNCIL MEMBERSThese dedicated volunteers provide advice and guidance on alumni programs and services, as well as assist at Foundation & Alumni Relations events.

Liz Aldrey . . . . . . . . . . . Library Technician 1971Janet Bradley. . . . . . . . . Electronics Engineering Technology 1997John Darch . . . . . . . . . . Business Administration Marketing 2005 Catherine Kuckyt . . . . . . Nursing 1979Jim Lambert. . . . . . . . . . Mechanical Engineering Technology 1983Julie Linton . . . . . . . . . . Environmental Management and Assessment 2006Daryl Ledwon. . . . . . . . . Business - Sales & Marketing 2007Anthony Luongo . . . . . . . Broadcasting-Radio, Television & Film 2009 Executive VP and Foundation Board Liaison Flavia Orvitz . . . . . . . . . General Arts & Science 2001 and Social Service Worker 2003Eleanor Snider . . . . . . . . President, NC Retirees Association and former Nursing facultyJeff Tremblay . . . . . . . . . Law & Security Administration 1995Heidi Werner . . . . . . . . . Event Management 2002Doug Wilford . . . . . . . . . Library Technician 1972Matthew Wilson . . . . . . . Police Foundations 2007Joanna Zalewa . . . . . . . . Library Technician 1976

Niagara College Alumni has partnered with these organizations to benefit our students and alumni:

Attention Niagara College Alumni: Benefits and Services Available for You

Home and Auto insurance plan

Discounted rates on your next mortgage

Life, Health and Dental insurance

Competitive benefits for subscribers


The Premier’s Awards for graduates of Ontario’s colleges honour the important social and eco-nomic contribution college graduates make to Ontario and throughout the world. The awards were launched in 1992 to mark the 25th an-niversary of Ontario’s colleges and are adminis-tered by Colleges Ontario.

Chosen from nominations submitted by On-tario’s 24 colleges, nominees demonstrate out-standing career success related to their college experience and have made a significant contribu-tion to their community. The individual’s career achievements are given top priority. Awards are presented in six categories: Business, Commu-nity Services, Creative Arts and Design, Health Sciences, Technology and Recent Graduate.

Niagara College’s Premier’s AwardsNominees 2010

Cliff Bowman

Darryl Culley

Barb Sockovie

George Gordon Ronald Shaw

Ilka Güttler

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CLIFF BOWMAN, BUSINESSCliff Bowman, of Vancouver, BC (Sales and Merchandising 1969), nominated in the

Business category, worked at a paper mill while studying for his Sales and Merchandising diploma at Niagara College, which led to his career in real estate. Bowman founded bireM, Builders International Real Estate Marketing Corp., a sales and marketing company for new urban and resort condo developments, marketing more than 3,000 prestigious residential condo units in North America; Cliff Bowman & Associates Limited, which has provided pre-marketing services for 35 million sq. ft. of office space in major multi-block developments; and Global Condo Center Corp., which is an online directory that allows developers to enter information about their new attached home developments located in more than 2,200 cities around the world.

BARB SOCKOVIE, COMMUNITY SERVICESBarb Sockovie, of Welland, ON (Early Childhood Education, 1976), nominated in the

Community Services category, started working for a nursery school before she graduated from Niagara College. A year later, she opened her own centre with only $1,000. Sockovie has opened six centres and turned around 11 others that are now part of A Child’s World. As Executive Director, she leads a team of 170 staff that provide care for more than 1,000 children in 17 centres throughout the Niagara region. She established the Foundation for Quality Care that has raised more than $500,000, since 2001, for A Child’s World services, programs and facilities. Sockovie is also a founder and co-chair of the Early Years Niagara Planning Council, and volunteers with many community organizations.

DARRYL CULLEY, HEALTH SCIENCES Darryl Culley, of Barrie, ON (Ambulance and Emergency Care Paramedic, 1981),

nominated in the Health Sciences category, has more than 28 years of experience in the fields of emergency management, emergency services and health care administration. As the principal owner of Emergency Management & Training Inc., Culley provides emergency preparedness consulting, training, disaster exercise development and implementation to government agencies, public and private corporations and health care facilities. He consults on EMS, Fire Service, and Emergency Communications, speaks at conferences and has appeared on live call-in shows about emergency plans, H1N1 and the earthquake in Haiti. Culley volunteers for the Ontario Provincial Police, Big Brothers and CanWarn.

ILKA GÜTTLER, RECENT GRADUATEIlka Elisabeth Güttler of Toronto, ON (Geographic Information Systems-Geospatial Management Graduate Certificate, 2008), nominated in the Recent Graduate category, is a GIS Policy Analyst for the Ontario Ministry of Economic Development and Trade. She has already made a significant contribution representing the Ministry’s vision, although recently graduated, as the technical and content contact in the creation and implementation of Select Ontario, a new web-based Site Selection Tool for investment attraction to Ontario. The Select Ontario team won the URISA (Urban Regional Information Systems Association) Ontario Chapter Innovation in GIS Award for the Select Ontario website. Güttler has extensive experience as a research analyst, having worked for Siemens Canada, the Auto 21 project on Public Policy and the Automobile in Canada, the Cybercartography and the New Economy Project at Carleton University and the Ontario Ministry of Finance. MORE...


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GEORGE GORDONCREATIVE ARTS & DESIGN

George Gordon, of Surrey, BC (Radio & Television Arts, 1972), nominated in the Creative Arts and Design category, has more than three decades of experience in media and radio broadcasting. Travelling and covering stories across Canada, he became a champion of news radio. His love for the community and helping others succeed led Gordon to his newest venture, Be Heard Communications, providing strategic consulting, advising, and group and personal coaching in effective media recognition. Gordon, who has worked as a newscaster, director and executive editor, has received many awards for his accomplishments. He is a popular emcee for charity events.

RONALD SHAW TECHNOLOGY CONSTRUCTION

Ronald A. Shaw, of Providenciales, Turks & Caicos Islands, BWI (Construction Engineering Technology, 1980), nominated in the Technology category, has more than 30 years experience in development and design of construction projects. Through R.A. Shaw Designs Ltd., Shaw created a niche for its services in the local market with outstanding architectural and building accomplishments. The company provides architectural design and quantity surveying on the Turks & Caicos Islands, British West Indies. His most impressive project is a stunning 30,000 sq. ft. residence at Emerald Cay, a seven-year project now valued at $42 million. All residential systems can be accessed and controlled via the internet from anywhere in the world. Shaw invests in people by training his employees, funding scholarships for promising young people to attend Niagara College and supporting three Haitian families during the economic downturn.

2008

Business – Vittoria Wikston, Hospitality Management 1986

Community Services – Gay Douglas Broerse, Social Service Worker 1989

Creative Arts & Design – Joseph Jeremy, Theatre Arts 1987

Technology – James Lambert, Mechanical Engineering Technician 1983

Recent Graduate – Jordan Harris, Winery & Viticulture Technician 2004*

2007

Business – David Bessey, Construction Technician Architecture 1972

Karen Floyd – Community Services, Nursing Assistant 1993

Creative Arts & Science – Mike Kukucska, Theatre Arts 1988

Technology – David Tsang, Survey Technician 1981

Recent Graduate – Mark Montefiore, Broadcasting-Radio, Television & Film 2003

2006

Community Services – Donna Moody, Law & Security Administration 2002

Creative Arts & Design – Ken Cherney, Journalism, Advertising & Public Relations 1970

2005

Business – Mark Landry, Business Administration-Financial Management 1977

Creative Arts & Design – Mike Kukucska, Theatre Arts 1988

Technology – Andre Breton, Mechanical Engineering Technology 2002

Recent Graduate – Colleen Lowe, Public Relations 2002

2004

Business – Eric Gillespie, Business-Accounting 1989

Community Services – Wendy Johnson, Law & Security Administration 1986

Creative Arts & Design – Christina Kunigk, Broadcasting-Radio, Television and Film 1993

Health Sciences – Greg Soto, Ambulance & Emergency Care 1978

Technology – David Bessey, Construction Technician Architecture 1972

Recent Graduate – Karen Rossi, Winery & Viticulture Technician 2003

2003

Business – Betty Anne Baker, Theatre Arts-Advanced 1972

Community Services – Debbie Zimmerman, Journalism 1975

Creative Arts & Design – Bernie McNamee, Radio and Television Arts (Advenced Program) 1973

Health Sciences – Healther Kilty, Social Welfare Worker 1969

Technology – Mel Yungblut, Construction Engineering Technology-Architecture 1991

Recent Graduate – Lindsay Puddicombe, Winery & Viticulture Technician 2002

2002

Business – John Lambert, Retail Management 1986

Community Services – Donna Moody, Law & Security Administration 2002

Creative Arts & Design – Virginia Marr, Chef Apprentice 1988

Recent Graduate – Tia Smith, Early Childhood Education-Native 2002

2001

Business – Richard Dusome, Hotel & Restaurant Administration 1980

Community Services – Gretta Parrotta, Educational Resources-Special Needs 1992

Technology – James Towne, Computer Engineering Technology 1989

Recent Graduate – Dorothy Tymchyshyn, International Business Management 2000

2000

Community Services – Gay Douglas, Social Service Worker 1989

Creative Arts & Design – Thomas Brennan, Broadcasting Radio, Television & Film 1982


1999

Community Services – Sharan Titian, Social Service Worker 1986

Creative Arts & Design – Grant MacPherson, Cook II-Apprenticeship 1983

Health Sciences – Melanie Sebastianelli, Pharmacy Assistant 1995

Technology – Janet Bradley, Electronics Engineering Technology 1997

1998

Business – Rene Galipeau, Business Administration-Financial Management 1970

Community Services – Debbie Zimmerman, Journalism 1975

Technology – Lyall Watson, Electronics Engineering Technology 1997

1997

Community Services – Wendy Johnson, Law & Security Administration 1986

Health Sciences – Maria Riva, Nursing 1991

1996

Stephen E. Coote – Retail Management 1987

Community Services – Michael J. Horne, Social Service Worker 1989

Technology – Tony DiFruscio, Chemical Engineering Technology 1982

1995

Business – David Gibson

Creative Arts & Design – Carol Alaimo, Journalism-Print 1984*

Technology – Tony DiFruscio, Chemical Engineering Technology 1982

1994

Business – James H. Walters, Business Administration-Industrial Management 1981

Creative Arts & Design – Carol Alaimo, Journalism-Print 1984

Technology – Paul Campbell, Construction Engineering Technical 1984

1993

Business – Jennifer Cass

Community Services – Heather Kilty, Social Welfare Worker 1969*

Health Sciences – Lynda Rose, Nursing 1986


1992

Business – Robert French, Personnel Management 1971

Community Services – Heather Kilty, Social Service Worker 1969

Health Sciences – Lynda Rose, Nursing 1986

PREMIER’S AWARDS PAST NOMINEES*PREMIER’S AWARD WINNER IN CATEGORY:

APPLYNOW

for September 2011

www.NiagaraCollege.ca


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NC Students Gain New Technology with Toyota Donation

NIAGARA COLLEGE MOTIVE POWER AUTOMOTIVE STUDENTS gained the opportunity to access new automotive technologies, thanks to the generosity of Toyota Canada. A ceremony held Sept. 27 at the Welland Campus marked Toyota’s donation of a 2006 Toyota Avalon. The donation of the high-end model allows students access to new options and technologies, as well as an opportunity to become familiar with Toyota’s manufacturing process and a direct connection to Toyota’s training in Canada – opening more options for students post-graduation. Niagara College’s Motive Power programs also use a Toyota Prius Hybrid as part of a growing curriculum that incorporates green energy technologies, including hybrid and alternative fuels, as well as electric and hydrogen technology.

LEFT TO RIGHT: Dr. Adel Esayed, Chair, School of Technology; Carla Whitehead and Adam Jacob, Motive Power students; Wayne Toth, Faculty/Coordinator, Motive Power Programs; Pat Clarke and George Farlow, representatives from Welland Toyota; Dr. Ben Cecil, Dean, Environment, Media and Technology; and Kevin Hewitt, Manager, Apprenticeship and Technical Training. Motive Power students, Carla Whitehead and Adam Jacob, test out the newly donated 2006 Toyota Avalon.

A Circle of ExcellenceNC CELEBRATED SOME OF ITS DISTINGUISHED ALUMNI at a special event on Nov. 13. The new Alumni Circle of Excellence event was designed to recognize 2010 and past nominees for the prestigious Premier’s Awards - a provincial award given in six categories, and designed to recognize the outstanding contributions that College graduates make to life in Ontario. The nominees were joined by fellow alumni, Niagara College Foundation Board members, College staff and retirees. The event took place in the new Learning Commons at the Welland Campus, and included a campus tour, reception and dinner. Among the speakers was Dr. Heather Lee Kilty, at left, a graduate of the Social Service Worker program anda Premier’s Award recipient in 2003.

Friday April 11, 2008Niagara Fallsview Casino Resort

$225 Per PersonTables Seat Ten

Reception: 6:00p.m.Dinner: 7:00p.m.

Tel: 905.735.2211 ext: 7551

For event details and to order online visitniagaracollege.ca/seafoodgala

Proceeds from the Seafood Gala will support the Building Futures Campaign.

Friday, April 8, 2011Fallsview Casino Resort

$225 Per PersonTables Seat Ten

Reception: 6:00 P.M.Dinner: 7:00 P.M.

For information or tickets, contact: Joanne Cousineau at

Tel: 905.735.2211, Ext: 7775

to order online visit: NiagaraCollege.ca/seafoodgala


myFuture

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Niagara College Foundation and Alumni RelationsMaid of the Mist Campus5881 Dunn Street, Niagara Falls, ON L2G 2N9For more information please contact us at 905-735-2211 ext. 7864 Email: [email protected] or visit buildingfuturescampaign.caTHANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT!

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Invest in Niagara’s FutureTHE BUILDING FUTURES CAMPAIGN IS RAISING $16.5 MILLIONto support the College’s $90 million Master Plan. The goal includes $14.5 million for buildings, equipment and learning resources, and $2 million for applied research, and scholarships and bursaries.

The Master Plan will accommodate dramatic enrolment growth and help the Niagara region meet the challenges that come with a changing economy and an urgent need for highly skilled workers.

The College is enhancing the Niagara-on-the-Lake Campus and transforming the Welland Campus by replacing and expanding aging buildings with improved facilities and new technology to create more than 1,700 new spaces in programs, where labour is in high demand in Niagara: skilled trades and technology, health, community services, hospitality, culinary and tourism. This project will significantly impact economic development in the Niagara Region.

Please join us in supporting the Building Futures Campaign by making your gift today.

“We are empowering the next generation of employees and future employers of this region and that is vitally important. We are giving ourselves the tools to succeed.”

Anna Olson, Campaign Co-chairCelebrity chef, cookbook author and host of “Fresh with Anna Olson” on the Food Network “I think that Niagara College historically, presently and certainly with this campaign going forward is not only underscoring its leadership position, it’s highlighting it and ensuring it for the future.”

Mark Basciano, Campaign Co-chairOwner and President of the Mountainview Group of companies

encore - december 2010

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