Message from the College President

I am pleased to provide the 2022-2023 Annual Report for Niagara College, highlighting some of the key achievements over the past year.

The college community was thrilled to welcome a fulsome return to campus this past fall, following several years of pandemic-related restrictions. A true sense of joy permeated our halls as students and employees enjoyed the opportunity to resume campus life, reconnect in person, and reinstate cherished traditions. Our delight was shared by the Niagara College Student Administrative Council (NCSAC), with whom we continue to be grateful to share an exceptional partnership in support of a wholistic student experience.

2022-2023 marked the launch of the new Strategic Plan (2022-2027), which creates a bold vision for the college’s future and identifies six connected areas of focus that will drive our actions: Wholistic Student Experience, Academic Excellence, Global Reach, Alumni & Partner Engagement, Social Inclusion & Environmental Responsibility, and Organizational Excellence. This report details some of our significant accomplishments, including the launch of the student Massage Therapy clinic, the opening of the Welland Campus digital media lab and makerspace, the creation of the virtual Accessibility Hub, partnership with the Niagara 2022 Canada Summer Games, the return of Be World Ready international mobility programs, and many initiatives and innovations that advanced teaching and learning, applied research, student and employee wellness, among others.

As always, our students and employees demonstrated the college’s welcoming, passionate, and trailblazing characteristics in 2022-2023, earning recognition and accolades provincially, nationally, and internationally for initiatives and accomplishments including:

> Matt Mackie (3D Digital Game Art) and Jake Boekestyn (Welding) won gold at the 2022 Skills Ontario Competition, advancing to the Skills Canada National Competition where Mackie earned second place and Boekestyn won third place

> 18 students formed the second-place team at the Ontario Colleges’ Marketing Competition, and a team of students won first place at the 2023 Human Resources Professionals Association Student Case Competition

> Murray Brewster (1985) and Erica Williams (2018) were among seven winners of Colleges Ontario’s prestigious Premier’s Awards 2022, marking the first time two NC alumni won Premier’s Awards in the same year

> The Accessibility Hub received a Minister’s Award of Excellence in the Equality and Opportunity category and Chef Professor Olaf Mertens was honoured with an Everyday Heroes Award for his leadership of NC’s Feed the Community initiative

> The College received a 2022 Award of Excellence from Colleges and Institutes Canada, earning silver in the Global Engagement category; and received a bronze award for Global Citizenship from the World Federation of Colleges and Polytechnics

> Niagara College was recognized as a top research college, earning the No. 2 rank in Canada and the No. 1 spot in Ontario in a special report released by Research Infosource

We remain focused on our mission and vision, our access mandate, our partnerships with industry, community, and government, and the evolving needs of our students and employees. Our ability to respond to emerging needs and trends in the economy is supported by the passion and expertise of our faculty and staff, who represent Niagara College ably and well in local, provincial, national and international organizations.

I would like to thank the members of the Board of Governors for their invaluable commitment to Niagara College. Each year, the Governors volunteer their time to our Board and participate in community, government, and business events as representatives of the College. The Board’s engagement and feedback continues to be an invaluable resource.

I hope you enjoy reading about the incredible initiatives happening here in Niagara and around the globe in this year’s report, a testament to the welcoming, passionate, and trailblazing characteristics that define Niagara College.

College Accomplishments

2022-2023 marked the first year of the College’s ambitious 2022-2027 Strategic Plan, which envisions a college that is diverse, inclusive and highly engaged; socially and environmentally aware; with trailblazing academic programs that are immersive, flexible, accessible, and meet the changing needs and expectations of students and employers alike.

Developed through more than a year of intense consultation engagement within the college and the broader Niagara community, the Strategic Plan responds to a unique time in postsecondary education, marked by increased competition, rapid technological change, students who are more diverse and globally aware, and a community in economic recovery and in urgent need of a highly skilled and stable workforce.

Strengthened by the student-focused, welcoming, passionate and trailblazing qualities that characterize Niagara College, and a commitment to the six areas of focus of the plan – wholistic student experience, academic excellence, global reach, alumni and partner engagement, social inclusion and environmental responsibility, and organizational excellence – we excitedly embarked upon a significant return to campus for students and employees following several years of restrictions during the pandemic.

We continued to provide an exceptional NC experience, grew our partnerships, achieved national recognition, and supported our communities through innovations and collaborations that mark our College as a leader in the pandemic recovery period. Highlights are outlined within this report.