In January 2024, Fanshawe celebrated the grand opening of Innovation Village. This 95,000 square-foot facility was built with connection in mind: to innovation, student success, collaboration with industry partners, to our rich Indigenous history and to sustainability.
The photograph on the cover of this edition of The Annual showcases how stunning design and purposeful sustainability features were combined to create a unique façade. Among many sustainability features in Innovation Village is the use of BIPV (building-integrated photovoltaic) solar panels to offset the energy demands of the building. The advanced nanotechnology surface treatment creates a colour with minimal reflectance, optimizing solar transmittance and energy production. Varying panel angles over the entire façade maximizes the surface area, increasing power generation while creating a stunning visual contrast. The panels are estimated to generate more than 150,000 kilowatt-hours of energy per year.
Features such as the solar panels, and the integration of Innovation Village with the College’s new Campus Energy Centre, will help to reduce our energy footprint and overall environmental impact.
about Innovation Village.
THIS IS INNOVATION
CREATING A CULTURE OF CHANGE
Chris Hannah aims to make an impact with the Kahkiyaw ni wahkomâkanak: All My Relations program.
Fanshawe staff member Chris Hannah (pictured right) felt a shift in her thinking in the summer of 2021.
That spring, the remains of 215 children were discovered at the former Kamloops Indian Residential School in British Columbia.
“After that, I think people were ready and wanted to do something more meaningful to contribute to reconciliation,” says Chris, who is Métis from Drummond Island and Penetanguishene. “Even though it wasn’t part of my role at Fanshawe at the time, I always liked teaching and wanted to construct a program that was impactful.”
This led Chris to create the Kahkiyaw ni wahkomâkanak: All My Relations program for Fanshawe employees. The program is a series of workshops held in a cohort format over a seven-week period that covers a range of topics focused on Indigenous realities.
Chris envisioned a program that was customized to Fanshawe, where nearly four per cent of the student population identifies as Indigenous.
“I wanted to share what it’s like to be an Indigenous student at Fanshawe,” Chris says. “Our program participants hear from our students and local community members. It helps to build a connection and find ways to take action to make meaningful changes.”
As a result of the program, there have been numerous positive outcomes. Some of the changes include faculty members adjusting curriculum to be more locally representative, providing more flexibility with assignments and providing a room in residence where students can smudge at any time.
“I liked that we were given the opportunity to take action,” says one past participant. “It was important that we had the chance to speak with some of our students and community members from Indigenous communities and really listen and understand how we can do better.”
All my relations is the basis of a similar worldview of interconnectedness for First Nations, Métis and Inuit people.
It emphasizes the concept of connection to all things with spirit: insects, birds, fish, mammals, rocks, trees, plants, waterways and other humans. It reinforces that if these things are all our relations and have a purpose, then we must treat them with respect and caring.
DREAMS
Fanshawe graduate Ahmed Badra’s path to sweet success.
“Who doesn’t love the smell of freshly baked cookies coming out of the oven?”
This was the thinking Ahmed Badra (Marketing Management alumni, 2020) had when he came up with the idea of starting his own business.
Ahmed is the founder and CEO of Browned Cookies, a London-based store offering handcrafted, one-of-a-kind cookies. Each week, Browned Cookies offers popular standard flavours like double fudge and salted caramel, and unique flavours, with layers, mix-ins or stuffing, like kunafa cheesecake. That brings customers back for more.
Being creative is not new to Ahmed. He spent nearly a decade working in graphic design in the Middle East, where he was born and raised. Ahmed had a desire to gain new experiences and decided to move to Canada in 2019. After completing a baking arts course at George Brown College, Ahmed took the Marketing Management program at Fanshawe.
“I wanted to take a program that would enhance the work experience I already have,” Ahmed says. “I learned a lot of different aspects of marketing management, including digital marketing, which I didn’t have as much knowledge of.”
After graduating, Ahmed connected with the chief operating officer of Shelby’s, a chain of shawarma restaurants, and obtained a job as the brand manager, where he was responsible for all the digital marketing, graphic and interior design.
“I strongly believe you should get as much experience as you can in the business you want to operate in,” Ahmed says. “I wanted to learn as much as I could about marketing and administrating for a food and beverage business.”
This year, Ahmed (pictured below) will move to a new location and open Browned Coffee & Bakery. The expanded menu will include pastries, desserts, specialty coffee and high-quality organic espresso.
WHEEL EASY
Fanshawe graduate brings automotive service to his customers’ driveways.
With a lot of people working from home, it was really convenient to have us swap out seasonal tires or do an oil change right in their driveway.
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In the fall of 2021, a school project led Dennis Ho (Motive Power Technology alumni, 2010) to operate Wheel Easy, a mobile auto and tire service, to test the concept in the real world.
After graduating from Fanshawe, Dennis worked in other cities, then returned to London to pursue a business degree at Western University. Wheel Easy was his final-year venture project, launched as a part-time side hustle while he was still a full - time student.
In May 2022, freshly graduated and looking to grow the business, Dennis participated in Fanshawe’s 12-week LeapIN Business Accelerator. The program helped him refine his business concept and marketing strategy, expand his network and explore potential new revenue streams.
“It was an opportunity to step back, take stock of what was and wasn’t working and gain insights and mentorship in areas that I didn’t have experience with,” he says.
Wheel Easy has continued to grow. Dennis has since hired Fanshawe Automotive students to do some of the service work.
“With a lot of people working from home, it was really convenient to have us swap out seasonal tires or do an oil change right in their driveway,” says Dennis. “Generally, awareness is low about what can be done without putting your car on a hoist, but word of mouth really helped build our customer base.”
Dennis has more ideas to explore. A new tire storage service is particularly popular with apartment dwellers. The proprietary marketplace platform that was developed for Wheel Easy’s client interface has led to a spin-off software business, due to launch in 2024.
What’s next? Franchising? Fleet service? More community partnerships?
“Stay tuned!” he says.
SHRED MAKE USE REPEAT
How much is 3 million tonnes of plastic?
It’s the equivalent of 22 football fields covered in plastic waste to a height of six storeys.
Plastic recycling program offers building block to change.
Dan Gallo, Jennifer Ewans
An innovative program taking shape at Fanshawe’s St. Thomas/Elgin Regional Campus aspires to tackle a persistent challenge facing society: plastic waste.
“We want to take care of our own plastic waste in a closed-loop recycling system: shred, make, use, repeat,” says Jennifer Ewans, professor and coordinator of the campus’ Construction Project Management program, noting that only approximately nine per cent of the three million tonnes of plastic thrown away every year in Canada is recycled.
Over the past year, with the support of a Fanshawe Research and Innovation Fund grant, Jennifer has been leading a team of faculty and students from a wide range of programs to successfully undertake the first step in the process by fabricating a shredder that mechanically reduces ordinary plastic waste (e.g., water bottles) into small pellets which can be used to produce something useful.
Over the next two years, with the support of a $50,000 grant from the College’s Innovation Fund, the focus will shift primarily to the next steps in the equation.
The team is working on an extruder capable of heating the plastic pellets and injecting the melted plastic into molds to create anything from toothbrushes and sunglasses to more environmentally sustainable construction materials, and incorporating a Western University-designed sheet press which would allow for the creation of larger products.
The project will incorporate Fanshawe’s Advanced Business and Industry Solutions to perform stress and environmental testing on all its new prototypes.
When fully scaled, the project would make Fanshawe the first post-secondary institution in Canada to take care of its own plastic waste. More importantly, it would establish a blueprint for other institutions, neighbourhoods and businesses to reduce and repurpose plastic waste that fuels local development and stimulates a circular economy.
FIRST SAFETY
COLLEGE AND COMMUNITY
PARTNERS TAKE PART IN MOCK EMERGENCIES TO PREPARE FOR THE REAL THING.
When it comes to preparing for emergencies, those who are on the front lines know it is not a matter of if an emergency will happen, but when. They also know it will take a multidisciplinary team to respond.
Collaboration is a cornerstone of education at Fanshawe, and the emergency training exercises that happen on the College’s campuses each year are a shining example. Students preparing for careers in paramedic services, respiratory therapy, nursing, police services, 911 dispatch—and even acting—join community partners to simulate realistic emergency situations.
“Students who will soon be on the front lines of emergency response have the opportunity for hands-on training in a controlled environment,” says Chris Slabon, faculty member in Fanshawe’s Paramedic program. “Students from multiple programs collaborate, just like how they will in their careers.”
For students, it is a valuable, and memorable, experience.
“Trauma and Treatment was one of the best school experiences I have ever had,” says Pamela Speranza (Paramedic alumni, 2023). “It was great to put everything I learned over the two years together. It will forever be one of the best memories I have of the Fanshawe Paramedic program.”
Police, fire and paramedic services from surrounding regions come to Fanshawe to take part in the exercises. The 2023 scenarios were held at the College’s London Campus,
Watch the 2023 Trauma and Treatment Emergency Preparedness Exercise
Aviation Centre and Woodstock/Oxford Regional Campus and included multiple patients experiencing medical, traumatic and mental health emergencies.
“The exercises are a valuable experience for our students, and they also provide an opportunity to gain a mutual understanding of emergency response protocols between the College and community emergency responders,” says Brenda Henry, director of Environment, Health, Safety and Emergency Services at Fanshawe.
FROM HOMEMADE RECIPE TO RETAIL SUCCESS
Hear from Surria on her experience with CRI.
How Fanshawe’s Centre for Research and Innovation helped take Cedar Valley Selections to the next level.
When Surria Fadel’s 16-year-old son, Ameen, used her fattoush salad dressing recipe for a high school business venture project, neither dreamed it would lead them to establish a manufacturing company that now distributes to 1,200 stores across Canada.
Cedar Valley Selections launched in 2017 with Ameen and Surria selling salad dressing and pita chips at a farmers’ market in Windsor, Ontario. It was Canada’s first bottled fattoush dressing, and demand for both products took off. When Sobey’s and Whole Foods started carrying them, the Fadels knew it was time to ramp up production.
By 2021, Cedar Valley had moved to a 5,000-square-foot space, hired staff and automated some of the packaging and labeling processes. Increase in market demand was putting pressure on production capabilities, and the Fadels weren’t sure how to scale up in the best way.
That fall, they connected with Fanshawe’s Centre for Research and Innovation (CRI) and received targeted advice and support for a three-month period. Based on the CRI advisor’s process mapping and capacity assessment, Cedar Valley was able to improve production flow, increase efficiencies and reduce labour costs. An analysis of the cost of goods sold and profit margins for each product led to a better pricing strategy and negotiation position with suppliers.
By the end of 2023, they had added Costco to their customer roster, were set to move to a 12,000-square-foot facility and had appeared on CBC’s Dragons’ Den.
Surria says CRI’s assistance was both timely and helpful. “Working with someone with experience and understanding in the consumer-packaged goods industry was invaluable.”
We acknowledge the support of the Southern Ontario Network for Advanced Manufacturing and Innovation (SONAMI) for this project.
The Comeback Story
“School is my safe place,” says Fanshawe student Coty Benninger. “When I’m learning and being challenged, I feel like I have a purpose.”
For Coty, attending college plays an important role in his comeback story. For 15 years, Coty was plagued with addictions to alcohol and drugs, which led him to some dark places.
A few years ago, Coty had a detrimental back injury and wound up in London, living at the Salvation Army Centre of Hope. After spending a year recovering from his injury and starting his sobriety process, Coty was looking for an opportunity to further his education.
“I wasn’t sure if I could even come to college because I only had a grade nine education,” Coty says. “But the staff at Fanshawe helped me and I enrolled in the Human Services Foundation program.”
How Coty Benninger has overcome adversity and is chasing his dream of completing a college education.
Coty received bursaries from Fanshawe to cover his schooling, which helped immensely. He continued living at the shelter while attending school and calls it a humbling experience.
“It’s a difficult environment to be in with people who are experiencing issues with poverty, mental health and addiction,” Coty says.
Coty persevered and successfully finished the program, ending up on the Dean’s Honour Roll in his final term.
Today, Coty is approaching three years of continued sobriety, has his own place to live and is enrolled in the highly competitive Social Service Worker program. Having been on the client side of the profession for most of his life, Coty is looking for an opportunity to give hope to others.
“The value of helping means a lot to me,” Coty says. “I was once hopeless and now I’m looking for those people so I can be a relief to them.”
I was once hopeless and now I’m looking for those people so I can be a relief to them. “
”
HAMMER’S TIME
Mitch “The Hammer” Hampson pushed through an injury and the pandemic to achieve his goals.
Mitch Hampson (Golf and Club Management alumni, 2023) started golfing at the age of three, but he didn’t get really serious about the sport until around the age of seven. Not surprisingly, his passion for the game eventually led him to the Golf and Club Management program at Fanshawe.
Along the way Mitch acquired his nickname “The Hammer” and racked up several tournament wins. In 2022, he captured OCAA individual gold and CCAA individual silver, and helped the Fanshawe Falcon’s golf team capture its first national team medal (bronze) and first provincial championship title in 30 years.
Mitch was born in South Africa where he made his mark as a junior golfer and attracted attention from several U.S. colleges before being sidelined in 2020, first by a serious back injury, and then by the pandemic. “I couldn’t play golf for a whole year,” he says.
By 2021, he had recovered from the stress fracture in his back and moved with his parents and sister to Mitchell, Ontario, where his grandparents live. It didn’t take long to get his swing back—he shot 66 in his first golf game in Canada.
Mitch graduated from the program and is happily working with the grounds crew at Mitchell Golf & Country Club. His goal is to eventually be in a head greenskeeper position, or he might return to Fanshawe to pursue a business diploma.
“The two years I was at Fanshawe were fantastic,” he says.
As well as making good use of the indoor golf simulator year-round, he really enjoyed competing for the College as a Falcon. “The golf courses you get to play on are spectacular, and the people on the team that you play with are unreal.”
“My hope is the garden will evoke a sense of calm and peace,” says Alex. “I hope it provides a space for contemplation while being surrounded by the colours, scents and sounds of nature—a place of remembrance and healing.”
PEACE
Fanshawe students design a garden in memory of Our London Family.
In 2021, our community was horrified when a terrorist attack rooted in Islamophobia targeted London’s Afzaal family. Since that time, many have looked for ways to show their support, express their grief and offer comfort.
In 2023, the Islamic Centre of Southwest Ontario contacted Fanshawe to request student volunteers who could build a commemorative garden in the Islamic Cemetery of London in honour of the Afzaal family, now widely known as Our London Family. Emily DeBeck, a secondyear student in the Business Marketing program who is completing a co-op placement with the College’s Equity, Diversity and Inclusion team, took the lead.
“This project was clearly very special from the start,” says Emily. “The goal was to provide a space where people can come and pay their respects in an area that is flourishing and peaceful.”
Emily partnered with Alex Bright, a second-year student in the Horticulture Technician program, to create a plan for the garden. They assembled a team of students and, working with faculty members in the School of Design, created a design for the garden, taking great care to include elements that have special meaning in Islamic culture.
“Islamic gardens have a lot of symmetry and geometry in their design,” explains Alex. “I used the concept of symmetrical quadrants for the layout, and we also plan to adorn arbours with some key Islamic symbolism in the shape of the crescent moon.”
The arbours were installed in the fall of 2023, and the flowers will be planted in the spring of 2024.
CLASSROOM THE
OPPORTUNITIES AND CHALLENGES OF ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE IN HIGHER EDUCATION.
Artificial intelligence (AI) has made inroads into nearly every facet of our lives. In recent years, AI tools have been transforming the landscape of education, offering new possibilities and presenting unique challenges.
Personalized learning experiences are now possible as AI algorithms can adapt content and teaching styles to suit each student’s needs. Intelligent tutoring systems offer real-time feedback and support. They also have the potential to democratize learning, making it more accessible for diverse populations.
However, risks loom on the horizon. Concerns about data privacy, algorithmic bias and job displacement are legitimate. Furthermore, overreliance on AI could hinder the development of critical thinking and human-tohuman interactions in educational settings.
It’s not the first time that educational tools have faced scrutiny. When calculators were first introduced, there were concerns about students becoming overly dependent on them and losing their ability to perform mental arithmetic. However, over time, it became clear that calculators could enhance mathematical understanding by allowing students to focus on problem solving rather than tedious calculations.
Similarly, as AI continues to shape higher education, it’s important to remember these tools have the potential to shift the educational landscape towards more meaningful, concept-based learning. The key lies in striking the right balance and fostering a symbiotic relationship between humans and AI to maximize the benefits while addressing the risks.
“With AI, there is lots of potential,” says Peter Devlin, President of Fanshawe. “Virtually all industries are using artificial intelligence in some way, and our faculty are embracing this technology. AI will be in our classrooms, in our facilities and in all aspects of our life.”
AI’s influence on higher education is undeniable. It empowers educators, personalizes learning and offers accessibility like never before. However, it’s essential to tread carefully, balancing the benefits with the potential risks, drawing on the lessons from the past to guide our path forward.
This article was written in part by ChatGPT and the image was created using Midjourney. Editing and layout were done by humans.
HONOURING HEROES
In April 1945, the First Canadian Army launched a mission that ultimately led to the liberation of the Netherlands on May 5 of that year. The Canadian contribution to the liberation is still commemorated in the Netherlands every year with ceremonies, events and gifts of tulips to Canada.
To mark the 75 th anniversary of the liberation, the Dutch Canadian Society of London and District donated more than 2,000 tulip bulbs to Fanshawe. The bulbs were planted at the London Campus by students in the Horticulture Technician and Landscape Design programs, some of whom had personal connections to this meaningful gesture.
“Being a Dutch-Canadian is so much more than just my heritage; it is my identity,” said Alex Van Ankum, a student in the Landscape Design program, at a special event on May 5, 2023. “My work ethic, my drive to achieve and my passion for horticulture all derive from growing up on a Dutch farm.”
“Looking at the tulips planted, it puts a smile on my face to see a little piece of Holland right here in Ontario.”
Fanshawe has strong connections with the Canadian Armed Forces. In 2020, the College became Canada’s first MilitaryConnected Campus, providing serving members, veterans and their families with career opportunities and additional supports for the transition to civilian life. In 2023, Fanshawe signed a Memorandum of Understanding with four other Ontario colleges to collaborate on a framework to offer military-connected students barrier-free and local access to program completion.
“We thank the Dutch Canadian Society of London and District for their generous donation of tulips to our campus,” said Peter Devlin, President of Fanshawe College. “The flowers serve as a symbol of the sacrifices made and the lasting friendship between our two countries.”
Professor William Pol speaking at the May 5th event.
Driven to
Katyayini Thakur is the first former international student to be appointed as a member of faculty full time.
In a landmark moment for Fanshawe, Katyayini Thakur (Health Systems Management alumni, 2020) is
Excellence
Fanshawe’s first full-time faculty member who was once an international student at the College.
A trained physician who hails from India, Katyayini arrived at Fanshawe in 2019. She quickly became an integral part of the Fanshawe community by serving on the Fanshawe Student Union executive team, including as president during the 2020/21 academic year. Katyayini is now teaching in the Automotive Service Management program in the College’s School of Transportation Technology and Apprenticeship.
“It is such an honor to be the College’s first former international student full-time faculty hire,” says Katyayini. “It is indeed a significant milestone in my professional life, and I am committed to upholding the high standards and values that this role represents.”
Before her full-time appointment, she taught part time in the Automotive Service Management program as well as the Health Care Administration Management program at Fanshawe’s London South Campus.
Katyayini is also developing equity, diversity and inclusion curriculum for the Green Vehicle Technology program, set to launch in 2024. She is exploring several topics for inclusion, such as identification of equity-deserving communities and the barriers they face, the importance of diversity and inclusion and how to create an inclusive environment in the workplace, discussions on the environmental impact of alternate fuels and technologies and more.
“With melting glaciers and untamed wildfires, the need of the hour is to address global climatic change in a proactive manner, sooner than later,” she says. “Finding sustainable energy solutions in the automotive sector is just one step in the right direction.”
“
This commitment to datadriven decision making has positioned Fanshawe as a leader in the field.
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(L-R) Gary Danner, Laksh Sathyanarayana, Rob Downie
SURVEY SAYS …
How Fanshawe is leading the way in institutional research.
In a rapidly evolving business landscape, making informed decisions is paramount. By relying on data-driven insights, organizations can mitigate risks, optimize resources and identify growth opportunities. Fanshawe's dedication to this principle is setting the standard and exemplifying the broader significance of data - driven decision making.
The services provided by Fanshawe’s Institutional Research encompass the full research lifecycle, from survey design and data collection, to analysis and reporting. What makes Fanshawe unique is the commitment to using feedback surveys as a catalyst for improvement in academic offerings.
“As an institution that provides training and business services, Fanshawe actively collects and uses data to improve these services,” says Candace Miller, executive director of business development and strategic support. “This commitment to data-driven decision making has positioned Fanshawe as a leader in the field.”
“The team administers 90 to 100 surveys each year, 45 per cent of which are focused on training offered by the College’s Corporate Training Solutions (CTS),” says Krista Prokopick, data and survey coordinator with Institutional Research. “The results for CTS are overwhelmingly positive.”
A number of community partners have reached out to Fanshawe for assistance in designing and administrating surveys. One such partner is the Township of Malahide. They contacted Fanshawe to help administer an online community survey as one of its multiple data sources used in the development of their strategic plan. The data analysis provided by Fanshawe yielded valuable insights into the community's preferences and aspirations and provided the Township Council and staff with a solid foundation for strategic planning.
Fanshawe's data-driven approach not only sets a high standard for the College’s services but also serves as an example for organizations looking to make informed decisions.
BIG SCREEN DEBUT
Brittany Farhat’s first feature film premieres at North America’s largest documentary film festival.
Brittany Farhat (Broadcasting – Television alumni, 2010, Advanced Filmmaking alumni, 2011) was filming the Live at Massey Hall concert series when she received news that left her weeping with joy.
Brittany’s first feature film, July Talk: Love Lives Here , was accepted into the 30 th annual Hot Docs Canadian International Documentary Festival.
Each year, Hot Docs—North America’s largest documentary film festival—presents over 200 cutting-edge films from around the world.
Grappling with a global pandemic and a live music shutdown, July Talk: Love Lives Here brings the audience closer to the artists who make up the band July Talk, as they set out to put on a one-of-a-kind rock and roll concert experience.
In addition to filming the band’s process planning these unprecedented concerts, Brittany spent 18 months combing through hundreds of hours of behind-the-scenes footage that had never been released. “I was given access to the band’s extensive archive,
shot over nearly a decade by members of their creative community,” she says. “I couldn’t ask for a more fitting project as my first feature film, but it was a long and arduous process to make the film what it had to be.”
Earlier this year, the film brought Brittany back to London. It was screened at Hyland Cinema and was accepted into the Forest City Film Festival, where it won Best Documentary Feature.
After graduating from Advanced Filmmaking, Brittany decided to pursue her passion of working with musicians, initially working at record labels before eventually launching her own production company, Good Job Hi Five, that saw her tour with artists across North America and Europe, directing live concert films and music videos.
Brittany will always be proud of her decision to study at Fanshawe. “My teachers were extremely knowledgeable, professional and supportive of my goals and passions as an aspiring filmmaker. I received excellent hands-on training.”
Sacred Teachings
Artwork based on Indigenous teachings adorns Innovation Village.
Fanshawe’s new Innovation Village is focused on creating connections between our campus, the wider community and our natural world. One of the key pillars embedded in this new space is the connection to Indigenous cultures. Artwork representing the Seven Grandparent Teachings are featured throughout Innovation Village, telling an important story through beautiful imagery.
LEARN MORE 4
Source: The Seven Grandfather Teachings, Legislative Assembly of Ontario
Buffalo Respect Flower
Respect is mutual and reciprocal – in order to receive Respect you must give Respect. All of Creation should be treated with Respect. Respect is represented by the bison. The bison was at one time a significant resource for Anishinaabe people, giving every part of itself to sustain human life for food, clothing and shelter.
Humility is to know yourself as a sacred part of Creation. You are equal to others, but you are not better. Humility is represented by the wolf, which is a social animal that lives in packs. They work in cooperation with each other and for the greater good of the pack.
Wisdom is to be used for the good of all people – to cherish knowledge is to know Wisdom. Wisdom is represented by the beaver, who uses its natural gifts of sharp teeth wisely to cut logs and branches to build dams.
Be Honest in your words and actions. Be Honest first with yourself, and you will more easily be able to be Honest with others. Honesty is represented by the raven. The raven accepts himself for who he is and does not look to try to be like others.
Love is unconditional and must be given freely. When we give Love freely, it comes back to us – in this way it is mutual and reciprocal. Love is between all of Creation, humans and non-humans. Love is represented by the eagle, who can travel over great distances and carry it and all of the teachings to the four directions of the Earth.
Truth is speaking only about what you have lived or experienced, do not deceive yourself or others. Truth is represented by the turtle, who was here during the creation of Earth and carries all of life’s teachings on his back. By living in a slow and conscientious manner, the turtle knows the value of both the journey and the destination.
Courage is to face your foes with integrity, and do what is right even when the consequences are unpleasant. Courage is represented by the bear. The mother bear has the Courage and strength to face her fears and challenges while protecting her young.
Beaver Wisdom Flower
Eagle Love Flower
Turtle Truth Flower
Raven Honesty Flower
Humility Wolf Flower
Bear Courage Flower
BRIDGING THE GAP
Grads Bonnie Macklin and Tracy Tolton
are
talent
acquisition
specialists who co‑founded Calibre Recruitment Inc. in 2016.
Bonnie and Tracy first worked with Fanshawe’s Corporate Training Solutions (CTS) in 2021, and again in 2022, assisting with job development and employer connections for skills training programs that the College was delivering.
After seeing the impact of those programs, Bonnie (Legal Assistant alumni, 1992) and Tracy (Business Marketing alumni, 2001) applied to run their own training initiative, to address a need they had identified in the London region: connecting job seekers who have non violent criminal records with employers in the hospitality and manufacturing sectors.
“Bridging the Skills Gap Project” was made possible through the Skills Development Fund Training Stream, an Employment Ontario project funded by the Government of Canada and the Government of Ontario. The program is delivered in partnership with CTS, where Fanshawe provides the skills training while Calibre focuses on job readiness coaching, confidence building and laying the groundwork with both applicants and employers.
“For many years we saw high potential candidates being overlooked because of a criminal record, while employers in those sectors were having issues filling openings,” says Bonnie. “This program essentially bridges that gap.”
“ ”
We felt a need to advocate for applicants and encourage employers to be flexible in their hiring practices.
“Individuals were taking themselves out of the running for well-paid positions with large organizations because they assumed they wouldn’t even be considered,” says Tracy.
“We felt a need to advocate for applicants and encourage employers to be flexible in their hiring practices. We ask them to get to know people and their full situations before making decisions that screen them out.”
“Partnering with CTS ensures the training is seen as credible by employers,” she adds. “Having Fanshawe on an applicant’s resume carries a lot of weight.”
The first training started in September, and several participants are now working full-time in meaningful positions with a secure future. “We are helping people realize their full potential,” says Bonnie. “That is so rewarding!”
(L-R) Bonnie Macklin and Tracy Tolton
COMMUNITY A SENSE OF
How Fanshawe
supported students affected by the Russo‑Ukrainian War.
COMMUNITY
“When the conflict started, we knew our students needed support,” says Dean of Students Janice Lamoureux.
In February 2022, Russia invaded Ukraine, which was the biggest attack on a European country since the Second World War. By the spring, more than 8.2 million Ukrainians had fled the country.
For more than 100 Fanshawe students from Ukraine and the surrounding areas, it meant they couldn’t receive funds from their home country and didn’t have the same level of access and support from their families and loved ones.
“Thanks to funding from the College, the Fanshawe Student Union (FSU) and an external donor who supports the Dean of Students Bursary program, Fanshawe was able to help students affected by the conflict in a variety of ways,” Janice says. “We are grateful for our external donor and the FSU, who contributed to our financial supports offered.”
The College was able to provide support for those living in residence or off-campus housing, distribute grocery gift cards and connect them with Career Services to assist them with finding part-time work if it was needed. Fanshawe also provided crisis support from Counselling and Accessibility Services for those who were feeling the effects of the conflict.
“In these terrible times, Fanshawe was willing to provide the best possible support,”
says Zakhar Sirobaba (pictured left), a digital marketing degree student who hails from Lebedyn Ukraine. “Housing was the most critical aspect for me as I had no relatives or friends during my first year in Canada, and having a comfortable room to stay in was the best thing I could ask for.”
Janice remains inspired by the resilience of these students.
“There is a real sense of community that has developed here,” she says. “Many of them have connected with one another and continue to help each other.”
Fanshawe welcomes 90 local female high school
JILL OF ALL TRADES
students for an introduction to Red Seal trades.
There was a buzz of excitement and energy in the air throughout labs across Fanshawe’s London Campus, as 90 local female high school students received a hands-on introduction to Red Seal trades as part of the College’s inaugural Jill of All Trades™ event.
Established by Conestoga College in 2014, Jill of All Trades™ is a day-long educational fair with workshops and guest speakers designed to introduce Grade 9 to 12 female students to the benefits of a future in skilled trades and apprenticeships.
The workshops at Fanshawe involved students performing diagnostic testing on both combustion and electric vehicles, using welding techniques to fabricate a metal flower, framing a wall with 2×4s, bending and soldering copper piping and creating a ‘barn star’ out of sheet metal.
“ My first activity of the day is carpentry, and that’s what I plan to do with the rest of my life, so I’m very excited for that.”
“I love working with my hands, I love being creative, I love building,” said Paige, a local high school student who is looking to pursue a career in carpentry. “My first activity of the day is carpentry, and that’s what I plan to do with the rest of my life, so I’m very excited for that.”
Providing female students with opportunities to pursue traditionally male - dominated careers across the skilled trades is critically important on both an individual and societal level. According to Statistics Canada, only about seven per cent of skilled trades workers in Canada identify as female.
“Fanshawe is incredibly proud to join the Jill of All Trades™ program, further emphasizing our commitment to empower women in the trades,” said Stephen Patterson, dean of Fanshawe’s Faculty of Science, Trades and Technology. “With the support of our terrific faculty, staff and community partners, we look forward to hosting many more of these events in the years to come.”
Adam Armit
BIG LEAGUE SUCCESS
A look at Adam Armit’s role with one of the world’s premier sports and entertainment companies.
For Adam Armit (Business Marketing alumni, 2009), no two days are ever the same in his role at Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment (MLSE). MLSE is a premier sports and entertainment company that not only owns several Toronto sports teams, such as the Maple Leafs, Raptors, Argonauts and Toronto FC, but also the venues in which they play. Scotiabank Arena hosts 200-plus events a year.
As the Senior Manager of Marketing – Venues, Live, and Food and Beverage, Adam wears many hats. He oversees marketing for all concerts at the iconic arena and venue marketing to attract promoters to book at Scotiabank Arena.
“On a single day, I might be launching a marketing campaign for one of our standalone restaurants, working on marketing a Harry Styles concert and brand building for our premium clubs,” Adam says.
Fanshawe is part of the foundation for Adam’s success.
“When I was researching the Business Marketing program, it really spoke to me,” Adam says. “The professors bring reallife experience and knowledge to the classroom, and I found so much value in that.”
Adam has also switched from student to teacher and is a professor for an online marketing course at Fanshawe.
“I like to bring real-life examples to the virtual classroom that I found beneficial as a student,” he says. “If I’m teaching about advertising, I’m able to tap into my network and bring in guest speakers who can share that expertise.”
Adam is also able to impart advice to students looking to break into the field.
“Personal brand is important, and you need to make yourself more than a number when applying for a job,” he says. “You want to make yourself jump off that page.”
TRANSFORMING HEALTH‑CARE EDUCATION
A groundbreaking donation to Fanshawe sparks innovation with XR technology.
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A new centre of excellence at Fanshawe will serve as a hub for innovation and collaboration in post-secondary education.
Thanks to a transformational gift of $5 million from Toronto-based philanthropist Diane Blake, the College aims to bridge the gap between the latest advancements in extended reality (XR) and the health-care sector, ultimately transforming the way medical professionals are trained and delivering a higher standard of care.
“We are facing critical labour shortages across all sectors of the Canadian health-care landscape, and I am delighted to be working with Fanshawe College to support program growth in health-care education,” said Diane Blake. “The integration of new technologies into traditional program modalities will give more students the opportunity to learn, practice their skills and enter the job market ready to excel. I am confident students at Fanshawe will benefit greatly from this initiative.”
The integration of new technologies into traditional program modalities will give more students the opportunity to learn, practice their skills and enter the job market ready to excel.”
By leveraging XR technology, students will be able to practice complex procedures, conduct diagnoses and interact with virtual patients, providing a realistic and engaging learning experience. This cutting-edge approach will enhance critical thinking, decision-making and collaboration skills, fostering a new generation of highly skilled and competent health-care professionals. The centre will also be open to current health-care professionals seeking ongoing training to refresh and enhance their skills.
“We extend our deepest gratitude to Ms. Blake for her visionary philanthropy and commitment to revolutionizing health-care education,” says Peter Devlin, President of Fanshawe College. “Her generous contribution will enable us to build a centre of excellence that will have a lasting impact on the lives of patients and the professionals dedicated to their care.”
Toronto-based philanthropist, Diane Blake.
A TASTE OF STUDENT SUCCESS
The Chef’s Table Market gives students important hands-on experience.
At the back entrance of Fanshawe’s School of Tourism, Hospitality and Culinary Arts, you will find fridges and freezers filled with delicious culinary delights, thanks to a new retail space called The Chef’s Table Market.
The Market was an idea born during the COVID-19 pandemic as a way to balance culinary students’ academic learning with practical experience. Thanks to its early success, the school had a vision to expand.
“Our enrolment has grown so much that we needed another avenue to showcase all of the fantastic products the students are creating,” says Emma Rankin, manager of The Chef’s Table.
Customers can now find pre-made meals, baked goods, preserves and meat—all created by culinary students, who are also leading the customer service experience.
“Our students are in charge of a lot of the back-end work,” says Kellen Gedies, outreach and events facilitator for The Chef’s Table. “They do the inventory count, assemble and collect orders, weigh their items and price it.”
The Market also supports the community. A portion of some sales goes to Childreach, a local organization that provides services to children and parents. The College has also partnered with IndWell, where Fanshawe students create affordable meals and Too Good To Go, an app that sells surplus food at a reduced price.
The Chef’s Table Market is gaining momentum. “We offer great quality and affordable products,” says Emma. “We are starting to get a good following from local businesses and our students from a variety of programs can see what their classmates are working on.”
The Chef’s Table Market is open to the public on Thursdays, from 2 to 5:30 p.m. at 130 Dundas Street (entrance located off Carling Street).
For more information, visit thechefstablefanshawe.ca .
FANSHAWE’S SCHULICH BUILDERS
1. Va’quwyen Beals
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Haley Benoot
Emily Holmes
Ethan Kopas
FANSHAWE STUDENTS RECEIVE CANADA’S LARGEST SKILLED TRADE SCHOLARSHIPS.
Building a bright future
Ten students have been named Fanshawe’s inaugural recipients of the Schulich Builders Scholarships for Skilled Trades, a newly created program that has committed an annual investment of more than $3 million to combat labour shortages and highlight the importance of skilled trades in Canada.
Out of a pool of 350,000 potential candidates across Canada, more than 1,000 students were nominated. One hundred students across 10 Ontario colleges have received this celebrated award and are referred to as “Schulich Builders.”
With a $325,000 gift from the Schulich Foundation as part of this new program, Fanshawe has been able to provide scholarships for students in a oneyear certificate or two-year diploma programs focused on skilled trades. The scholarships cover tuition, tools and living expenses. Schulich Builders will also receive leadership training and mentorship to enhance their student experience and assist with their entry into the skilled trades upon graduation.
“We are grateful to the Schulich Foundation for their support in helping us unlock the potential of these talented students pursuing careers in the skilled trades,” says Stephen Patterson, dean of Fanshawe’s Faculty of Science, Trades and Technology.
“We are proud to promote the skilled trades and support students pursuing this rewarding career path,”
says Judy Schulich, director, the Schulich Foundation. “Canadians rely on the trades to build and maintain infrastructure critical for prosperous communities. Our challenge today is not having enough of these talented people to meet the demand.”
AWARD-WINNING
Enchantment by Antwan Chnkdji
Professional Photographers of Canada Annual Image Salon – Best of Category Portrait Student Award, Best Overall Student Award
for Life
Fanshawe Student Photography Competition Winner, Fashion Category Winner, Sony Award
Fanshawe Student Photography Competition Winner, B&W Award
FACTS FANSHAWE
21% household income <$30,000
16% work full-time
24% first generation post-secondary
40,000+ students
200,000+ alumni
3,000+ employees
STUDENTS BY CREDENTIAL:
FIGH TING FO OD INS ECU RITY
Faculty and students research ways to enhance operations and expand the reach of a local community fridge.
A discrete structure sits in the Berkshire neighbourhood of London, Ontario with a simple yet powerful message: “Take what you need, leave/give what you can.”
This is the Community Fridge—a pantry and refrigerator stocked daily with produce, dry goods, bread, dairy products and more. Started by volunteers from the Rotary Club of London South, it provides barrier-free access to food for those experiencing food insecurity. They can stop by anonymously any time of day, any day of the week. The need is significant; the Community Fridge provides an average of $500 in food each day.
Organizers of the Community Fridge contacted Fanshawe to request assistance from faculty and students to evaluate their current operations.
Catherine (Kate) Traill, coordinator of the Research and Evaluation graduate certificate program, saw a great opportunity to get involved.
“I loved the initiative,” says Kate. “I loved the organizers’ commitment, and I immediately knew I wanted to contribute in some small way to the sustainability of this amazing project.”
With funding from the Research and Innovation Fund (RIF), a program through the Centre for Research and Innovation (CRI) which provides financial support or course release for Fanshawe faculty and staff to engage in collaborative research projects, Kate hired a recent graduate from her program as a research assistant and they began to collect data.
“Our research scope included an environmental scan of other community fridges operating in similar-sized
Learn more about the Community Fridge.
jurisdictions; a comprehensive literature review of the concept of community fridges across North America and Western Europe; a weighed inventory study to approximate the value of the food distributed by London’s Community Fridge; and a survey of regular users of the Community Fridge to understand their approximate location and potential barriers to access the Community Fridge,” explains Kate. “The survey was translated into Ukrainian, Spanish and Arabic to reflect the demographics of users.”
Students in the Research and Evaluation program’s Capstone course are now completing interviews with various community organizers and potential partners across London to determine opportunities and barriers to expanding the Community Fridge in the London-Middlesex region. These recommendations, based on the summer 2023 data collection, include that London would benefit from more local community fridges and formal partnerships with other preexisting community services
“ ” I can’t speak highly enough about this particular organization,
says Kate. “The fact that users can access it anonymously is a significant benefit for many folks experiencing food insecurity since there is still so much stigma associated with experiencing poverty. Users are so grateful, and our survey indicates that most users of the Community Fridge give back when they are able.”
I feel like a part of me woke up when I was a student at Fanshawe
Safe Space
“I feel like a part of me woke up when I was a student at Fanshawe,” says Amanda Tretter, a three-time graduate of the College (TV Broadcast and Film Production ’19, Advanced Film Making ’21, Video Effects and Editing ’21).
Amanda’s journey to post-secondary education success has not been an easy one. As a young teenager, Amanda’s mother passed away and she experienced bullying in school after moving to Europe to live with her sister.
When Amanda returned to Canada, she struggled with depression and mental health. After attending Western University for two years, she decided to change gears and investigate programs at Fanshawe.
“I was interested in the TV broadcasting program and passionate about producing videos,” Amanda recalls. “I still remember the excitement of being accepted.”
After arriving at Fanshawe, Amanda felt very welcome. “I spoke to each of my professors about my mental health and I was met with a lot of understanding and they were proud I was able to speak up about it,” she says. “It made me feel understood and safe.”
At Fanshawe, Amanda found a supportive community that allowed her to flourish.
Having a supportive environment allowed Amanda to flourish and gain confidence while learning the skills she needed to start her career.
“The program was hard on my anxiety and I thought I couldn’t do it,” Amanda says. “But my professors encouraged me and I found a lot of support from my classmates.”
Today, Amanda runs her own company called Blue Scarf Productions . Amanda wants her clients to know that Blue Scarf is a safe production company for sharing stories. That ideology is represented in the name itself, with blue being an honest, loyal colour and the scarf representing comfort.
“I am very motivated to create content that has a positive influence,” Amanda says. “I want to create videos so people don’t suffer alone in mental illness like I experienced.”
