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DC named one of Canada’s 2019 Greenest Employers for third consecutive year

Durham College (DC) is pleased to announce that it has been named one of Canada’s Greenest Employers for the third consecutive year. Awarded as part of the 2019 editorial competition that is organized by the Canada’s Top 100 Employers project, this designation recognizes employers who create remarkable workplaces that minimize the environmental impact of their operations.

Winning employers are those that incorporate environmental values into their everyday culture, and attract employees because of such values and are evaluated on the following criteria:

    1. The unique environmental initiatives or programs they have developed.
    2. Whether they have been successful in reducing their own environmental footprint.
    3. Whether their employees are involved in these programs and contribute any unique skills.
    4. Whether their environmental initiatives have become linked to the employer’s public identity, attracting new employees and customers.

This year, DC has been recognized for its sustainability focus related to infrastructure and supporting behavioural changes among its employees and students. At a planning level, both new construction and renovation decisions are made through a sustainable lens. This includes LED lighting being the only option at the college, working towards 100 per cent LED use, including in its parking lots. In addition, hydration stations have been installed in every wing of the college to offer cooled, filtered water, thus reducing the use of plastic bottles.

The college’s Green Office Certification Program began last year, providing guidelines to incorporate sustainability into daily operations. Supported from the top down, the program focuses on energy and water conservation, waste diversion, purchasing habits and creating a green-focused office culture. Using a checklist as a guide, individual departments are encouraged to undertake sustainable actions in a variety of categories. These include using alternative transportation or using mini bins as a replacement for personal garbage cans. Across DC there has also been a move towards using centralized printers as opposed to personal ones, reducing overall paper use.

The new Simcoe Geothermal Field project, which is currently underway at DC’s Oshawa campus, is a prime example of the college’s sustainable efforts in action and was substantially complete on March 31, 2019.

For more information on living green at DC please visit www.websiteredesign.durhamcollege.ca/livinggreen.

Research Day 2019

On April 11, Durham College (DC) held its ninth annual Research Day, a dynamic display of the innovative work being done on campus and in the community by DC faculty, student researchers and industry and community partners. Hosted by the college’s Office of Research Services, Innovation and Entrepreneurship (ORSIE), the event is aims to raise awareness of the important role and impact applied research has on the community and showcases the experiential learning opportunities it creates for students.

The Student Project and Venture Showcase was a new addition to the event, comprising more 30 student exhibits, where attendees had the opportunity to meet the talented students, interact with their work and support DC’s student entrepreneurs.

This year’s event also included the following three student competitions, which saw competitors pitch to panels of expert judges to compete for cash prizes and passes to the Ontario Centres of Excellence Discovery conference as well as mentorship and additional support from college and industry resources:

  • AI FastStart Challenge, highlighting the application of AI in new and innovative business applications.
    First place:     Keenan Binnie-Cormier
    Second place: Gregory Barnes
    Third place: Julie Charlesworth
  • Food Foundry Entrepreneurship Challenge, highlighting entrants from the new FastStart Food Foundry food-business incubator.
    First place:     Mahmoud El Maaraoui (Pop Kefir Soda)
    Second place: Alexandria Gillis and Jennifer Butt (Zenergy Grass Ruts)
    Third place: Brad Abel, Patricia Revita and Ibing Maharlika (Vinn Art)
    Third place: Kuljeetkaur Dhanda (Flaxible Bites)
  • 3MARC Challenge, a three-minute applied research communication competition where students were challenged to present compelling orations of their research work.
    First place:     Ramandeep Rathore
    Second place: Farzeen Daruwala
    Third place: Taylor Richardson

In addition to the AI, tech and entrepreneurship on display, Research Day 2019 also highlighted applied research in diverse areas including gerontology, social services for youth experiencing homelessness and precision and resilience training for firefighters.

See full program including descriptions of breakout sessions and student projects on display.

DC paramedic students learn hands-on

Students from the Paramedic program at Durham College (DC) recently had two valuable experiential learning opportunities to put theory into practice.

On April 6, the annual National Paramedic Competition was back at DC after an absence of two years. The Centre for Collaborative Education on the Oshawa campus was abuzz with paramedic students and professionals from across Ontario showcasing their medical knowledge and skills.

The competition saw 24 teams of professional and student paramedics participate in six different patient-care scenarios. These scenarios were presented with realistic and exciting visual effects to convey an accurate portrayal of the dynamic situations encountered on the job.

Over 60 volunteers from DC’s Paramedic, Emergency Services Fundamentals and Firefighter – Pre-service, Education and Training programs assisted with the competition, providing an excellent opportunity to network and learn from the professional teams in attendance. DC is very proud of our students who participated and alumni who walked away with two awards.

Another experiential learning opportunity took place on April 10, at Camp Samac adjacent to the Oshawa Campus, when the graduating Paramedic class took part in the annual year-end mass casualty incident event. Students were presented with scenarios involving mass casualty incidents, with the purpose of reviewing the principles of triage, and the management of mass casualty incidents.

On February 23 and 24, the first and second-year Paramedic students had their chance to get hands-on experience when they took part in Project Lord Ridgeback a multi-disciplinary experiential learning exercise that simulated a local disaster.

Durham College applauds Ontario budget commitment to modernize apprenticeship training

The 2019 Ontario Budget commitment to create a one-window digital portal for apprentices will produce a more highly qualified workforce, Ontario’s colleges said today.

“This will ensure more people enrol in apprenticeship training,” said Don Lovisa, president, Durham College (DC). “It will produce more apprentices to help Ontario close the skills gap.”

The current application system is awash in red tape. There is no clear application process and many people seeking to become apprentices find it difficult to get matched with willing employers.

The creation of a one-window portal will make the application process straightforward and easily accessible. Ontario’s colleges are eager to support the efforts to create this new portal.

“The government clearly recognizes it should be as easy for students to apply to be apprentices as it is to apply to any other college or university program,” Lovisa said. “Modernizing our apprenticeship system will help make it one of the best in the world.”

Other budget highlights to produce a stronger workforce included:

  • Establishing programs to encourage people to enter the skilled trades.
  • Launching a new micro-credentials pilot this spring to provide people with the skills employers are seeking.

DC is known for its skilled trades and welcomes new programs that encourage young people to enter technical and trade-related programs at the apprenticeship and post-secondary levels.  “Our current plans to expand the Whitby campus to provide new capacity to welcome over 700 additional students into skilled trades,” said Lovisa. This expansion will focus on high-priority industries as well as trades like electricians and millwrights, and emerging areas such as boilermakers, all of which have been identified as being in high-demand.

DC also offers micro-credentials in a number of areas and looks forward to opportunities to expand this growing trend that recognizes specific skills and knowledge necessary for success in many careers.

“College education is pivotal to Ontario’s success and to ensuring more people find rewarding careers,” said Lovisa. “We look forward to working with the government to helping more people acquire the expertise that is essential to success in this new economy.”

DC’s Epic Mac ‘n’ Cheese Competition returns for its fifth year

On April 6, Durham College (DC) welcomed 12 teams of Grade 11 and 12 students to the W. Galen Weston Centre for Food (CFF) and challenged them to put their culinary skills and original recipes to the test at the fifth annual Epic Mac ‘n’ Cheese Competition.

Organized by CFF chef Peter Lee and Gillian Pope, a student in DC’s Culinary Management program, the event provided a unique hands-on learning opportunity for food-focused high school students, giving them a chance to compete for a bursary towards studying in a culinary program at DC.

After watching the live-cooking action, guests were invited to sample the entrants’ recipes and vote for their favourite. First-place honours went to Lucas Fong and Kyra Maldonado of Monsignor Paul Dwyer Catholic High School in Oshawa for their apple and duck confit mac and cheese recipe. Hazel Lambinicio and Carlos Ayao from the same school whipped up a “Hog Wild” recipe with pulled pork, bacon, red pepper and cheddar and tied for second place with Ethan Taylor and Jessica Pearcy from St Peter’s Catholic Secondary School in Peterborough whose “Taste of Aphrodite” mac and cheese wooed the judges with its roasted pepper, tomato, arugula, chorizo, feta and duck kielbasa toppings.

Thanks to all of the event’s sponsors – Canada Cutlery Inc., Selbie Produce, Sysco and The Butcher Shoppe – and congratulations to all of the competitors and winners!

DC hosts over 160 field placement hosts at appreciation event

Representatives from businesses, government institutions and non-profit organizations across Durham Region and the Greater Toronto Area gathered in the Global Classroom at the Centre for Collaborative Education on April 4 for Durham College’s (DC) annual Field Placement Employer Appreciation Reception.

Organized by students in DC’s Special Events Management program, the event was held to recognize the invaluable contribution placement and practicum hosts make to experiential learning when they open their doors to DC students. In fact, more than 1500 organizations served as hosts to more than 4,400 students this past year.

During the event, guests heard from Christina Arcangioli, brokerage team leader for Keller Williams Energy Real Estate Brokerage, about the importance of collaborating with students. Laura May, a second-year student enrolled in the college’s Office Administration – Executive program also spoke about her placement at the Municipality of Clarington, while Patrick Trudell, a second-year Community Integration Through Co-operative Education student, reflected on his three culinary-related field placement opportunities.

Field placement at DC assists students in relating the theory learned in the classroom, to practice in the workplace. It is an opportunity for students to gain vital field experience, develop professional contacts within the industry, and enhance their résumé while studying. For more information, please visit the Field Placement webpage.

Photo supplied by Jessica Evans.

Student athletes recognized for excellence in sport at the 49th annual DC athletic banquet

Durham College held its 49th annual athletic banquet on April 4, recognizing the achievements of DC’s student athletes over the past year and naming Ashley Black and Brandon Halliburton as 2018-19 athletes of the year.

Black delivered another exceptional year in the pitching circle with the Lords softball program and was named the Ontario Colleges Athletic Association (OCAA) pitcher of the year, OCAA all-star, OCAA championship MVP, and the Canadian Collegiate Softball Association (CCSA) national all-star en route to national silver for the Lords this season. Halliburton became the first Durham men’s basketball player to be named a Canadian Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) All-Canadian since 2010-11, was named an OCAA east first team all-star and was the fourth player in DC men’s basketball history to surpass 1,000 career points.

Other female MVPs included Madison Haigh, Victoria Browne, Emily Glendinning, Cory Lapointe and Althea Boncheff, while male MVPs included Cody Kraemer, Reagan Manley, Malcolm Hooper, Tyler Krabi, Colin Reilly and Josh Taylor.

In addition, this year marked the first year of competition for the Durham Lords Esports teams. Individual game MVPs included Rocket League’s Luke Logan, Hearthstone’s Mitchell Bizjak, League of Legends’ Eric Jones, Overwatch’s Calvin Lapp, Super Smash Bros. Melee’s James Mullins, CS:GO’s Austin Waite and Heroes of the Storms’ Owen Campbell.

Marie Stasiuk of the women’s basketball team and Daniel Cooper of the men’s rugby team were named the freshmen athletes of the year, while team leaders Caleigh Coels of the women’s softball team and Lucas Pichl of the men’s volleyball and golf team were the recipients of the Bonnie Ginter-Brown overall leadership awards, recognizing athletes who have gone above-and-beyond in a leadership role within their team and the greater community.

The women’s softball team was named the team of the year after winning their fourth consecutive OCAA banner, becoming the first OCAA program to capture 20 total banners and the first women’s softball team to win their fourth in a row. The season also saw long-time head coach Jim Nemish record his 500th career win while the team had five players selected as OCAA all-stars, one major OCAA award winner, an OCAA championship all-star and the OCAA championship MVP. The team also captured a CCSA national silver, their first national medal since 2012, while also having two players selected as national all-stars.

The women’s volleyball team won this year’s #DC4DC award, recognizing a combination of academics, strength and conditioning, volunteer work and support for fellow Durham Lord teams.

DC alumni challenges students to make a difference through Rain It In competition

On March 28, Durham College (DC) hosted the Rain It In competition in the Global Classroom, welcoming teams from post-secondary institutions across Ontario as they pitched to a panel of industry experts their innovative solutions for mitigating the impacts of intense rainfall events. The competition is the brainchild of DC’s Water Quality Technician alumni Ellen Stitt, who hopes to empower college and university students to make a difference in their communities and positively impact the environment.

Since graduation in 2013, Ellen has had an incredible career, working as a senior operator and mechanic with the Ontario Clean Water Agency and most recently as the marketing manager for the Ontario Association of Sewage Industry Services. She is also an active volunteer, serving on the Walkerton Clean Water Centre’s Board of Directors and numerous other committees, including the Great Waters Challenge Youth Advisory Board with Waterlution, where she co-authored a children’s book entitled Canada’s Great Water Adventure. Ellen is the recipient of the 2016 OCWAmarine Citizenship Award and was a finalist for the 2018 Water Environment Association of Ontario Outstanding Young Professional Award and the 2018 Water’s Next Young Professional Award.

Rain It In is the direct result of Ellen’s dedication and passion for water. After pitching the competition at a Water Innovation Lab, facilitated by Waterlution, her group was selected to receive the Durham College seed fund to kick-start the competition and influence the next generation of water sector workers. While 10 teams entered proposals, only five finalists were selected and given the opportunity to present their ideas on March 28.

In the end, Waterloo Urban Adapt from the University of Waterloo was selected to receive a small monetary prize to help with the development and implementation of their innovation solution – a campaign that would help homeowners understand the Stormwater Credit Program and educate them on flood prevention for resilient properties.

As a sponsor of Rain It In, DC is proud to support its alumni as they continue to innovate and create change out in the world. The Water Quality Technician program at DC educates students in keeping water safe for consumption and for its return to the environment through proven treatment methods. Interested in launching your career in the water sector? Apply today!

DC students find innovative solutions to local challenges at City Idea Lab showcase

On April 5, TeachingCity partners the City of Oshawa, Durham College (DC), Ontario Tech University and Trent University Greater Toronto Area gathered together for the spring City Idea Lab student showcase. The City Idea Lab is a collaborative, course-based initiative that offers experiential learning opportunities via credit courses at the TeachingCity Hub in downtown Oshawa.

Highlighting the results of City Idea Lab courses across the three post-secondary institutions, the showcase focused on a variety of City-focused challenge questions, with students representing a variety of fields of study, including child and youth studies, information technology, media, art and design, and social science and humanities.

Second-year DC students from the Fine Arts – Advanced program translated stories shared by Child, Youth and Family Program patients at Lakeridge Health Oshawa into art, whereas Journalism-Mass Media students explored how the City could include intangible cultural assets on their Cultural Map, leading to a project aimed at elevating Oshawa’s cultural reputation locally, provincially and nationally.

Other questions addressed through the program included how the City might engage youth in priority neighbourhoods, engage residents to help build community pride, design a Wi-Fi network in the downtown core, and more. Over 200 students from seven courses across the three post-secondary institutions, worked together to develop posters to display their innovative solutions.  

Posters presented at the student showcase will be on display at Oshawa City Hall from Monday, April 8 to Friday, April 12.

City Idea Lab has been generously supported by RBC Futures Launch.

Durham College opens first-of-its-kind Esports Gaming Arena

On April 2, Durham College (DC) officially opened a first-of-its-kind Esports Gaming Arena. Located in the Student Centre at the college’s Oshawa campus, the 3,000-sq-ft. venue is unique from any other collegiate gaming space in Canada thanks to its extensive broadcast capabilities and lounge area that can hold up to 120 spectators for esports tournaments.

“With this venue, DC is establishing itself as an undisputed leader in one of the fastest-growing industries in the gaming market,” says DC president Don Lovisa. “In addition to being the campus gaming hub and training ground for the Durham Lords Esports varsity team, the arena will also be a living lab. Its industry-grade design will provide students with vital hands-on experience to prepare them for career success in the global esports market, which is on track to exceed $1.6 billion by 2021.”

Developed in partnership industry leaders Lenovo (Canada) and Monster Energy, the DC Esports Gaming Arena features include:

  • 46 Legion by Lenovo gaming PCs with added Nvidia GEForce RTX 2080 graphics cards, 12 of which sit behind a glass partition and are reserved for esports varsity players’ training.
  • Streaming capabilities at each gaming station so that players can broadcast their play live on Twitch.
  • Monster Energy DX Racer ergonomic gaming chairs that feature adjustable backs, arms and seats to provide support and comfort and mitigate repetitive stress injuries.
  • Five 55” display monitors and a 110” projector for in-house tournament broadcasting.

“We’ve taken to calling it a gamers’ paradise and it truly is,” says arena manager Sarah Wagg. Unlike other schools’ gaming spaces, the DC arena is designed specifically with the student experience in mind. The lounging and gathering spaces encourage relaxation, connection and fun, and make it a space that welcomes and embraces gamers of all kinds.”

The Esports Gaming Arena is part of DC’s four-part esports plan which also includes the Durham Lords esports varsity team, which began competing with teams across North America in 2018, a recreational gaming club and integration of esports into the college’s post-secondary program curricula.

While use of the gaming stations is reserved for DC students, alumni and employees during regular hours of operation, the Esports Gaming Arena is available for public bookings to host birthday parties, corporate events and gaming tournaments.

Booking inquiries can be made by emailing esports@websiteredesign.durhamcollege.ca.