Success uncorked Toasting Canada’s leader in wine education
Grad spotlight A close-up with MTV Live’s Paul Lemieux
Prof raises the bar Former Olympic high jumper champions for sport
Zero-emission hero On-campus building achieves a provincial first
encore APPLIED DREAMS.
THE MAGAZINE OF NIAGARA COLLEGE CANADA | NiagaraCollege.ca | Winter 2013
A royal welcome
Countess of Wessex visits NC to launch CFWI Research Centre
Teaching is our Passion. NC RESTAURANT
BENCHMARK
Learning is their Passion. Indulge
NIAGARA COLLEGE TEACHING
WINERY
your Passion.
The Learning Enterprises at Niagara College’s beautiful Niagara-on-the-Lake campus offer visitors a unique experience where food, wine and beer combine to treat your senses, a spa treatment will relax you and the aroma from the greenhouse will send you home smiling.
NIAGARA COLLEGE TEACHING
BREWERY
We invite you to experience Niagara College in a way you never thought possible - an oasis of hospitality and indulgence.
As we tell our students...
NIAGARA COLLEGE
SPA
You’re going to like it here!
NIAGARA COLLEGE TEACHING
GREENHOUSE
NiagaraCollege.ca
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President’s welcome
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At a glance
Encore is published twice annually by Niagara College Canada.
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Wine Visitor + Education Centre produces reds, whites and ... green
Mailing address: Niagara College Canada 300 Woodlawn Road Welland, Ontario, Canada L3C 7L3
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College plus food festival: the perfect pairing
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Teaching Brewery taps into Western Canada
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Nothin’ but net for United Way
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Nicole Forrester: A champion for sport
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CFWI Research Centre: a recipe for innovation
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Royal visit boosts Research Centre launch
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Raise a glass to wine education
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Associate Vice-President Planning and Communications Gordon Hunchak Manager Marketing and Communications Dorita Pentesco Director of Development Foundation and Alumni Relations Lyn Russo
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Editors Julie Greco, Michael Wales Contributing writers Julie Greco, Michael Wales Photography Luke Gillett Graphic design Mark Hughes Comments are welcome. Contact encore@niagaracollege.ca
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Grad spotlight: MTV Live’s Paul Lemieux
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Queen’s Diamond Jubilee honours College president
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Prof recognized for exemplary service
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Convocation 2012: Welland-born entrepreneur inspires graduates
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Learning experience beyond bricks and mortar
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Student-driven makeover to benefit Port Cares
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Grad wins 2012 Premier’s Award
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Alumni benefits and services
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Alumni Council members 2012-2013
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Scholarships and bursaries support student learning
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Equipping future workers
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Golf Classic tees up funds for student athletes
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Support student success
ON THE COVER Sophie Rhys-Jones, the Countess of Wessex (second from right), is pictured with College president Dan Patterson as she takes a moment to speak with students Brittany Burton and Kayla Martins during her visit to the Niagara-on-the-Lake campus.
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Dan Patterson, Ph.D. President
Welcome to the winter edition of encore. AS WE COME TO THE CLOSE OF ANOTHER YEAR OF GROWTH AND SUCCESS at Niagara College, we have much to celebrate and no shortage of good news to share. For more than a decade, Niagara College has been a leader in wine education. Ten years ago, students who first enrolled in our Winery and Viticulture Technician program graduated, and Canada’s first and only commercial teaching winery became a model for applied education in Canada. Our wine programs and Teaching Winery were conceived as a hands-on learning environment for our students, whether in Winery and Viticulture Technician, Wine Business Management, Sommelier certificate, or other related courses. They’re a great example of responsive academic programming, and what can be accomplished when a college and industry work together. Graduates of our wine programs, all of whom got their feet wet in the Teaching Winery, are making a positive impact in the wine industry in Niagara, Canada and abroad. In this issue, we celebrate more than a decade of wine education at Niagara College, look back on our history and check in on some of the distinguished graduates of our wine programs. This fall, we were also fortunate to host royalty once again at our Niagara-on-the-Lake Campus. Sophie, Countess of Wessex, visited us in September, almost three years after the Prince of Wales came to Niagara College to mark the opening of our Wine Visitor + Education Centre (WVEC). The Countess toured the WVEC, and helped us celebrate the launch of another unique Niagara College initiative – our Canadian Food and Wine Institute Research Centre. In this issue, you’ll read about this venture, which combines some of our College’s key strengths: applied research, and food, wine and beer education. On these pages, you’ll find stories of success and achievement, an update on our sustainability efforts, profiles of our expert faculty and distinguished alumni, and much more. I hope you enjoy this issue of encore. As always, we welcome your feedback. Please send your comments, story ideas and alumni updates to encore@niagaracollege.ca.
Dan Patterson, Ph.D. President
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At a glance Fall enrolment spike breaks records NC HIT A RECORD ENROLMENT ONCE AGAIN, WITH MORE THAN 10,000 STUDENTS expected to study at the College for 2012-2013. This fall, NC welcomed 4,900 first-year students, a jump of more than 10% over the previous year, and an increase that’s more than double the system-wide average.
CELEBRATING STAFF EXCELLENCE
HIGH-PERFORMANCE TEAMS ARE A VITAL COMPONENT of the special culture of caring and support at Niagara College. That’s why staff and faculty kick off each academic year with the Awards of Excellence. In September 2012, three people received the honour. Jane Koetsier (pictured second from left), who has been working at NC since 1969 and is currently administrative assistant to the dean of Environment, Media and Technology Ben Cecil, was recognized with the Support Staff Award; director of Human Resources Jim Garner (pictured left) was granted the Administrative Award as well as an award for 20 years of service at the College; and Tom Busnarda (pictured right), professor in the Liberal Studies division who has worked at NC for about 30 years, was honoured with a Faculty Award.
Program achieves pinnacle of success GOLD IS THE COLOUR FOR NC’S EVENT MANAGEMENT PROGRAM. In September 2012, the program won the top award for Best Event Management Certificate Program th in the combined budget category at the International Festival and Events Association’s 57th annual convention in Denver, Colorado. “To receive this prestigious international award is a great honour, and a testament to the quality of our innovative Event Management program and our dedicated faculty,” said Shelley Merlo, professor/ coordinator of the program. “Our program has built a reputation as a contributor to the College community and the Niagara region with student-run events that have continuously sought to help members of the community while providing students with important professional planning skills.” This is the second IFEA Pinnacle award for the program. In 2009, it earned a silver for Best Event Management Certificate Program.
TAKE A VIRTUAL TOUR A NEW VIRTUAL TOUR BRINGS NC STRAIGHT TO YOUR BROWSER OR MOBILE DEVICE. All it takes is a few clicks and visitors can navigate across both campuses with the walking tour and learn about its features at the same time. The virtual tour also allows users to visit the inside of the College’s facilities by browsing the 360s, panoramas and photos, or experiencing campus life through the video collection. Check it out for yourself at NiagaraCollege.ca/virtualtour.
Cheer for College beer THE NIAGARA COLLEGE TEACHING BREWERY is toasting a successful year. At the end of July, the Teaching Brewery, the first commercial facility of its kind in Canada, barreled its way into the top 10 at the 2012 U.S. Open Beer Championships in Atlanta, Georgia. The NC Teaching Brewery placed sixth overall – in a list that includes leading North American craft Brewers such as the Boston Beer Company, brewer of Sam Adams – and brought home four medals. It won gold for its Butler’s Bitter, inspired by the War of 1812, and for its Helenboch Beer; and silver for its First Draft Ale and Bertwell Barrel Aged Barley Wine. NC also received an Editor’s Circle Award at the 10th annual Golden Tap Awards as chosen by the editor of The Bar Towel.
Message in a bottle NC CONTINUED ITS EFFORTS TO INCORPORATE SUSTAINABILITY into all of its operations this summer by banning the sale of bottled water on campus. “There was an overwhelming response from staff and faculty to ban the sale of bottled water on campus,” said Taryn Wilkinson, the College’s environmental project coordinator. “Banning bottled water has the obvious benefit of reducing waste from plastic bottles and supports the notion that everyone
has the right – not the privilege – to clean drinking water, and it should not be sold as a commodity.” Niagara College isn’t the first public institution to ban the sale of bottled water. It follows the footsteps of many municipalities in the Niagara Region, school boards, and post-secondary institutions – such as Queen’s University, The University of Toronto and Fleming College – who have already implemented the ban.
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Wine Visitor + Education Centre produces reds, whites and… green WHILE NIAGARA COLLEGE’S WINE VISITOR + EDUCATION CENTRE (WVEC) has established itself as a unique centre for wine education in the heart of one of Canada’s leading wine regions, the environmental community is raising a glass to the WVEC as the first post-secondary educational facility in Ontario to earn Carbonzero certified status. Integrated Municipal Services Inc., (IMS) a division of Niagara’s Walker Industries, created a carbon neutral building service with the vision of making sustainable living and building operations more accessible and practical for small- to medium-sized businesses and organizations. “One of our key strategic priorities at Niagara College is to incorporate environmental sustainability into all of our operations,” said NC’s vice-president of Corporate Services Teresa Quinlin. “This initiative is a great fit for us. It provides further impetus to reduce our carbon emissions, wherever possible, and it allows us to mitigate what we’re unable to reduce.” Over the spring and summer, IMS conducted a building operations greenhouse gas inventory for the WVEC, which has been reviewed and audited by Canadian carbon offset provider and registry Carbonzero. With the purchase of carbon offsets – at a price of approximately $5,000 – the WVEC has earned its Carbonzero certification as carbon neutral. The price of the offsets is covered from revenue generated
through the College’s participation in the provincial government’s Feed In Tariff (FIT) program. Five hundred solar panels are installed at the Welland Campus, generating thousands of dollars in revenue each year. Greenhouse gas inventories will be conducted at the WVEC annually to ensure the building remains carbon neutral. “We’ll also continue to work toward reducing our carbon emissions,” said Quinlin. “Niagara College has made great strides toward achieving our sustainability goals and we’ll continue to work toward reducing our environmental impact.”
College plus food festival: the perfect pairing NC’S ORIENTATION TOOK A TASTY TURN IN 2012, as the College partnered with the Niagara Food Festival to incorporate one of the week’s signature events into the Peninsula’s Tastiest Party. Friday night at the festival became Niagara College Night – and included the Orientation concert. Hundreds of students turned out to see headliners These Kids Wear Crowns and local favourites such as Street Pharmacy. Niagara College graduate and MTV Canada host Paul Lemieux was the night’s emcee at the festival’s main stage. “This is a great opportunity to warmly welcome new students to the Niagara Region, and for all students to meet and mingle with members of the community at one of our region’s signature events,” said Gord Hunchak NC’s associate vice-president of Communications and Planning. “This was about everyone coming together to celebrate the start of the new academic year.” For Niagara Food Festival chair Brad Morgan, the partnership was a key ingredient in one of the most successful festivals in its 19-year history. “The Niagara College students brought a great energy and excitement to the festival,” said Morgan. NC also returned as one of the festival’s most popular food vendors, as well as the exclusive wine provider. Orientation Week included tours, info sessions, student services fairs, barbecues, and community events at both main campuses.
NC students Sarah Brideau and Janine Hall pitch in at the Niagara Food Festival. Kevin Neufeld prepares ingredients at the College’s booth. Students and the community enjoy entertainment on the main stage. 4 encore | NiagaraCollege.ca | Winter 2013
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NC Teaching Brewery taps into Western Canada JUST TWO YEARS AFTER THE HISTORIC LAUNCH of the first Brewmaster program in Canada, Niagara College is taking it to new heights through new national and international partnerships. The NC Teaching Brewery is being used as a model for applied education in Canada. Through a partnership established in April 2012 with Alberta-based Olds College, NC’s Canadian Food and Wine Institute has expanded its course offering to Western Canada. NC is committed to sharing its expertise with Olds to deliver its Brewmaster program, which is expected to launch in September 2013. The new east-west partnership will open doors for NC students who may like to complete a portion of their studies at Olds, and vice-versa. The NC Teaching Brewery is also gaining worldwide recognition. It recently became an accredited training partner with the Institute of Brewing and Distilling (IBD) – a member-based organization and Tom Thompson, president, Olds College, is pictured with Steve Hudson, viceregistered educational charity in the U.K. dedicated to the education president Academic, Niagara College, at an Olds College event in April 2012, announcing the partnership between the two colleges. and training needs of brewers and distillers that offers internationallyrecognized qualifications through training. The agreement will allow students who complete NC’s Brewmaster program to further their education by writing IBD examinations at the CFWI’s Niagara-on-the-Lake Campus. IBD qualifications are the most widely recognized in the global brewing sector.
Nothin’ but net for United Way; Knights score upset in third annual Hoop Classic FOR THE FIRST TIME IN THE THREE-YEAR HISTORY of the Peninsula Hoop Classic, the Niagara College Knights came out on top, as the men’s team edged Brock 78-71 on September 28, 2012. It was a split on the scoreboard, as the Badgers won the women’s game 84-18. The United Way of South Niagara was the big winner on the night however, as more than $2,000 was raised for the community agency. The men’s and women’s teams from Brock and NC played in front of a near-capacity crowd at NC’s Welland Campus Athletic Centre, with proceeds supporting the United Way of South Niagara. “The Peninsula Hoop Classic is a great opportunity to bring Niagara’s two postsecondary institutions together for a great evening of collegiate basketball,” said Matthew Davies, NC’s manager of Athletics and Recreation. “We’re grateful for the fans from both schools who filled the bleachers to support the United Way.” The Peninsula Hoop Classic originated in 2010 and was the first game played at the Welland Campus Athletic Centre when it opened that year. Since then, the event has raised $7,000 for United Way. The Niagara College Knights battle the Brock Badgers at the Hoop Classic.
Follow the Knights online GOKNIGHTS.CA IS THE NEW ONLINE HOME OF THE NIAGARA COLLEGE KNIGHTS. Powered by PrestoSports, the site features an updated scoreboard, a schedule of games and events, photo galleries, video, varsity team rosters and much more. A mobile version is also available. Go Knights! Winter 2013 | NiagaraCollege.ca | encore 5
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A champion for sport Professor Nicole Forrester is used to soaring to great heights.
AS A PROFESSIONAL TRACK AND FIELD ATHLETE, she has competed against the best in the world at the Olympic Games. The eight-time Canadian champion has represented Canada on 20 national teams. She has high-jumped her way to gold and bronze medals at the Commonwealth Games, silver and bronze at the Pan American Games, and a silver at the World University Games. Even when she’s donning business attire, Forrester’s standout height at almost six-foot-four and slender athletic build makes her look every inch the part. But Niagara College’s new Sport Management professor is as comfortable teaching a classroom full of students or working intently at her desk at the College’s Niagara-on-the-Lake Campus as she is training on the field. Her roster of sporting achievements earned while the world was watching only tells half the story for Forrester. In fact, the 36-year-old has dedicated as much time and effort to her academic pursuits over the years, as her athletic training. After years of hard work and dedication to her own studies, she is looking forward to attaining her PhD in Sport Psychology from Michigan State University by the end of 2012, once her research dissertation in High Performance – Going from Good to Great is complete. The self-professed nerd who grew up in the small village of Cookstown, Ontario, notes that despite a full slate of training that
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she has dedicated herself to for almost 20 years, education was the cornerstone of her upbringing and has always been her true focus. Growing up, she envisioned becoming a doctor someday. “My parents brought me up with the value that if you work hard, you can do anything and everything, so I always knew I would be pursuing higher education,” she says. Athletics did not come into play until she was 17 years old, when Dave Hunt, a coach from the University of Toronto, spotted her “neverending long legs” as she worked behind the counter at McDonald’s and asked if she would like to learn to high jump. The chance encounter forged an unexpected new pathway for Forrester, opening doors for her that she had never previously dreamed of through a full scholarship to the University of Michigan. “When I went to Michigan, it wasn’t with the intention of becoming a lead athlete. To me, it was a ticket to a free education,” recalls Forrester. “I had no idea that jumping over a stick would get me there.” Her intense track and field training sparked a newfound interest in kinesiology, which eventually led to her earning two undergraduate degrees from the University of Michigan – a Bachelor of Science in Movement Science, and a Bachelor of Arts in Sport Management and Communication – as well as a Master’s of Education in Exercise and
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Sport Psychology from the University of Texas at Austin. Forrester’s dedication to her studies did not slow her down on the field. As she devoted more time to her training, Forrester steadily gained ground as an athlete. She began to make national teams and
“I’ve always felt like life is like an hourglass, where time is slipping by and we have to make the most out of each minute we have,” she says. As she continued to pursue both paths, she found that balancing
qualify for major championship games at the age of 20. She found herself competing in the Commonwealth Games at 21 and earning her first major medal at the Pan Am Games the following year. There were more to follow as she followed the track of becoming an elite athlete.
athletics with academics, in fact, boosted her results on the field. “School always gave me an outlet to be stressed about and to balance me, so I wouldn’t be so obsessed with track that I could become my own worst enemy,” she says. As she progressed in her academic pursuits, teaching became a new passion for Forrester, who enjoys the ability to motivate, inspire, provoke thought, and change lives. She hadn’t planned on looking for an academic position until officially retiring as a professional athlete in 2013 however, when she learned that Niagara College was launching its new Sport Management program, Forrester was attracted to the prospect of being a part of it all. She joined NC faculty in September 2012 eager to make her mark on the program, its students, and sports in Canada. Here at NC, Forrester believes her experience as a professional athlete as well as having been exposed to sport outside of Canada during her athletic career equips her with a unique perspective, as a professor, to offer to her students. In addition to her career as an elite athlete, Forrester has been working as a sport consultant and motivational speaker. She has also been actively involved in the sports community, as a member of the Canadian Olympic Committee, an athlete advisory member of the Pan American Games, planning committee member of Athletics Canada, and a board of directors member of AthletesCAN. She is an athlete ambassador for numerous organizations including Sports Day in Canada, Kids CAN School Day, Canadian Tire JumpStart, Kidsport Ontario, the Heart and Stroke Foundation and Esteem Team. Her larger goal of raising the bar in the world of sport is giving Forrester a renewed purpose now that she plans on retiring as a professional athlete. She is excited about making a difference through her students and hopes to motivate them to improve the culture of sport in Canada. She advises her students to be creative and think like entrepreneurs. “The most important element for students is ambition, a desire to understand the industry and critical thinking,” she says. “I want our students to learn the system, understand how sport is in Canada and how they can make it better.”
“I want our students to learn the system, understand how sport is in Canada and how they can make it better.” Forrester attributes her successes to many factors: hard work, a mantra passed on to her through her parents; chance encounters that have opened doors to possibilities she had never imagined; and mentors that have inspired her through their successes. Juggling her academic workload and athletic training – about 30 hours a week in itself – hasn’t always been easy for Forrester over the years. The feat required becoming a master of time management. At times, Forrester admits, she would only average four hours of sleep per night.
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CFWI Research Centre A recipe for innovation
NIAGARA COLLEGE HAS COMBINED TWO OF ITS KEY INGREDIENTS – ITS NATIONALLY RENOWNED CANADIAN FOOD AND WINE INSTITUTE AND ITS EXPERTISE IN APPLIED RESEARCH – AND COME UP WITH A UNIQUE NEW VENTURE WHERE DISCOVERY IS ALWAYS ON THE MENU. THE CANADIAN FOOD AND WINE INSTITUTE RESEARCH CENTRE was launched this fall, representing a joint venture between the CFWI and Niagara Research – Niagara College’s centre for applied research. The CFWI Research Centre brings expert faculty, students and grads together with the agri-food sector to innovate, analyze and bring new products to market. “The Canadian Food and Wine Institute’s combined approach to wine, beer and culinary education is unique to North America, and we bring a wide range of expertise to the table,” said Jon Ogryzlo, dean of the Canadian Food and Wine Institute. “Through applied research, we support one of Niagara and Ontario’s most important industry sectors,
and we give our students important hands-on opportunities that they wouldn’t get anywhere else.” The CFWI Research Centre is funded by the federal and provincial governments through the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council (NSERC), Canada Foundation for Innovation and the Ontario Research Fund. The CFWI Research Centre fills an important need for innovation and commercialization support for one of Niagara’s – and Canada’s – key industries. Niagara College’s associate vice president of research, Marc Nantel, notes that the food and beverage industry is the second largest manufacturing industry in Canada, producing shipments worth more than
Amy Proulx, who has a PhD in food science and nutrition from Iowa State University, comes to NC after having worked for the Canadian Food Inspection Agency, Agriculture and Agri-food Canada, and the United States Department of Agriculture. She was drawn to the College by its new Culinary Innovation and Food Technology program that offers a unique combination of food science, culinary education and research opportunities. 8 encore | NiagaraCollege.ca | Winter 2013
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$92 billion and employing 300,000 Canadians. “Niagara College is a leader in applied research – we’re helping to transform the regional economy, and we’re helping small- and medium-sized business grow,” he said. “We’re doing this by leveraging our resources, technologies and our specialized areas of expertise. As a leader in culinary, wine and beer education, the Canadian Food and Wine Institute Research Centre is a natural addition to our wide-range of applied research activities.” Among the expert faculty who are involved in the CFWI Research Centre projects is Amy Proulx, who brings her broad experience in food science and technology, and research to the College. She has worked for the Canadian Food Inspection Agency, Agriculture and Agri-food Canada, the United States Department of Agriculture and earned a Ph.D. in food science and nutrition from Iowa State University.
both “philosophical and financial support” to Mothers Against Drunk Driving, said president and CEO Brian Bolshin, with 10% of net sales supporting MADD’s efforts to reduce impaired driving and support victims of the crime. MADD Virgin Drinks approached Niagara College with the goal of brewing an alcohol-free lager beer that has the flavour profile of a regular beer. “We wanted to develop the finest alcohol-free beer available anywhere in North America,” said Bolshin. “We were drawn to the expertise in Niagara College’s unique and well-regarded viticulture and brewing programs.” By tapping into NC’s considerable brewing expertise, and leveraging the College’s access to the latest equipment and technologies, the company was able to achieve its goal of matching the quality and flavour
“Other programs don’t have the same level of hands-on interaction with food, and it’s absolutely critical in today’s environment.” Proulx is a professor and the coordinator of NC’s Culinary Innovation and Food Technology program. The opportunity to teach this unique program, which combines food science and culinary education, along with research opportunities, is what drew Proulx to NC. “Anyone who visits Niagara College realizes it’s a really unique campus and has a culture that supports ideas,” she said. “It’s unique in Canada to have a combination of food science and culinary training,” she added. “Other programs don’t have the same level of hands-on interaction with food, and it’s absolutely critical in today’s environment.” Research that supports innovation and commercialization is also a welcome change for Proulx, whose career has included university and government research. “Here, it’s not so much about pushing the envelope of new knowledge,” she said. “It’s about transferring knowledge to people so they can see economic benefit in their companies.” The CFWI Research Centre is currently involved in a variety of projects that range from developing a new all-natural sparkling beverage using local flavouring agents to developing a food safety program for a hydroponic spinach grower. The centre is also equipped to assist with commercialization, and has helped a local start-up brewery with a social media plan and sales kit. One of its larger partnerships is a project with MADD Virgin Drinks, a line of alcohol-free beverages intended to provide an alternative to alcohol for any occasion or venue. The company was formed to provide
Brian Bolshin, CEO of Hill Street Marketing – MADD Virgin Drinks (left); and Glenn Broadley, chief operating officer, Hill Street Marketing – MADD Virgin Drinks (centre); have an opportunity to meet the Countess of Wessex during the official launch of the CFWI Research Centre.
profile of an actual lager. “We really benefited from Niagara College’s expert faculty, brewers and food scientists, and the process and research methodologies that they brought to the table,” said Bolshin. “It provides us with a unique and superior product to market throughout North America.” Moving forward, the CFWI Research Centre will expand its facilities and resources to enhance its research capabilities, and the learning environments available to students. Plans include the construction of labs for food chemistry, food microbiology, shelf life and quality assurance, and sensory analysis. Much like the CFWI itself, the CFWI Research Centre is also uniquely positioned to expand its research activities to a national level, leveraging partnerships such as the CFWI’s recent arrangement with Olds College in Alberta, which will see NC’s Brewmaster and Brewery Operations Management program delivered in Western Canada. “Combining our expertise with some of the top researchers in Canada will greatly enhance opportunities for companies right here in Niagara and beyond,” said Ogryzlo.
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Royal visit boosts launch of Canadian Food and Wine Institute Research Centre ONCE AGAIN, NIAGARA COLLEGE PLAYED HOST TO ROYALTY AT ITS NIAGARA-ON-THE-LAKE CAMPUS.
Her Royal Highness the Countess of Wessex, Sophie Rhys-Jones, visited NC on September 15 as part of a tour of Canada with her husband, Prince Edward, the Earl of Wessex. During her visit, the Countess toured the College’s Wine Visitor + Education Centre and celebrated the launch of NC’s unique Canadian Food and Wine Institute Research Centre. The Countess of Wessex GCVO, is the wife of Prince Edward, the youngest son of Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh. Her visit follows Niagara College’s hosting of His Royal Highness the Prince of Wales in November 2009. “We were extremely honoured that Her Royal Highness the Countess of Wessex chose to visit us and learn about some of the exciting things that we’re doing in the areas of winery and viticulture education and culinary research,” said Niagara College president Dan Patterson. “It was certainly an historic day for us, and a wonderful opportunity to showcase the work of our students, staff and faculty.” During her tour of the Wine Visitor + Education Centre, the Countess viewed student- and faculty-led demonstrations of the grape crushing, separation and fermentation processes. She also sampled three Niagara College Teaching Winery wines, including the 2010 Dean’s List Chardonnay, 2007 Dean’s List Meritage and the 2009 Savant Icewine, along with an assortment of local cheeses. Following her tour, the Countess attended a reception at Niagara College’s teaching restaurant, Benchmark, where guests celebrated the launch of the CFWI Research Centre.
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Clockwise from top: Sophie Rhys-Jones, the Countess of Wessex, samples wine from the NC Teaching Winery. College president Dan Patterson (left), and hospitality and events manager of wine and beer operations, Lorraine Snihur (second left), give the Countess of Wessex (second right) and her father Christopher Bournes Rhys-Jones (right) a tour of the Teaching Winery vineyards. Head winemaker Terence van Rooyen (right) introduces the NC Teaching Winery’s award-winning wines to the Countess (left); wife of the Ontario Lieutenant Governor, Ruth Onley (second left); and father of the Countess, Christopher Bournes Rhys-Jones (second right). The Countess (left) speaks to research assistant Oksana Sytchouk (right), who is currently a student in the Culinary Innovation and Food Technology program at the Canadian Food and Wine Institute.
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Raise a glass A special feature celebrating more than a decade of achievement in wine education
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Cultivating skills for student success
When it comes to wine education, it’s always a vintage year at NC TWENTY-SIX-YEAR OLD EAMONN KELLY may only be in his first year of Niagara College’s Winery and Viticulture Technician program, but he already takes immense pride in his work. Inside the Niagara College Teaching Winery, Kelly and his classmates gather in a lab, examining jugs of what will soon become their own batches of Chardonnay. Weeks down the road once their wines are filtered and bottled, the students’ wines will be taste-tested and judged by their peers. Until then, they busily test, measure and document the fruits of their labour every day – including weekends – during the fermentation process. “We harvested our Chardonnay grapes, pressed them, and now we’re doing all the testing. It’s really interesting to be involved the whole way through and we have become proud of our wines very quickly,” he says. For students like Kelly, the appeal of the program lies within its applied nature. He savours every opportunity to pick grapes in the vineyards, to craft his own wines within the College’s Teaching Winery, to visit local wineries on a regular basis and speak to professional winemakers. He values the numerous occasions he has to represent the College at events where he can network with key players in the wine industry. “We get real, hands-on experience at the College, and I’m out in wineries every day and talking to winemakers, learning everything about the process,” he says. “We can take an active role in our own education.” Kelly and his classmates are a shining example of what makes NC’s wine programs unique. The focus on experiential learning provides students with an unparalleled learning experience that, for the past 10 years, has produced not only skilled graduates but leaders in the country’s growing wine industry. First-year students Eamonn Kelly (right) and Tristan Bondett work on a small batch of their wine at the NC Teaching Winery.
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Planting the seeds NC’S WINERY AND VITICULTURE TECHNICIAN PROGRAM was
with a well-rounded business education and practical training to
launched in 2000. Developed in consultation with the local wine industry,
promote future growth of the wine and tourism industry.
which had been anticipating a growing need to grow its workforce during
As programming grew, so did its facilities. In 2009, NC launched
the next two decades, the two-year program was designed to produce
the Wine Visitor + Education Centre, which officially opened to much
skilled graduates to sustain the expected growth.
fanfare, with a visit from Prince Charles, Prince of Wales during his
The trailblazing venture of launching the program was developed
Canadian tour. A centre for wine education, the WVEC became a
through consultation with a program advisory committee made up of
gateway to the Canadian wine industry. It also became the new home
key industry players. It had support from leaders such as Canadian
of the Teaching Winery, with on-campus facilities for students to
wine pioneer Donald Ziraldo; John Howard, owner of Megalomaniac
learn about winemaking, winery operations and practices from real
winery; and Allan Schmidt, current president of Vineland Estates.
winemakers who produce quality products.
Two years later, the College made history when it opened the first
Central to the College’s wine programs, the WVEC has become
commercial teaching winery in Canada. The facility enriched the
an integral part of the bigger picture at Niagara College and the high
learning experience for wine students with its valuable on-campus
standard of training offered by the Canadian Food and Wine Institute.
resources including vineyards and Teaching Winery, giving students an
The programs follow in the footsteps of the College’s widely recognized
opportunity to learn from professional winemakers on-site.
culinary programs and laid the foundation for the launch of the College’s
It had modest beginnings. In its early days, the program was housed in a section of an on-campus barn on its Niagara-on-the-
Brewmaster program – the first of its kind in the country – in 2010. In addition to the Teaching Winery, the College features a roster
Lake Campus and was equipped with only nine barrels, a handful of
of on-campus learning enterprises that are open to the public. While
processing tanks, and six acres of vineyards.
Benchmark Restaurant, Bench to Go food services, and the NC Teaching
The College soon decided to expand its program offerings in
Brewery join the Teaching Winery at the Canadian Food and Wine
wine education. Responding to a growing need to train students
Institute; the Niagara College Spa and the College greenhouse are also
in the business aspect of the industry, a second wine program was
located at the Niagara-on-the-Lake Campus.
established in 2007: the Wine Business Management post-graduate certificate. Providing students with wine business principles and strategies, the new venture was aimed at training winery personnel
These enterprises offer students real-world training and unrivaled experiences that boost satisfaction – the hallmark of an NC education. >>>
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Grad notes Sara d’Amato
WINE CRITIC/WRITER FOR WINE ALIGN, SOMMELIER FOR MAPLE LEAF SPORTS AND ENTERTAINMENT, WINE CONSULTANT/EVENT SPEAKER Graduate of NC’s Winery and Viticulture Technician program (2005) What brought her to NC: A desire to learn the craft of winemaking and to be involved in a burgeoning industry. How her NC training prepared her: It provided me with hands-on experience and most of all, connections to others in the industry, other colleagues that have become important players in the field and networking opportunities with local producers.
Learning beyond the classroom THE WINERY AND VITICULTURE PROGRAM draws students from a variety of backgrounds and interests. While some are interested in working as winemakers; the more agriculturally inclined have set their sights on working in the vineyards; while others are interested in the customer relations or retail marketing aspects of the business, such as working with people and educating them about the industry. The hands-on program exposes students to virtually every aspect of the industry. Following their first year when students are in the classroom from September to April, students set out on a 600-hour practicum placement from April to January. This equips them with three full seasons of valuable, real work experience in the industry. Some students gain experience at wineries across the country, while others complete their practicum at local vineyards in the Niagara region – even at the NC Teaching Winery. Regardless of where their practicum takes them, the placement as well as their involvement with the Teaching Winery throughout the duration of their program, helps students find their niche within the industry, notes Jennifer Wilhelm, coordinator of the College’s wine programs. Students learn first-hand that working in the wine industry is not quite as glamorous as often portrayed. “It’s about chemistry, microbiology, plant biology, chemistry lab analysis. They’re tough classes so the students have to be serious about it,” says Wilhelm. “They’re going to be harvesting icewine at 2
Value of NC within the industry: I think it is important for the students, the new generation of winemakers, and wine professionals to see their hard work through to a rewarding end. The only way to accomplish this is make the wines commercially available. Having a training program for winemakers and wine professionals is essential for any wine industry to survive. Although winemakers imported from other countries and regions adds to the richness and diversity of our wine industry, it is of utmost importance that we are training and creating a culture of our own. After all, winemakers are part of the local terroir as well! Thoughts about the NC Teaching Winery: I am thrilled at the recent progress they have made in acquiring modern and appropriate facilities for winemaking and for learning. I am also very proud of the caliber of graduates and knowing of their successes and impressive accomplishments. What makes the NC Teaching Winery special: The students it attracts who, for the most part, are driven, creative, ambitious and diverse. The holistic learning approach from the ground up is also very special and allows graduates a multitude of possible paths upon completion of the program.
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Below and centre: Students are busy at harvest time at the Niagara College Teaching Winery. Right: Cabernet Franc grapes are sorted for the winemaking process.
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a.m. when it’s minus 10 degrees; they’ll be working mostly 18-hour days during harvest time for two weeks at a time, they’ll be exhausted, their hands are stained and they’ll never have a manicure again. “It’s agriculture. It’s science. It’s selling. It’s hard work.” Students enrolled in the Wine Business Management certificate program are focused on accounting, training, marketing, sales and label development, as well as importing/exporting, human resources and public relations. During their studies, they have an opportunity to work with an industry partner and create wine labels for the Teaching Winery. They also learn about event management and have the opportunity to organize industry events. Graduates move on to work on the front lines in wine sales, wine events and agencies. A recognized leader in wine education, the College’s Canadian Food and Wine Institute also offers a Certified Sommelier program, and various Continuing Education certificates and courses. Even students not enrolled in the College’s wine programs however, benefit from the Teaching Winery’s existence. The College infuses education about Ontario wines into various courses including hospitality and tourism, culinary and beverage programming. As a result, more than 1,000 new students are educated about the province’s wine offerings every year, helping to bring forward a new generation of wine lovers. Since the trio of program areas under the CFWI umbrella –
“It’s agriculture. It’s science. It’s selling. It’s hard work.” food, wine and beer – are so closely related, NC students have the advantage of the synergy between them. Culinary and Brewmaster students often join the wine club – and vice versa. They can also be seen picking grapes at the Teaching Vineyards during harvest, or pitching in at NC Teaching Winery during crush. In addition to classroom learning, the CFWI hosts numerous oncampus events for students to participate in, such as its signature Caps Corks and Forks events where the wine and beer students are challenged to create the best pairings to a meal prepared by culinary students. Students are encouraged to get involved in many off-campus events such as food and wine festivals in the region and beyond. “There’s something every week for students to get involved in,” notes Wilhelm. >>>
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Grad notes Jordan Harris
A winery like no other
GENERAL MANAGER / WINEMAKER, TARARA WINERY, LEESBURG, VIRGINIA; PREMIER’S AWARD WINNER (2008) Graduate of NC’s Wine and Viticulture Technician program (2004) Memorable NC moments: Working as a practicum student and having the opportunity to be close to some of the industry’s top professionals gave me an incredible opportunity to learn from the best – those who had a genuine desire to see me succeed. How his NC training prepared him: Without going to NC, I would never have had the success in the real world that I do today. Those I learned from and worked with at the College truly cared about the success of the students and would do everything in their power to ensure they are not only ready for their career, but ready to excel. Value of NC within the industry: The hands-on experience of being in an actual winery is far more helpful that any textbook, lecture or lab could ever be. Without getting your hands involved in the educational facility, I simply can’t see how you could be as qualified for your career. Thoughts about the NC Teaching Winery: I cannot think of another educational program or winery that has had the accolades and successes that NCTW has had in 10 years. It has developed some of the top industry professionals locally and abroad as well as garnered great acclaim within due to its incredible standards. I only see it getting better every time I am back. So while the first 10 years is beyond impressive, I am more excited to keep seeing the growth and development over the next 10 years because I know those involved never rest and will always strive to hit the next level. What makes the NC Teaching Winery special: People, incredible setting, remarkable wines, restless promotion of the Niagara Wine Region as a whole, and partnerships. It really is the best place in the world to learn how to grow in the wine industry.
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ON A FROSTY NIGHT WHEN THE CONDITIONS ARE JUST RIGHT, a group of bundled up students gathers in the vineyard to pick grapes under the moonlight. It may be late, cold and dark but they’re in good spirits as they embark on what has become an annual rite of passage at the NC Teaching Winery – the icewine harvest. The icewine harvest draws students from the College’s Winery and Viticulture Technician and Wine Business Management programs, as well as other interested students from the College’s Canadian Food and Wine Institute. It’s an experience many of them would not have otherwise had without the facility. While icewine harvests are few and far between, the Teaching Winery remains on campus as a steadfast resource for students. Whether they’re visiting the lab to check on their own wines, strolling through the vineyards, or visiting the barrel cellar to sample wines as they’re aging, students are encouraged to visit often and experience its operations first-hand. “We urge students to come in and help out during harvest, particularly on crush days for the initial processing, separating fruit from stems and processing the raw material,” says Gavin Robertson, assistant winemaker at the NC Teaching Winery. “It’s good for the students to get out and see what the professors are talking about in class.” Robertson also enjoys walking students through whatever he is doing on any given day that they step into the facility. When they work on their small batches of wine that they make for class in the winery’s lab, he is there to advise them through the process. He believes that learning in a real commercial winery has a positive impact on students. “Much of what is learned in class may be difficult to visualize, especially for students who have never been exposed to the environment before,” he says. “So being able to check out what’s
Accolades pour in Icewine grapes are collected during cold winter nights, and into the early morning hours, at the NC Teaching Winery vineyards.
happening at a real winery and be a part of it all makes a huge difference to the students.” Robertson should know. He’s not only a winemaker but a graduate of the Winery and Viticulture Technician program. After graduating from university, he was working in Toronto’s bustling bar and restaurant scene when NC’s program caught his eye. He was drawn by its holistic nature, which would provide him with sensory instruction as well as training in farming and viticulture, cellar work, and the science of it all. “I loved being a student and spending a couple of hours doing organic chemistry, then going out in the vineyard; studying vine biology in class, then going out to prune and work the vines,” he recalls. “The program gets you straight into the industry with a practicum placement and then everyone returns for a second semester with a different experience which makes the second year hugely engaging.” It was during his practicum placement at the Teaching Winery where Robertson tapped into his passion for the production side of winemaking. “On one hand, you’re moving liquid from one tank to another and it’s not hugely complicated, but you’re also operating at a microbiological level,” he says. “You’re thinking about what the yeast are doing in the beverage, about the chemical processes happening. It’s abstract on one level, then hugely satisfying when you see the practical effect of it.” Robertson has been working full time at the Teaching Winery since spring 2012. He enjoys his role as winemaker, in conjunction with head winemaker Terence van Rooyen, as well as being a part of the learning enterprise. “Working with the students keeps me sharp because they always have a million questions,” he says. “At most wineries, you just work with the product; but here, it’s more participatory with the students, and that makes it even more exciting.”
OVER THE YEARS, THE WINE VISITOR + EDUCATION CENTRE has attracted thousands of visitors, while the Teaching Winery has garnered national and international media attention, and industry accolades. Head winemaker van Rooyen has had the honour of pouring wine for Prince Charles, the Prince of Wales, as well as Sophie Rhys-Jones, the Countess of Wessex who have both visited the premises during the past three years. “They were very impressed and did not hesitate to say so,” van Rooyen says. The Teaching Winery has become known for producing award-winning wines. Participating in competitions is a critical component of the learning experience at NC, including the production of quality wines. Under the leadership of its first winemaker and professor Jim Warren, it won gold for its 2001 Chardonnay at the Canadian Wine Awards in 2002 – even before the Teaching Winery had officially opened. Van Rooyen, who has been working as head winemaker and professor at the Teaching Winery for the past five years, points out that the number of brands have doubled and how new labels such as Dean’s List, introduced in 2007, depict that the Teaching Winery is an educational institution that produces high-end wines of consistent high quality. Over the years, the Teaching Winery has won numerous awards at prestigious competitions such as Cuvee, the All Canadian Wine Championships, the Ontario Wine Awards, the Canadian Wine Awards, Chardonnay du Monde, and the InterVin International Wine Awards.
Gavin Robertson isn’t only the assistant winemaker at the NC Teaching Winery, he’s also a graduate of the NC Winery and Viticulture Technician program.
In October 2012, the Teaching Winery was announced as one of the Top 25 wineries in Canada in Wine Access Magazine’s Canadian Wine Awards Winery Performance report. The NC Teaching Winery was named number 18, applauded for its excellent range of wines and its research. That same month, the Teaching Winery also entered the spotlight when its 2010 Dean’s List Chardonnay was selected as the Best White and among the highest scorers at InterVin – not an easy feat, considering >>>
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Grad notes
Jeff Hundertmark
HEAD WINEMAKER, MARYNISSEN ESTATES WINERY, NAMED AMONG TOP FIVE WINERIES TO WATCH BY WINE BUSINESS MONTHLY – A FIRST FOR A CANADIAN WINERY. ITS 2007 CABERNET MERLOT WAS CHOSEN AS THE RED HOUSE WINE FOR THE ONTARIO LEGISLATURE IN 2010. Graduate of NC’s Winery and Viticulture Technician program (2007) What led him to NC: It’s the best applied program for winemaking in Canada. Memorable NC moments: I enjoyed learning from some of the most respected professionals in their areas of expertise. I also learned that being a winemaker is 20% making wine, and 80% cleaning ... and that it takes a lot of beer to make great wine! Value of NC within the industry: The program is an amazing keystone to a career in winemaking, winery management or viticulture. The hands-on experience in a working winery classroom, and utilizing the knowledge and skills in a real life industry application gives the NC grad the upper hand in this very competitive industry. Thoughts about the NC Teaching Winery: Well, let’s put it this way. My step-son is now attending the NC Teaching Winery. I believe so strongly in the program, that I only hire NC students for their practicum. What makes the NC Teaching Winery special: The networking opportunities it offers for students and the ‘lifetime club member’ mentality for its graduates. Once you are a student and then a grad of the program, you can always get advice from faculty or alumni. We are a close-knit group. Rewards of his chosen career: Every day is different and definitely never boring. This career enables me to explore my artistic side, while utilizing my business acumen.
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nearly 50% of the entries never reached the podium at that competition. “This is the best award I have won as a winemaker since arriving in Canada from South Africa,” says van Rooyen. “The significance of this is that the industry has gained a very good respect for the NC Teaching Winery, and they expect and receive well-trained graduates when they are employed. “Graduates get to appreciate the effort and care it takes to craft award-winning wines and apply that in their approach to winemaking.” That the Teaching Winery is recognized for more than its wine is evident through awards won by its programs and people. In 2004, the Association of Canadian Community Colleges honoured the Winery and Viticulture Technician program with a Program Excellence award. That same year, the program won a Pinnacle Supplier of the Year award for educating graduates for the industry. In 2010, dean of the Canadian Food and Wine Institute Jon Ogryzlo was given the Tony Aspler Cuvee Award of Excellence, while program coordinator Jennifer Wilhelm received the Educator of the Year award. College president Dan Patterson was recognized at the Niagara Wine Festival that same year as winner of the RBC Citizen of the Year award.
“We’re extremely proud of the grads we produce. They are really what the Teaching Winery is all about.” For the past 10 years, the College has played a key role in producing hundreds of graduates who have become skilled staff in all areas of the industry, from winemaking to sales. Some have moved on to become leaders in their own right, such as Paul Pender, who graduated from the Winery and Viticulture Technician program in 2006. Pender has become known as an award-winning winemaker at Tawse Winery in Vineland, the largest organic winery in Canada. He was named Winemaker of the Year in 2011 at the Ontario Wine Awards and helped Tawse make history as Winery of the Year in Canada for three consecutive years, from 2010 to 2012. In 2008, Jordan Harris, a recent graduate of the Winery and Viticulture Technician program, was granted the prestigious Premier’s Award. Harris moved from a cellar hand as student, to a winemaker position at the NC Teaching Winery. He worked with several wineries in the region, including a winemaker position at Niagara Vintners Inc. which produces 20 Bees, before moving into his current position as winemaker and general manager at Tarara Winery in Virginia. “These awards are significant because they recognize that we not only produce some of the best wines in the world that help raise the standard of excellence, but also produce some of the best grads in the world,” says Steve Hudson, vice-president Academic. “For a country to have a strong wine industry it has to have a strong educational structure to support it and I believe we’ve made a significant difference in helping the industry progress. “We’re extremely proud of the grads we produce. They are really what the Teaching Winery is all about.” Van Rooyen agrees that the success of its graduates is the final measure of success for the College’s wine programs and Teaching Winery. “We give them wings and they learn to fly,” he says. “I am very proud of every graduate in whose education and training I have had the honour of playing a part.”
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Industry support takes root STEVE GILL, GENERAL MANAGER of the college’s winery and brewery operations, reflects on how the industry has changed since the launch of NC’s wine programs, when he first joined the College in 2000. “I think we have been a big part of assisting the industry with growth and providing the infrastructure required to grow,” he says. College president Dan Patterson also takes enormous pride in the successes of the College’s wine program and points to the importance of the wine sector to Niagara’s economy. “It is a great example of the College response to an industry need for a highly skilled work force,” he says. “The creation of the Teaching Winery has provided a platform for the College to extend the power of applied learning and real life simulation to a whole new level.” He says NC’s wine program, along with its Teaching Winery, is often cited as a great example of an enterprising college which has introduced pedagogical innovation, creating an unparalleled student experience while supporting labour market needs for a highly skilled workforce. “We could not have achieved such success if it were not for visionaries in the wine sector, like Donald Ziraldo, John Howard and Allan Schmidt and so many other industry advisory committee members who believed in the need to develop a highly skilled workforce which was critical to the wine industry,” says Patterson. “It was also people on the ground like Jim Warren, our first winemaker, who helped launch the winery to what it is today, with Gavin Robertson and Terence Van Rooyen who have enriched the curriculum and utilized wonderful new facilities.” As the president attributes much of the College’s success to industry support, many leaders in the industry applaud the success of NC’s wine programs.
“Having a highly qualified pool of talented students to draw from is a key ingredient for a successful wine region,” says Ziraldo. “I am pleased to have played a part in helping to build what has turned out to be a first-class program and unique facility at Niagara College.” Ziraldo points to the College’s strong talent pool of students as well as its roster of high-profile visitors. “Its VIP list is very impressive,” he says. “When you get iconic people like Marchese Piero Antinori, Prince Charles and the Countess of Wessex visiting your wine centre, you must be doing something right.” Debbie Zimmerman, CEO of the Grape Growers of Ontario, also notes her support for the College’s wine programs. “The Grape Growers of Ontario have benefited significantly from their relationship with Niagara College’s Teaching Winery program over the past 10 years,” she says. “Talented wine makers and viticulturists who have graduated from this program continue to exemplify our goals of producing outstanding VQA wines.” President of the Wine Council of Ontario Hillary Dawson points to the exceptional growth in Ontario’s vibrant wine industry the past 10 years and how it continues to evolve. “The excitement around local wines has attracted many professionals to seek opportunities and look for education to support their goals of becoming employed in the Ontario wine industry,” she says. “Niagara College’s Teaching Winery, with its intense Wine Business Management program, has provided graduates with a well-grounded business education along with very specialized practical training – items that are key for the continued growth of the Ontario wine, hospitality and tourism industries.”
Looking to the future IN ADDITION TO EQUIPPING ONTARIO’S WINE INDUSTRY with the skills needed for it to grow, the Canadian Food Wine Institute has expanded its scope. Over the past decade, it has become the go-to place in Canada for applied learning in wine and viticulture. One such example is an established partnership between the CFWI and Nova Scotia Community College which will follow the CFWI’s curriculum. Soon the NSCC wine students will earn joint certification with the CFWI. Prospects for partnerships and exchange programs with institutions in other wine regions around the world are also being examined. Experiential learning opportunities that come from the Teaching Winery go beyond preparing graduates who will drive the future success of the wine industry. They also help the industry innovate which, in turn, helps it compete globally. The capacity for innovation is evident across all College program areas, and its wine programs are no exception. Wine programs and Teaching Winery play a key role in applied research projects such as precision agriculture, where technology is being used to collect essential geomorphological data on the field and
help boost crop yields, serving to benefit winemakers. They are also playing an expanded role with the launch of the CFWI Research Centre in September 2012. Serving Ontario and Canada’s largest industry sector – food and beverage – students and faculty researchers are collaborating with industry partners in the areas such as sensory and consumer testing, and product and recipe tasting. The wine programs and Teaching Winery are sparking technological learning opportunities, such as the student-created NC Teaching Winery Vineyard Tour application for the iPad and iPhone, designed to educate users about vineyard processes and the winery. The free app allows users to tour the Wine Visitor + Education Centre and learn about its layout, microclimate, soil, and more. Innovations such as these are part of the unique NC experience. “No other college has the facilities we have in wine, education and research,” says CFWI dean Jon Ogryzlo. “I’m very proud of our uniqueness and the reputation we have built for the College, and for the wine industry.” Winter 2013 | NiagaraCollege.ca | encore 19
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Grad spotlight
Paul Lemieux
How NC’s Broadcasting program led ‘Paul the Intern’ to MTV PAUL LEMIEUX’S HILARIOUS ANTICS, stunts and celebrity interviews have been responsible for some of MTV Live’s most memorable moments. Known by his unshakable moniker ‘Paul the Intern,’ Lemieux has been a fixture of the popular, nationwide show since its historic launch in 2006. Since then, this comedic every-man’s career has grown right along with the show, catapulting him into the limelight and into the hearts of adoring fans, and a coveted co-host position. We caught up with the 27-year-old St. Catharines native who graduated from NC’s Broadcasting: Radio, Television and Film program (2006) and asked him about his life, his booming career and how his NC education helped get him to where he is today.
HERE IS WHAT HE HAD TO SAY: WOULD YOUR YOUNGER SELF EVER HAVE IMAGINED THAT YOU WOULD BE A TV HOST? When I was younger, a friend and I spent one summer making our own newscasts. My friend made up stories, but I wanted real news. I also did the weather. My sister held and lifted a piece of paper and that acted as the credits. It was a lot of fun, but I never thought I would go into broadcasting as a career. WHAT WAS YOUR CAREER GOAL WHEN YOU CAME TO NC? When I came to Niagara College, my goal was to actually become a writer for television. I soon realized that Niagara was more of a production school, but I learned about all aspects of television, including scriptwriting, and I think it made me a well-rounded student, ready for anything and everything television had to throw at me. WHAT ARE YOUR FONDEST MEMORIES OF NC? My fondest memories of Niagara College are staying up all night in first year building sets for our productions. The teachers would give us lessons during the day and all the information that we needed to know how to build a set, light, or where to place the cameras, and then they let us figure it out all ourselves as we built the sets into the wee hours of the
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morning. I made a lot of friends during that time and ate a lot of pizza. WHAT DO YOU VALUE ABOUT YOUR TRAINING AT NC? Niagara College was an ideal school for a student who wanted to do anything in television, radio, or film. We had a basic understanding in all facets of entertainment in the first couple of years, and then refined our skills and got more specific in the field we loved to be in. Obviously, my training in television production got my foot in the door, but if I didn’t learn about presentation, it’s pretty evident I wouldn’t be where I am today. HOW DID YOU LAND A JOB ON MTV LIVE? My Production Technology teacher Bill Boehlen actually knew about MTV before I did. A recent grad of Niagara College was working at MTV around the time of its launch and she was in charge of the internship program. Bill got in touch with her because he knew I had a love for music and thought I’d be a good fit here. If it wasn’t for one car ride I had with Bill where we were showing each other music we liked, I don’t think I’d be where I am today. Once I had the internship, I maneuvered myself into a production assistant role pretty quickly. It was all right time, right place. MTV was just getting off its feet and it needed a lot of hands at the time. There are many interns from that first batch who got hired that still work at MTV today. HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN ON THE SHOW? I’ve been on MTV Live from the very beginning, since April of 2006. My first bit was a week into the show, and they started to use me more and more from there. We had an hour of TV every day, and had no idea what to do with all that time. I did a lot of stupid segments back then. I was technically only an intern for the first month, but once you get a name on TV, it kind of sticks, and it’s too much trouble to change it. WHAT’S IT LIKE TO BE A HOST ON MTV LIVE? Being a host at MTV is such a surreal experience. I get to meet interesting people every day, and shoot really silly pieces that make it to national television that same day. It’s kind of like what I was doing at my parent’s house with my friends, but now (almost) anyone in Canada can see it.
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HOW HAS YOUR ROLE ON THE SHOW EVOLVED OVER THE YEARS? My role has evolved immensely here at MTV over the years. I started as an intern and a production assistant, mainly helping out the talent booker with research, to occasionally appearing on MTV Live, to becoming the character Paul the Intern, to now co-hosting MTV Live with Nicole Holness, Sheena Snively, and Dave Merheje.
WHAT WAS IT LIKE TO RETURN TO WELLAND TO EMCEE NIAGARA COLLEGE NIGHT AT THE NIAGARA FOOD FESTIVAL IN SEPTEMBER 2012? It was great to return to Welland to emcee the event. The College has been so good to me, and it’s nice to see that I can still come back and participate in the events.
Paul Lemieux began his career at MTV the same year that he graduated from NC. On right, he is pictured with fans on NC Night at the Niagara Food Festival.
DO YOU HAVE A PERSONAL FAVOURITE SEGMENT ON THE SHOW? The One on One’s and Lemieux on You interviews with celebrities are a lot of fun. I’m anxious as hell leading up to them. I never know how the celebs are going to react to the questions, but they generally have a good time with them and turn out pretty fun. I love Sheena’s on the street stuff too. Her She-M-Z thing where she goes out telling people what celebrity they look like is a blast. WHAT DO YOU FIND MOST REWARDING ABOUT YOUR JOB? The fact that someone somewhere is laughing at something I am doing. That’s the reason I got into television. And to know that no matter what kind of day someone is having, they can turn on MTV Live and laugh, or cringe, or whatever, really makes me happy. IS THERE A SPECIFIC MOMENT ON THE SHOW THAT STANDS OUT IN YOUR MIND AS THE HIGHLIGHT OF YOUR CAREER? Sitting beside Tom Cruise and having him watch us reenact his career was pretty awesome. He was having a great time watching it. He turned to me and whispered, “You gotta get me a copy of that.” That was pretty special. Also, having Mark Wahlberg shoot me with a paintball gun was pretty neat. He really wanted to make sure I was OK. He even mentioned it on Jimmy Kimmel later in the week. WHAT ARE THE SECRETS TO YOUR SUCCESS? I think what works for me on television is that I’m just a guy that they threw on TV to see what would happen. I always wanted to be behind the camera, and I think that kind of carelessness helps me be myself. People want to see themselves in people on TV, and I think I represent the sort of person who shouldn’t be on TV. Ha!
HOW DO YOU FEEL WHEN YOU’RE OUT IN PUBLIC AND ARE SWARMED BY ADORING FANS? It’s a really cool feeling when people come to me and say they love the show. It’s even better when it’s in a small place outside of Toronto. If I’m at some random gas station up north and a group of people come up to me and say they can’t believe I’m at this random gas station, it’s pretty cool. I’m kind of a shy person, and the attention is a little overwhelming, but we have some really great fans, and I love to talk to them. WHAT IS YOUR ADVICE TO THOSE WHO MAY WANT TO FOLLOW YOUR CAREER PATH? Work hard, always be up for anything and know that you’re never above anything. People would rather see someone with an amazing work ethic and might not know every technical aspect, than someone who knows everything but thinks they are better than a particular duty. And be a nice person. You’ll be surprised how far that can get you in this industry.
Catch Paul Lemieux co-hosting MTV Live weeknights at 6 p.m. and 11 p.m. ET. Do you know a successful Niagara College grad with an interesting story to share? Email encore@niagaracollege.ca
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Queen’s Jubilee medal honours College president 2012 WAS A ROYAL YEAR FOR DAN PATTERSON. Not only did the College president welcome Sophie Rhys-Jones, the Countess of Wessex to the Niagara-on-the-Lake Campus in September, he was honoured with a prestigious Queen’s Diamond Jubilee medal for his exceptional contributions to the province and country. St. Catharines MPP Jim Bradley, who nominated Patterson for the medal which was presented to him at a ceremony in November, called him the perfect example of the kind of individual deserving of the honour. “Dan Patterson has provided outstanding leadership at Niagara College and has overseen impressive capital projects which have contributed immensely to the student experience,” said Bradley. “He has also proven to be a leader among his peers on the provincial scene, elevating the prominence and role of community colleges in postsecondary education.” “This important recognition is a further testimony to Dr. Patterson’s active involvement and leadership in community development, youth and strong institutions,” said Len Crispino, chair of Niagara College’s Board of Governors. “This award is most deserved and reflects excellence on many levels.” News of Patterson’s award was also applauded by Colleges Ontario, the organization that advocates for Ontario’s 24 colleges of applied arts and technology. “Dan Patterson’s passion and energy is infectious,” says Linda Franklin, president and CEO of Colleges Ontario. “Dan’s commitment to his students and the future of post-secondary education is unparalleled. We are thrilled he is receiving this honour.” Patterson said he was honoured and humbled to receive the medal. “It is a real privilege to lead Niagara College, an educational institution that is recognized as a leader in the Canadian college system. In many ways, this award is an affirmation of the work that I and members of the community college do, day in and day out, in order to
“Dan Patterson’s passion and energy is infectious. Dan’s commitment to his students and the future of post-secondary education is unparalleled.”
The Patterson family is no stranger to Queen’s Jubilee medals. In 1977, Patterson’s wife Saundra – who dedicated her career to working in the Federal Department of Indian Affairs and Northern Development – was awarded the Queen’s Silver Jubilee medal for her work with Canada’s First Nations. Patterson is pictured above with his wife Saundra (left), his grandson Sean and daughter Christine.
contribute to student success,” he said. “On a personal note, it is very moving to be acknowledged in this way. It inspires me to work harder for a stronger Niagara and to ensure our students receive the best educational opportunities available.” The Queen’s Diamond Jubilee medal was created in 2012 to pay special tribute to the Queen’s 60 years on the throne. Sixty thousand deserving Canadians were recognized during the year of celebration. In October, Patterson was also honoured with the Greater Niagara Chamber of Commerce’s Community Leadership award. Part of the GNCC’s Niagara Business Achievement Awards, it recognizes an individual whose leadership has made a significant impact in the community.
NC prof honoured for exemplary service CHERYL TAYLOR was recognized with an Exemplary Service medal by the Association of Municipal Emergency Medical Services of Ontario in Ottawa in September 2012. Taylor is not only coordinator for NC’s Paramedic programs, she is one of its graduates. In 1984 she graduated from the College’s Ambulance and Emergency Care program. She was the first female to complete the Advanced Care Paramedic program in Niagara in the mid-1990s and has been working in the EMS field for the past 28 years. Cheryl Taylor receives her Exemplary Service medal.
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Fall convocation 2012
Welland-born entrepreneur inspires graduates POMP AND CIRCUMSTANCE WAS BACK IN FULL FORCE at the Welland Campus in October 2012. The fall convocation ceremony held at the Welland Campus Athletic Centre awarded diplomas and certificates to more than 650 students from several areas including Business and Management Studies; Hospitality, Tourism and Administrative Studies; Justice Studies; Allied Health Studies; Nursing and Personal Support Worker Studies; The Canadian Food and Wine Institute; Environment and Horticultural Studies; Technology Studies; Apprenticeship and Technical Training; Academic and Liberal Studies; and Continuing Education. The first convocation to be held in Welland for several years, the event fittingly featured Globalive Communications and WIND Mobile chairman and CEO Anthony Lacavera, a Welland native. In his convocation address to the Class of 2012, 38-yearold Lacavera – who founded Globalive Communications at 24 – told graduates that they can achieve anything, if they rely on “perseverance, discipline, focus and good old fashioned hard work.” Lacavera received an Honorary Diploma in Business and Entrepreneurship during the ceremony to honour his outstanding accomplishments. SPRING 2012: ACADEMIC MEDAL HONOURS NC’S TOP GRAD NC’s spring 2012 convocation ceremonies marked its largest to date, with more than 3,000 students crossing the podium from June 19 to 22 at the Niagara-on-the-Lake Campus. The Governor General’s Academic medal was awarded to NC’s top graduate Elizabeth Maingot, who graduated from the Educational Assistant – Special Needs Support program with a 97% academic
Recipient of the Governor General’s Academic medal Elizabeth Maingot speaks at spring convocation.
WIND Mobile CEO Anthony Lacavera addresses the graduates of fall 2012 at the Welland Campus.
average. A mother of two and active community volunteer, Maingot returned to school in 2011 after her children reached their teens. “Making a positive impact in the lives of others is very important to me, and I can do this with greater confidence now, thanks to the skills and training I received in my program,” she said. “My family has been instrumental in helping me achieve my educational goals. I’m also very thankful to my professors at Niagara College.” The Governor General’s Academic medal was established by Lord Dufferin, Canada’s third Governor General after Confederation to encourage academic excellence across the nation. They are awarded to the student graduating with the highest average from a high school, approved college or university program. A roster of distinguished business and community leaders delivered convocation addresses and received special honours for their achievements during the eight convocation ceremonies. They included James Knight, president and CEO, Association of Canadian Community Colleges; Glenn De Caire, chief of police, Hamilton Police Service; Judy Bullis, former senior group publisher for Niagara, South Ontario Sun Media; Ron Shaw, owner, founder and president, R.A. Shaw Designs Ltd; Cam Heaps, co-founder, Steam Whistle Brewing; Marilyn McHarg, executive director, Doctors Without Borders Canada; Zane DeSilva, Bermuda MP, president and CEO, Island Construction Services; and Dragan Matovic, chairman and CEO, Halex Capital Inc.
Graduates descend the stairs before their convocation ceremony commences.
Winter 2013 | NiagaraCollege.ca | encore 23
myCommunity
Learning experience beyond bricks and mortar
Top: Ben Cecil addresses the crowd at Habitat for Humanity’s groundbreaking ceremony.
NC’S CONSTRUCTION TECHNIQUES PROGRAM not only equips students with tools of the trade, it lays the foundation for making a difference in the community. In September 2012, the students broke ground on constructing a house on Martin St. in Welland for Habitat for Humanity Niagara. The project continues a seven-year partnership between Habitat Niagara and the College which has helped local, low-income families realize their dreams of home ownership. The project is a living laboratory for about 70 students from the one-year Construction Techniques and two-year Renovation Techniques programs. Since September, students have been working on the site on a daily basis, doing everything from the foundation and framing to the interior and exterior finishes. Working on the site provides opportunities for students to apply the skills they will use on a day-to-day basis in the real world. It is also used as a training facility for students in other programs such as Civil Engineering and Construction Engineering. “The students like the opportunity to learn in this environment and they also like the fact that the house is something meaningful that they leave behind,” said Colin Robinson, NC’s coordinator for the Construction Techniques and Renovation Techniques programs who has been the site supervisor for the Habitat builds for several years. Ben Cecil, NC’s dean of Environment, Media and Technology, finds it significant that the project reflects the College’s own motto. “We’re going to enrich lives and fulfill dreams,” said Cecil. “A family will have a home. This is the College brought to life in a living example.” The three bedroom, 1,100-square-foot raised bungalow is scheduled to be completed by the end of May 2013. It is next door to a home NC students constructed in 2011-2012 for Habitat Niagara, currently occupied by a local family. Chief executive officer for Habitat Niagara Alastair Davis noted that the program is a “hand up, not a hand-out,” for families, who are chosen based on their need for better shelter, their ability to repay a zero-interest mortgage, and their willingness to provide 500 hours of ‘sweat equity’ through community volunteering. He thanked the College and its other sponsors for their support. “It’s a huge family of people and advocates who come together to let this build take place,” he said.
Above: Dan Patterson, Colin Robertson and Ben Cecil stand with future Habitat homeowners, the Val family.
Student–driven makeover to benefit Port Cares REACHING OUT TO BENEFIT the community through a renovation project is an annual tradition for students enrolled in Niagara College’s Event Management graduate certificate and Construction Studies programs. This year, their efforts are giving Port Cares Reach Out Food Centre in Port Colborne a boost. The non-profit organization assists less fortunate and low-income families in Port Colborne and Wainfleet through its meal program and food bank, drop-in centre, food training, volunteer opportunities, east village cleanup initiatives, community garden and more. Lynda Reinhart, Port Cares director, said she is extremely pleased to have been
24 encore | NiagaraCollege.ca | Winter 2013
chosen as this year’s recipient. The work will help enhance the services offered by Port Cares that have been in increased demand. “The work that will be completed at our Reach Out Food Centre will allow us to work more efficiently and expand our services at our Nickel St. facility,” she said. “We’ve seen an increase in the number of people using our soup kitchen, food bank, and other services that have been added for neighbourhood children.” While the College’s Event Management students organize the logistics of the renovation and fundraising, students in the College’s Construction programs are working on the renovations to the facility, scheduled
for completion in April 2013. They will install windows, carpets, window coverings, chair rails, a removable privacy wall, storage units and a shed as well as painting the premises. “The Many Hands project provides a great opportunity for students to gain important hands-on experience while doing work that enhances life in our community,” said Shelley Merlo, professor and coordinator of the College’s Event Management program. This is the 16th year NC students are participating in Many Hands renovation projects. Last year, the students helped breathe new life into St. John Ambulance’s St. Catharines location.
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Grad wins Premier’s Award Congratulations to David Pratt
ONLY FIVE YEARS AFTER DAVID PRATT GRADUATED from NC’s Greenhouse Technician program, he was recognized with Colleges Ontario’s prestigious 2012 Premier’s Award. Pratt’s success as head grower at Sundrop Farms in Australia has the potential to make the world’s deserts come alive. While agriculture uses about 70% of the world’s fresh water supply, Sundrop discovered a cost-effective method of producing food using the sun’s warmth to remove salt from seawater, saving millions of litres of fresh water and millions of barrels of oil. Pratt has developed a sustainable greenhouse growing system that enables the technology to be used worldwide in coastal and arid areas. Sundrop is undergoing a $30-million expansion, and starting a Sahara Forest Project in the Middle East. The winners were announced in November 2012 at the Colleges Ontario Higher Education Summit. Presented annually to six recipients, the Premier’s Awards for Ontario College Graduates celebrate the outstanding contributions college graduates make in the province and throughout the world. Pratt, who won in the Recent Graduate category, is the fifth winner from Niagara College since the Awards were launched in 1992.
Meet NC’s 2012 Premier’s Awards nominees Adin Bradley – Business General Arts 1996 & Business Administration – Human Resources Management 1998 Adin Bradley moved up quickly in Rural/Metro Medical Services from Human Resources manager in 2006, Division general manager in 2008, and East Zone vice-president in 2011 for Ohio, New York, Indiana and Kentucky. He manages eight profit centers with revenues in excess of $100 million (U.S). Under Bradley’s management, Rural/Metro is
a top performer within the enterprise, and an employer of choice focused on people, training and retention. His zone includes 2,500 staff, with 2,200 EMTs and paramedics, serving 40 hospitals, and 200 nursing homes and healthcare facilities. Rural/Metro, a for-profit enterprise, also offers nocost programs to community organizations.
Christopher Bessette – Creative Arts & Design Broadcasting-Radio, TV & Film 1984 Christopher Bessette’s international television and film career has spanned the Amazon, Central America, Russia, Cambodia, Thailand, Europe, Canada and the United States. In 2012, he received the Best Director and Best Drama Award for Trade of Innocents at the 2012 Breckenridge Film Festival in Colorado, the Best Picture, ICVM Gold Crown Award in the U.S., and Best Feature at
the Toronto Cornerstone International Film Festival. Trade of Innocents, with Academy Award winner Mira Sorvino and Dermot Mulroney, is raising awareness of the exploitation of young children through human trafficking. His film was invited by the FBI and the Attorney General’s Office for a special advance screening, and to be the focal point of a symposium on human trafficking at Yale University.
Joanne Brown – Community Services Law & Security Administration 1984 Joanne Brown has set the bar high, serving as chief of travellers operations for Canada Border Services Agency at the Peace Bridge in Fort Erie. She has climbed the ranks in a field that is typically dominated by men, and has spoken publically on the importance of women in the workforce. The Peace Bridge is the largest land border operation
in Canada, and the only one with a Refugee Processing Centre. This second busiest border processed 10 million travellers in 2011-12. Brown was recently awarded The President’s Award in the Exceptional Circumstances category, the highest award given in the organization.
Paul Pender – Technology Winery & Viticulture Technician 2006 After only five years as a winemaker, Paul Pender was named 2011 Winemaker of the Year at the Ontario Wine Awards. His skills helped Tawse Winery make history as Winery of the Year in Canada in 2010, 2011 and 2012, an unprecedented repeat win. Pender spent 10 years as a carpenter before embracing the world of organic and
biodynamic farming, and producing award-winning vintages. Biodynamics, the most advanced form of organic farming, sees the vineyard as a self-contained ecosystem requiring no pesticides, fungicides or chemical fertilizers. Tawse, the largest organic winery in Canada, is leading the charge for organics by example.
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myConnection
Benefits and services available for our grads MARK YOUR CALENDAR
Saturday, April 6, 2013 NIAGARA COLLEGE FOUNDATION SEAFOOD GALA
Grand Hall, Fallsview Casino Resort Proceeds from the 2013 Seafood Gala will fund equipment and learning resources, and scholarships and bursaries to support student learning and success.
NiagaraCollege.ca/seafoodgala Tuesday, Sept. 17, 2013 NIAGARA COLLEGE FOUNDATION GOLF CLASSIC Peninsula Lakes Golf Club 569 Highway 20 West Fenwick, ON
NiagaraCollege.ca/golfclassic
5th Annual Curling Rocks Bonspiel
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 a 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.
NC frames available
Foundation & Alumni Relations has frames in stock for a certificate, diploma, degree or photo. For more information and/or to place an order, visit: NiagaraCollege.ca/alumni or call 905.735.2211, ext. 7551.
Discounts and special offers
We have a loyal group of affinity partners, which offer competitive group discounts for NC grads. For every client that signs up, these companies provide financial support to help fund equipment and learning resources for students. Performance Cars ›› Special rebate for graduates, students, staff and retirees on all new and used cars purchased or leased ›› 15 brands with a model suitable for any time in life ›› Amount of the rebate depends upon cost of the car ›› Visit for details: pcrebates.ca/nc/ Johnson Insurance – Home and Auto ›› Monthly premium payments with no interest or service charge ›› Access to scholarships and academic grants ›› Personal priority attention, 24 hours a day MBNA Mastercard ›› No annual fee ›› Credit limit up to $100,000 ›› Around-the-clock fraud protection ›› Emergency replacement within 48 hours
SATURDAY, FEB. 23, 2013 • 9 A.M. St. Catharines Golf & Country Club Registration: $150/team of four Team fee includes: Curling equipment, lunch and snacks, 3 mini-games, prizes and TONS of FUN! At less than $40 per player, Curling Rocks is a great way to spend the day with friends. Get creative with your team jersey to win the team spirit award! Also bring a friend to cheer you on for $20 per person includes lunch, snacks and fun. To register and for more information visit
NiagaraCollege.ca/curlingrocks or call Alison Burgoyne at 905.735.2211, ext. 7551 Proceeds to fund equipment and learning resources to support student success. 26 encore | NiagaraCollege.ca | Winter 2013
Canada Life – Life, Dental and Health Insurance ›› Low cost coverage term life plan that pays a tax-free lump sum payment of up to $250,000 ›› Select a health and dental plan to optimize your coverage ›› Get a no-obligation quote online National Group Mortgage Program ›› Get the best rate from the lender of your choice with the financial flexibility you deserve ›› One-stop convenience and impartial advice – computerized service provides access to group rates
Have a story to share?
We’re always looking for stories to share with the NC community. Send your profile to us and we may include it in a future edition of encore.
Contact us!
For more information or to update your contact information, please visit: NiagaraCollege.ca/alumni.
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Alumni 2012-13 Council Members
Saturday, April 6, 2013 Fallsview Casino Resort $225 per person tables seat ten reception: 6:00 pm dinner: 7:00 pm please order tickets by march 25, 2013
Golf Classic 2012
These dedicated volunteers provide advice and guidance on alumni
programs and services, and assist at Foundation & Alumni Relations events.
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NC GRADUATES: Liz Aldrey ��������������� Library Technician 1971 Janet Bradley ��������� Electronics Engineering Technology Microelectronics 1997 Catherine Kuckyt �� Nursing 1979 and Nursing Refresher 2004 Jim Lambert ��������� Mechanical Engineering Technician 1983 Daryl Ledwon ��������� Business - Sales & Marketing 2007 Julie Linton ����������� Environmental Management and Assessment 2006 Anthony Luongo ��� Broadcasting-Radio, Television & Film 2009 Flavia Orvitz ����������� General Arts & Science 2001 and Social Service Worker 2003 Jeff Tremblay ��������� Law & Security Administration 1995 Doug Willford ��������� Library Technician 1972 : Foundations GOLF 18 holes of golf, golf cart, select Matthew PACKAGE Wilson ����� Police 2007 Joanna Zalewa �������professional Library Technician 1976 and Library Computer competitions, golf clinic, lunch and dinner. Network Operations 1996
Scenes from 2012 Seafood Gala
Niagar a College foundation
Proceeds will fund scholarships for student athletes!
APPOINTED MEMBERS: Rizwan Gilani ��������Student Administrative Council John Clark ������������ President, NC Retirees Association and former Hwy #20, Fonthill Ontario Computer Engineering Technology faculty
Peninsula Lakes Golf Club
For event details and to order tickets online visit: NiagaraCollege.ca/seafoodgala
Wednesday, September 19, 2012 Proceeds will fund equipment and learning resources, and scholarships and Noon Tee Off bursaries to support student success. To register online, visit:
niagaracollege.ca/golfclassic Or call: 905-735-2211 ext. 7775
Receive a New or Used Vehicle Rebate! PerformanceCars has partnered with Niagara College to give all students, graduates, staff, and retirees a rebate on new or used vehicles purchased at our St. Catharines and Grimsby locations. Plus, with every rebate issued, PerformanceCars will give back to the college to support student learning and success.
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Scholarships and bursaries support student learning DIRECT FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE HELPS STUDENTS overcome the financial challenges of a college education. Many students work part-time or full-time while completing their studies. An increasing number have responsibility for more than one dependent. About one-third of Niagara College students are the first person in their family to pursue postsecondary education. “We are grateful for every donation that we receive from businesses, organizations and individuals. We work with each donor of a named award to develop a customized terms of reference to guide how the bursary or THE LETWIN FAMILY held its annual golf tournament with family and friends, adding $10,000 to the Dennis Letwin Award fund. Established in 2004, the fund provides an annual scholarship for a student in the Business Administration program.
Andrew Letwin, left, receives the trophy from Taylor Letwin at the annual golf tournament to raise money for the Dennis Letwin Award. Photo: Letwin family
MÉTIS NATION OF ONTARIO made an additional $25,000 donation toward its endowed bursary that was established in 1999. This award provides a minimum of two $500 bursaries every year to students with Métis status and financial need.
CANADIAN TIRE FINANCIAL SERVICES made a $5,000 donation in honour of Dean McCann, at an event to celebrate his move from president, Canadian Tire Financial Services and Canadian Tire Bank, to his new position as chief financial officer and executive vice-president, Finance of Canadian Tire Corporation, Limited. He also recently completed his term on the Niagara College Board of Governors. The Dean McCann Jumpstart Bursary will provide $500 each year for the next 10 years to a student with financial need in the Recreation and Leadership, or the Fitness and Health Promotion program. DESJARDINS CAISSE POPULAIRE Welland donated $5,000 to set up a new scholarship. This award will provide $1,000 annually for the next five years for a student in any Business Administration program, who shows academic excellence.
Jo-Anne Bernard, management assistant, Desjardins, Caisse Populaire Welland, right, is shown with Helen Armstrong, student awards officer, Niagara College.
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scholarship will be distributed,” said Lyn Russo, director, development and alumni relations. The minimum amount is $500 to establish a named bursary and $1,000 for a named scholarship. Donations of other amounts may be added to the general award fund, or to an established scholarship or bursary. Niagara College has close to 500 named scholarships and bursaries, and encourages donations to help more students. Thank you to the following donors who made recent contributions for awards.
THE GOLDEN HORSESHOE CHAPTER of the Landscape Ontario Horticulture Trades Association donated $3,000 to support students with financial need in Horticulture programs. Two $500 bursaries will be awarded for three years.
From left: Fiore Zenone, president, Golden Horseshoe Chapter Landscape Ontario; David Pierce, director, Landscape Ontario; Ben Cecil, dean, Environment, Media and Technology, Niagara College; Jim Thomson, manager, Campus Development, Greenhouse and Nursery, Niagara College; Bruce Wilson, treasurer, Landscape Ontario; and Al Unwin, chair, School of Environmental and Horticultural Studies, Niagara College. Photo: Sandra Ozkur
GIROTTI MACHINE, a family business operating for the past 65 years in St. Catharines, committed $6,000 over the next four years to start a new award for General Machinist apprentices. The Girotti Machine Bursary will provide three $500 awards annually. One bursary will go to a student from the District School Board of Niagara or the Niagara Catholic District School Board, who placed highest in the Technical Skills Competition, and who enters the General Machinist Apprentice program at Niagara College. The other two awards will be used Front row, left: Karen Girotti, Don Girotti and Len to help students who Bianco, foreman, Girotti Machine. Back row: Vince return for the second Girotti; Kevin Hewitt, manager, Apprenticeship and Technical Training, Niagara College; Brian Vacon, and third level of the general manager, Girotti Machine; and Lyn Russo, General Machinist director, Development and Alumni Relations, Niagara Apprentice program. College. Photo: Sandra Ozkur For more information, contact Foundation & Alumni Relations at 905-735-2211, ext. 7847.
myFuture
GOLF CLASSIC TEES UP FUNDS FOR NC ATHLETES
Equipping future workers EMPLOYERS WANT STUDENTS READY TO WORK, which means they need to be trained on state-of-the-art equipment when they graduate. Each year, the Ontario government provides about $350,000 to Niagara College for instructional equipment; however, the requests from the program areas typically total more than $3 million. This is a considerable gap that can only be filled through donations. It takes foresight and significant investment to make sure that all of the College’s more than 100 programs have the equipment and learning resources they need to prepare successful graduates, and to meet employers’ needs. The College receives feedback and advice on program content and emerging technology from the more than 600 industry representatives serving on its program advisory committees. Your donation will help purchase new and replacement equipment that Niagara College has identified as the highest priority to support student learning and success.
ANNUAL EVENT RAISES $34,000 to fund scholarships for student athletes. The tournament, held Sept. 19 at Peninsula Lakes Golf Club in Fenwick, attracted 147 golfers. Niagara College student volunteers from a variety of program areas assisted throughout the tournament, including the NC Varsity Golf Team, Event Management, Paramedic and the Canadian Food and Wine Institute.
Above: Bob Jackson, of Vintage Hotels and vice-chair of the NC Foundation Board, gets ready to take a shot at the Golf Classic. Right: Adele Grimaldi, Linda Knelsen and chef Bruce Worden.
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