Northern Lakes College 50th Year Commemorative Book by Northern Lakes College

VISION

Northern Lakes College 1970 – 2020

Celebrate with us! 50

Northern Lakes College is celebrating

years.

years of passion for what we do, where we are,

and who we are.

years of inspiring students and

50 50

investing in our communities.

years of relentless

pursuit in our quest for excellence.

years of

game-changing and trailblazing.

Northern Lakes College respectfully acknowledges that we are located on Treaty 8 territory and Métis Nation of Alberta Regions 5 and 6, traditional lands of First Nations and Métis Peoples.

From the beginning, the Northern Lakes College vision has been to increase accessibility to educational opportunities. While the model has changed with time and the advent of technology, the result is still the same. It’s rather simple. Students can access quality educational opportunities without having to leave their community. Today, students can study from the comforts of home, from work, from the road, or from one of the many Northern Lakes College campuses and program sites located throughout Alberta.

What’s your vision? Community Respect Accessibility COLLABORATION Excellence Lifelong Learning 2

OUR MISSION With respect for cultures and the needs of communities, Northern Lakes College provides quality educational programs and services which enable adults to continue their education, to improve their employment opportunities, and to enhance their quality of life.

Our Vision Northern Lakes College will be recognized as a first-choice communitybased college with the most accessible programs and services in Alberta.

A history of excellence

years

When the Education Management Committees made a decision for their respective communities, I tried to make it happen. Jack Perry

Alberta Vocational Centre

Grouard

1970-71

ALBERTA VOCATIONAL COLLEGE

AVC

Lesser Slave Lake

VOCATIONAL CENTRES

1974

AVC

Years of Building Futures!

LSL

1988

1995-96

Alberta Vocational Centre

Twenty-six CVCs dot the

While AVC–Grouard and the

– Grouard (AVC–Grouard)

northern part of Alberta.

CVCs are “sister” institutions,

*College – Lesser Slave

trains Education Technicians

they operate separately

Lake celebrates its 25th

who provide instruction

until amalgamation,

anniversary.

in adult basic education in

whereupon they are known

the Community Vocational

as Alberta Vocational

Centres (CVC) service area.

Centre – Lesser Slave Lake.

Alberta Vocational

*In 1990, college status is achieved, and the name changes to Alberta Vocational College – Lesser Slave Lake.

Jack Perry was the Coordinator of Vocational Education for the Department of Education at the time of the foundation of the CVCs and AVC–Grouard. Jack is often credited as the father of the CVC model and integral to the concept and development of the Education Technician program. The community focus that defines NLC today started with Jack’s vision of community-based education, with decisions made by local Education Management Committees.

1999

2010

2016

2020

Northern Lakes College

launches under its new

celebrates its 40th

releases a new logo.

celebrates its 50th

name.

anniversary.

Archie Cunningham was a graduate of the Education Technician program in 1972, returning to his home community of Peavine to teach adult upgrading. Archie made his career at the institution, retiring in 2008 from his Community Liaison role. He went on to serve on the Northern Lakes College Board of Governors as a public member (2008 to 2010) and Chair (2010 to 2014).

50 Years of Excellence

GENESIS Northern Lakes College has its roots firmly embedded in the communities of the former Lesser Slave Lake Special Area. The area stretched from Blue Ridge to Chipewyan Lake and from the Athabasca River to McLennan. Following studies conducted during the 1960s, the area was designated the Lesser Slave Lake Special Area by Alberta’s Human Resources Development Authority in 1968, to acknowledge the economic and social disadvantages of area residents. A federal and provincial agreement began the long process of social and economic expansion of the region. Increasing educational attainment levels was a priority. In a large, sparsely populated region with poor or no roads and limited telecommunication capacity, the challenge of providing accessibility to education called for creativity and innovation. In August 1970, Alberta Vocational Centre – Grouard (AVC–Grouard) opened. Within days, the flagship Education Technician (Ed Tech) program started, training individuals selected by their communities to become Ed Techs, with the purpose of providing adult upgrading to the ninth-grade level in their home communities. The first cohort of Ed Techs completed their program in March of 1971. The program would go on to train eight cohorts by 1975. Parallel to the activities occurring at AVC–Grouard, in 1971, Community Vocational Centres (CVCs) were established by residents in various communities throughout the region and were staffed by the Ed Techs. The CVCs, which were entirely communitybased with an emphasis on community delivery of programming, including adult upgrading, were managed by local Education Management Committees comprised of community members. These later became the Community Education Committees (CECs). CVCs were established in existing buildings or in campuses built by community members. Students had the option to attend AVC–Grouard to complete high school and pursue vocational training. AVC–Grouard also operated “Outreach Campuses” in the communities of McLennan and Valleyview, along with programming at the Peace River Correctional Institute. By the mid-1970s, AVC–Grouard provided service to a number of communities in the “Mackenzie North” region, a large geographical area of northwest Alberta.

Daniel Vandermeulen, photographed at the Northern Lakes College High Prairie Campus, began his career with AVC as a Supervisor of Instruction in 1981 and was President of the newly-formed, Alberta Vocational Centre – Lesser Slave Lake, upon amalgamation in 1988. He retired as President & CEO of Northern Lakes College in 2005, returning to serve as the Chair of the Board of Governors from 2014 to 2022.

50 Years of Excellence

THE RITE NETWORK With the CVCs providing community-based accessibility to adult upgrading, AVC– Grouard undertook a pilot to deliver courses by teleconference in 1982. However, the cost of teleconferencing with regular long-distance calling was expensive. As a provincially-administered institution, AVC–Grouard had access to the provincial RITE network, a system designed for communication between the public, government, and provincially-administered offices. AVC–Grouard initially began delivery of evening courses via the RITE lines. In mid-1980, course accessibility opened up considerably for AVC–Grouard, the CVCs, and post-secondary partners across Alberta, as small teleconference bridges were installed in strategic locations, with connections to the RITE lines. As the CVCs successfully assisted community members to complete ninth grade, a demand for high school studies grew. Certified teachers were hired, allowing students to continue their educational journeys right in their community. During this time of expanding connectivity, in 1988, AVC–Grouard and the CVCs amalgamated to create Alberta Vocational Centre – Lesser Slave Lake. Daniel Vandermeulen was the ‘amalgamation president’. These are his memories: At amalgamation, there were two separate administrative structures. We started merging both administrative structures, by creating DOC (Directors of the College). There were approximately 30 members and we met at a long table at a midway point between Grouard and Slave Lake, in the community of Faust. Meetings started with a roundtable, with updates from each department head. I wanted to hear from everyone. By the end of the year, the process of merging the administrative teams began. Once the budgets of AVC and the CVCs were pooled, along with transition funding from the province, suddenly we had the critical mass to start doing things. We had the staff and funding to do the things people had always wanted to do. That was, in many ways, the beginning of who Northern Lakes College is today – a distance learning institution. There were many people who contributed to the evolution of the CVCs and AVC–Grouard. The innovation and creativity demonstrated by both entities broke new ground in the effective delivery of community-based educational opportunities and increased the educational attainment levels of adults in the region. The strengths that the individual institutions brought to the amalgamation table were developed and honed under the stewardship of their respective presidents, Fred Dumont, President, Alberta Vocational Centre – Grouard, and Karl Gongos, President, Community Vocational Centres.

Charlie Orr holds a photograph of the original Peerless Lake Campus, which was constructed of logs he helped to fall in the winter of 1969 – 1970. He has been a member of the Peerless Lake Education Management Committee / Community Education Committee since 1969.

50 Years of Excellence

GRASSROOTS In the late 1960s, the community of Peerless Lake was approached by the CVCs to determine interest in establishing an adult learning centre. The community jumped at the chance, establishing an Education Management Committee (EMC) and building its own campus. Charlie Orr remembers falling the trees in the winter of 1969 - 1970 to construct the first Peerless Lake Campus, which was built in the palisade style with the logs running vertically. The campus opened in the fall of 1971. Charlie attended the adult upgrading program in the 1971 – 1972 academic year. Charlie has served as a member of the Peerless Lake Community Education Committee almost continuously since its inception and is the current Chair. Charlie also represents his community on the Council of Community Education Committees (CCEC). He remains active with the Peerless Lake Campus and values the educational opportunities it provides to his community. From the early to mid-1970s, several other campuses were built by communities. Reflecting upon the Education Management Committees, which would form up to a year in advance of a campus opening in a community, Board Chair Daniel Vandermeulen comments, “The regional Education Management Committees, in essence, called the College campuses into being.”

Board of Governors 2020 Front l-r: Kelsey Gladue, Ann Everatt, Rachel Ouellette Back l-r: Ernst Grach, Ray Stern, Daniel Vandermeulen, Tim Murphy, Marie Dyck Missing: Candice Calliou, Inier Cardinal, Kayla French, Patrick Meneen, Glenn Mitchell (replaced Ann Everatt), Kyle Paulson (replaced Rachel Ouellette), Fern Welch

50 Years of Excellence

THE BOARD OF GOVERNORS Northern Lakes College is governed by a 12-member board, comprised of public members, the President, and student, staff, and faculty representatives. The Board of Governors meets monthly, scheduling meetings at campuses throughout the service region, or utilizing distance technologies to meet virtually. In September 1995, the Minister of Advanced Education and Career Development announced the AVC Governance Review. At the time, the four provincial AVCs (Calgary, Edmonton, Lac La Biche, and Lesser Slave Lake) were provincially-administered institutions. In November 1995, the Governance Task Force visited the campuses at Grouard, Loon River, and Slave Lake to hear presentations from students, CEC members, staff, and the general public regarding their ideas about the desired governance structure for AVC–Lesser Slave Lake. The Task Force decided that the AVCs would each become board-governed institutions. In February 1997, the Interim Governing Committee (IGC) for the College was appointed by the Minister of Advanced Education and Career Development. Through an Order in Council, the Interim Governing Authority (IGA) was appointed under the Colleges Act in May 1997. In April 1998, the Interim Governing Authority was dissolved, and appointments were made by the Minister to the new Board of Governors of Alberta Vocational College – Lesser Slave Lake. The members were: Chair, Frank (Manny) Chalifoux; Public Members, Don Cunningham, Victor Gladue, Mabel Grey, Richard L’Hirondelle, Peter Moore, and Chief Paddy Noskey; Staff Representative, Valerie Tradewell; Faculty Representative, Gwen Gordon; Student Representative, Linda Bowers; and President, Daniel Vandermeulen. To date, the position of chairperson to the Board of Governors has been held by Frank (Manny) Chalifoux (1998 to 2004), Trevor Gladue (2004 to 2010), Archie Cunningham (2010 to 2014), and Daniel Vandermeulen (2014 to 2022).

Terri Rosser has been the Chair of the Council of Community Education Committees since 2009 and was presented with the 2019 Friend of Northern Lakes College Award by Ann Everatt (NLC President & CEO 2013 to 2020) and Board Chair, Daniel Vandermeulen.

50 Years of Excellence

THE COMMUNITY EDUCATION COMMITTEE AND ITS COUNCIL Today’s Community Education Committees (CECs) have always been an important part of the College history. It was clear in the 1970s that the best way to ensure appropriate programs and services were offered in the communities was to involve communities in the decision-making processes. The development of the Education Management Committees (EMCs), which was a fundamental aspect to the Community Vocational Centres’ model, guaranteed that communities had a voice in the operation of their local campus. While the name of the body has changed, its importance has not. In 1971, the Minister of Education approved the terms of reference for the EMCs. The terms included that EMCs assist to identify, assess, and set program priorities, inform community residents of the programs available, recruit and select students and staff, and recommend improvements to their campuses. In 1988, when AVC–Grouard and the CVCs amalgamated to create one educational institution known as Alberta Vocational Centre – Lesser Slave Lake (AVC–LSL), there were Community Education Committees (CECs) in operation at each CVC location. Following amalgamation in 1988, the CEC model was adopted by the newly-formed AVC–LSL, and CECs were established in the former AVC–Grouard communities. The Chairs of each CEC meet regularly as the Council of Community Education Committees (CCEC). The College President & CEO and the Chair of the Board of Governors attend these meetings, with an open invitation to all other members of the Board. Through a Memorandum of Understanding signed by the Northern Lakes College Board of Governors and the Council, the CCEC is considered the College’s primary advisory body. Terri Rosser has been the Chair of the Council for over a decade. She is the Community Adult Learning Program (CALP) Coordinator in High Prairie. Terri’s advocacy for educational services spans the continuum, from adult literacy and numeracy, to crafting workshops, through to post-secondary programming. NLC has been a fortunate beneficiary of Terri’s advocacy.

The Compu-Van was an early iteration of the mobile classroom.

50 Years of Excellence

THE COMPU-VAN Always looking for ways to increase the accessibility of training in the communities, AVC–Grouard, along with educational partners, retrofitted a van to house a bank of “microcomputers” and called it the Compu-Van. An instructor could then drive the Compu-Van to a community and provide computer training. With banks of computers along both walls of the van, once students were seated, the chair backs were one against the other. Though the space may have been tight, the fact that computer training could be made available in even the most remote of the CVCs’ communities made the discomfort worthwhile. A description in the 1984 - 1985 College calendar described the Compu-Van as a unique concept to bring computer instruction to virtually any size community. A fully-equipped mobile “classroom”, the Compu-Van housed 12 student stations with microcomputers, printers, and a wide selection of educational and business software. Provision for this learning centre and delivery of computer courses was the result of a cooperative venture involving Alberta Vocational Centre – Grouard, the *North Peace Adult Education Consortium, ACCESS Alberta, and Alberta Advanced Education Innovative Projects. Courses in computer literacy, BASIC programming, farming and business applications, and others were available to communities in northern Alberta.

*The North Peace Adult Education Consortium, centered in the town of Peace River, included Alberta Vocational Centre – Grouard, Athabasca University, Fairview College, Grande Prairie Regional College, the University of Alberta, and ACCESS Alberta. Alberta Vocational Centre – Grouard was a founding member of the consortium.

Lilian Béland, member of the Smoky River Community Education Committee from 1988 to 2015, was presented with her second Friend of Northern Lakes College Award in 2016 by Board Chair, Daniel Vandermeulen. Lilian was also the recipient of the award in 2004.

50 Years of Excellence

FRIEND OF NORTHERN LAKES COLLEGE Candidates for the Friend of Northern Lakes College Award demonstrate a commitment to the success of students, the advancement of Northern Lakes College through volunteer services, or other activities that benefit the College. This individual is a role model to other volunteer contributors. Lilian Béland was a distinguished Friend of Northern Lakes College, receiving the award in 2004 and 2016. The College was honoured to present Lilian with the award in recognition of her outstanding contribution and leadership provided to the Smoky River Community Education Committee, Council of Community Education Committees, and Northern Lakes College. Lilian played a key role in the education of thousands of students during the course of her life and her personal quest for knowledge was insatiable. Her love of teaching not only encompassed a span of 37 years within a formal teaching environment, but continued into her retirement, where she remained active as a tutor, working with adult students each year. Lilian taught in the communities of Falher, Fort Kent, and Donnelly. She provided leadership for 25 of her teaching years in the role of Assistant Principal at Georges P. Vanier School. In addition to teaching, and while raising a family, Lilian volunteered her time assisting with multiple community organizations. Even in her retirement, Lilian continued to be an active member within her community, including 27 years as a member of the Smoky River Community Educational Committee, and membership on the Council of Community Education Committees during her many years as Chair of the Smoky River CEC. During her lifetime, Lilian was also the recipient of numerous awards including: • Community Service Award for “Volunteer of the Year” in the community of McLennan • Diamond Jubilee Medal for Community Service.

Teleconferencing equipment used in the early 1980s. Utilizing bridge technology, students and instructors from 20 sites could be connected.

50 Years of Excellence

THE BRIDGE AND TELECONFERENCING The “bridge” was a game changer for AVC–Grouard and its distance learning initiatives. The AVC–Grouard and North Peace Adult Education Consortium bridges were a special telephone switchboard that could each connect up to 10 telephone lines, enabling simultaneous voice transmission to all locations. Connecting bridges together allowed 20 to 50 lines for a call, but 20 was a practical limit for most courses. By utilizing this newly-installed bridging equipment for teleconferencing transmission, communities only needed a telephone line to bridge local students to peers and instructors, who may have been separated by hundreds of kilometres. As early as the 1980s, the AVC–Grouard concept of distance learning went beyond correspondence. It was understood that real-time interaction between students and instructors was paramount to student success. The bridges were also capable of supporting the evolution of teleconference technology when telewriters were added, starting in 1984. The visual images provided by telewriters allowed for a greater range of course delivery where dependency on visuals was imperative.

Rick Neidig began his career at AVC–Grouard in 1976 as an Audio Visual Technician. He went on to become the Senior Director of College Services, and also served as the Vice President, Academic. Rick was the President & CEO from 2005 to his retirement in 2013.

50 Years of Excellence

BUSINESS AND INDUSTRY COLLABORATION With a focus on providing post-secondary programs for a changing workplace, the College works with business and industry partners to address labour market trends and meet the demand for skilled workers. The College has many partnerships and relationships, including one that had its start under the stewardship of Rick Neidig, who served as President & CEO from 2005 to 2013. This particular partnership saw the College partner with Tolko Industries and the Northern Alberta Development Council (NADC) to develop the High Prairie Regional Training and Development Centre. The project received initial funding from the Rural Alberta Development Fund. The project offered high school students from surrounding school divisions the opportunity to enrol in dual credit programming for electrician, welder, millwright, process operator, and power engineering. Pre-employment training was also available for individuals no longer in high school. The Tolko mill facility, located near High Prairie, provided innovative lab space for trainees to combine theory with practice in an industrial setting. Innovative projects such as this focus on providing students with hands-on experience in industrial and practical working environments, and results in a skilled labour pool for the resource-based industries in northern Alberta.

Then and Now

Dating back to the late 1970s, Northern Lakes College utilized mobile units to bring the hands-on portion of trades-related programming to students in their communities. Northern Lakes College continues to provide students the convenience of staying in their home communities while being introduced to hands-on learning experiences, helping them to increase their career opportunities.

Northern Lakes College has always put accessibility at the forefront. This accessibility dates back to the establishment of community-based CVCs in the 1970s, followed by the 1980s, when AVC–Lesser Slave Lake offered courses through teleconferencing and audio-graphics conferencing. Learners from all parts of the region enjoyed access to programs and courses from their home communities. As the available technology advanced, so did the emphasis on learner support. Northern Lakes College continues to build upon that vision today, providing flexible educational opportunities. The NLC Supported Distance Learning (SDL) and Supported Distance Teaching (SDT) models include unique online delivery options such as NLC LIVE Online™ and NLC Anytime, Anywhere. These provide learners with the flexibility to balance work, home, and school, in a supportive learning environment. Students can also access their courses on their smartphone through the NLC Connect app.

Ekti (Margaret) Cardinal was the instructor of the Aboriginal Clothing Design program from 1988 to 2009, and has taught Conversational Cree since 1992. Photo credit goes to Chris Hsiung HIDDEN Story Productions Ltd.

50 Years of Excellence

RESPECT FOR CULTURE With its roots firmly planted in many First Nations and Métis communities, culture has always been at the heart of Northern Lakes College. The Native Cultural Arts Museum, located at the Grouard Campus, was established in 1976. Recognized by the Alberta Museums Association, the Museum’s artifact collection celebrates various aspects of Indigenous cultures, with a special focus on Métis peoples and the Woodland Cree of northern Alberta. In the latter part of the 1970s and into the 1980s, the Native Cultural Arts Division at AVC–Grouard offered a host of programming, including Native Cultural Heritage, Native Arts & Crafts, Traditional Arts, and Textile & Clothing Design. By 2003, the ten-month Aboriginal Clothing Design Certificate program included the study of Aboriginal cultural arts, history, and sewing techniques. Courses in the program included Quill Work Art, Fish Scale Art, and Tipi Construction. The highlight of the year was when the program graduates wore their traditional clothing creations to the annual convocation ceremony. Ekti (Margaret) Cardinal was the instructor of the program. She continues to create traditional art today, primarily focusing on Aboriginal doll-making and teaching baby and small child moccasin-making sessions to young mothers in local communities. Ekti continues to teach Conversational Cree through the College, often to professionals who want to expand their cultural understanding. She wants to do her part to ensure the Cree language continues and to share its poetry with all. As she explains, “The Cree word for pencil, masinahikanatik, means ‘writing stick’. I always tell people that Cree is like a collection of tiny sonnets, full of descriptive words and images. When you speak Cree, you are speaking in sonnets.” Today, Northern Lakes College hosts an annual Round Dance, which includes a Pipe Ceremony followed by a feast. The event is hosted in partnership with the Students’ Association and the Council of Community Education Committees. Northern Lakes College also participates in Métis Week each fall with a series of events in various communities, often in partnership with Métis Nation of Alberta Region partners.

Deloris Bonnett worked at the College from 1988 until her retirement from the IT Helpdesk in 2012. She worked as the Bridge Operator for many years and is pictured here with the equipment required to ‘bridge’ students from across the service region to their classes. The Bridge Operator had to connect four courses simultaneously, with up to six sites per course – four times per day, five days per week.

50 Years of Excellence

THE TELEWRITER In 1984 the first telewriters were purchased. By 1992, all College locations had the benefit of the new conferencing technology and of dedicated staff guiding course development and learner support. In addition to voice, this audio-graphics conferencing system allowed the transmission of prepared slides to a monitor. The instructor could type or write, much like a chalkboard in the traditional classroom, and students at each location could view the notes on a monitor and demonstrate understanding by writing on a tablet to respond. As the College catapulted forward in its use of instructional technology, governance changes were also occurring. Becoming board-governed in 1997, as a result of the Government of Alberta’s Governance Task Force Review of the four provincial AVCs in 1995, the College launched under its new name, Northern Lakes College, in 1999. Daniel Vandermeulen was President & CEO at the time of the Governance Review. These are his memories: We took the commission to Loon Lake (Loon River today) for the first day of hearings. We made sure to take a break at about 3:30 when the horse-drawn school bus would be going by, so the members of the commission could truly appreciate that our service region was unique. There were a lot of community delegations, student and staff delegations, and CCEC members. It was really quite extraordinary to take the commission to the community of Loon Lake and hold the hearing in the community hall, the building for which the community had supplied the building material and the College had supplied the carpentry students. The student delegations made an enormous impact. The commission was moved by the student presentations, when they spoke to how the College had allowed them to enhance their lives through education. The commission was enormously impressed with the community presentations.

Elder Mabel Grey, photographed at her home in Whitefish River in February 2020, was Chair of the Atikameg Education Management Committee / Community Education Committee and a member of the Council of Community Education Committees from 1972 to 2005. Mabel was also a public member of the Board of Governors from 1998 to 2002.

50 Years of Excellence

ELDER MABEL GREY Elder Mabel Grey was involved with Northern Lakes College for 33 years, from 1972 to 2005. In 1972, a representative of the CVCs visited the community of Atikameg to see if there might be interest in establishing a local adult learning centre. These are her memories from that time: The people of the community wanted it right away. We even had an old-age pensioner who wanted to return to school! The community took me as the head of the project. The reason it worked is because we were able to hire one of our own as the instructor. We selected a community member to attend the Education Technician program at Alberta Vocational Centre – Grouard, and then she came back and taught adult upgrading at the Atikameg CVC. Over the years, if the students were struggling or facing challenges, the instructor would call me and I would go to the campus and talk to the students. I spoke to them in our own language, and that made a difference. I was the Chairperson of the Atikameg EMC/CEC from 1972 to 2005 and a member of the Council of Community Education Committees throughout that time. In the later years, my husband, Russell Grey, accompanied me to all of my meetings and he became well-known around the College. I was also on the Board of Governors of Northern Lakes College for four years from 1998 to 2002. Many times, over the years, I thought I might retire, but the students didn’t want me to. I finally retired in 2005 when President Dan Vandermeulen retired. Northern Lakes College is important for people to have their second chance at an education.

Nick Williams worked with the College from 1986, beginning as an Academic Upgrading instructor at the Wabasca Campus, and retired as the Senior Instructor of the Distance Learning High School in 2013.

50 Years of Excellence

HOW IT WORKED Nick Williams was a key player in refining the delivery model and the model of support which the learner received at each campus. Nick was Senior Instructor of the Distance Learning High School, which was responsible for the delivery of all online offerings of Academic Upgrading courses. “The College made a deliberate decision, in the early 1990s, to continue to champion synchronous distance learning, in order to foster active learning with students. Throughout the decade, a concerted effort formalized the role of the distance [online] instructor and the “site coordinator” [campus instructor],” explains Nick. At each campus, the onsite instructor helped students with connections and teleconferencing protocols. The visual component was transmitted using the telewriter, a very heavy monitor that resembled an old-style, boxy 21-inch TV. It sat on top of a desktop computer. The modem received and transmitted the visual signal. A convener the size of a shoe box delivered the audio, while bulky microphones were connected with thick cables to the back of the audio unit. Students shared a keyboard and a very large writing pad with an electronic pen, all connected with cables. A class always started with a phone call from Deloris Bonnett, the Bridge Operator in Slave Lake. The students had to answer the call and transfer the audio connection from the telephone to the microphones and convener before hanging up. With so many cables and components, technical problems inevitably occurred. Community members were hired as Access Facilitators to assist students with technology connections. It was testament to the resilience and persistence of both students and instructors that courses were successfully delivered and completed.

Ann Everatt, President & CEO from 2013 to 2020.

50 Years of Excellence

TRANSFORMATION Ann Everatt served as the Northern Lakes College President & CEO from 2013 to 2020. Her vision advanced the transformation of the institution into a recognized distance learning college. Ann’s legacy ensures that students in all Northern Lakes College communities and beyond have access to programs from their community campus, home, or workplace. Over the years, a number of significant modernizations have occurred to the visual branding of the College. After much consultation, a new College logo was introduced in 2016. The new logo is a representation of the College mission, vision, and values, and demonstrates NLC’s commitment to students, stakeholders, and community members. In keeping with the traditional values of Northern Lakes College, the eagle in the logo is symbolic of strength and wisdom. From great heights, the eagle will soar with wings spread wide, expressing the courage and freedom of students to ‘start here and go anywhere’. The soft blue circle represents the lakes in our communities and the vibrant green signifies the vast forests across the north. Following the introduction of the new logo, the College also launched a new website with a more modern look and feel, and an improved learner experience. The website is mobile-friendly, ensuring individuals using a variety of devices are able to connect with the College. Staff and students are able to access a host of resources from the website, including their courses. Another innovation, the NLC Connect app, brings the campus to the fingertips of learners, staff, and community members. The app enables students to connect with the broader NLC community, regardless of their location. Students can keep track of College events, their classes and assignments, and receive notifications of important dates, deadlines, and security announcements via the NLC Connect app. Northern Lakes College continues its quest to improve student access, and the overall student experience.

Students in a chemistry session at Lab Day.

50 Years of Excellence

ENHANCING THE MODEL From its inception, the most important aspect of the delivery model utilized by the College, and key to the success of learners, was the learning support that accompanied the technology. The role of the onsite instructor was to provide support and guidance to learners at their community campus, and training for this role was ongoing. Library services, tutoring, exam invigilation, and other services were designed to simulate typical classroom support and guidance. While the technology made the delivery model possible, its design attributes made it successful. Beginning in 1993, in order to provide experiential learning opportunities, students and their instructors came together, face-to-face, for Distance Learning Lab Days. Lab Day became a core feature and support of the delivery model for nearly 20 years. While science students conducted chemistry, biology, and physics labs, students in social studies courses arrived prepared for debates. Wellness activities were also available, including archery, the climbing wall, and the swimming pool. It was a common sight to see students from various campuses who were online classmates, meet face-to-face for the first time and create lasting friendships.

50 Years of Excellence

THE GAME CHANGER In the early 2000s, the Government of Alberta introduced a new era in connectivity with the implementation of the Alberta SuperNet, a high-speed network connecting every educational institution, library, and government-affiliated office in Alberta. What this meant for Northern Lakes College was that many of the financial and technological limitations it had faced would virtually disappear, as a result of the vastly increased capacity offered by broadband. Increased broadband allowed the College to replace older technologies and adopt a series of Internet conferencing software platforms for the delivery of programs. The new software enabled both the audio and visual signals to be transmitted over the Internet, and made reliance on telephone networks and the teleconference bridge unnecessary. Rather than the limitations of the audio-graphics tablets, instructors now used PowerPoint slides to enhance their courses, and short video clips. Students could utilize a chat feature to message privately with the instructor and one another during the class, or use the ‘raise hand’ function to ask a question. Over the years, the software platforms became increasingly more versatile and userfriendly, and the quality of students’ in-class experience and participation continued to improve. Eventually, video could be transmitted with more stability. The rich synchronous learning environment afforded by the ever-evolving platforms led to an increase in the number of Academic Upgrading courses offered online, including Adult Basic Education, as well as more post-secondary level College programs. With time, the College adopted asynchronous learning platforms to complement the delivery of courses. This increased the level of course information available online for student use, allowed for discussion forums, and provided students with real-time course progress tracking.

Alumni Andy Alook completed Academic Upgrading, the Computer Technician Certificate (2007), and the Business Administration Management Diploma (2013). Russell Alook was a graduate of the AVC-Grouard Education Technician program in 1974 and an Academic Upgrading instructor at the Wabasca Campus from 1974 to 2008.

50 Years of Excellence

A FAMILY AFFAIR Northern Lakes College has always been part of Andy Alook’s life. As a youngster, he would often accompany his dad, Russell Alook, to the campus. Russell was a graduate of the Ed Tech program in 1974, then went on to be an instructor in the Academic Upgrading program at the Wabasca Campus for over 30 years. After raising her family, Andy’s mother took the Health Care Aide program at NLC. It was only natural that Andy would find himself as a student of the College. Born and raised in Desmarais on the Bigstone Cree Nation, Andy graduated from Mistassiniy School. After attending NAIT, he returned home, completing one year of Academic Upgrading at NLC. In 2007, he enrolled in the College’s Computer Technician program. Certification in hand, Andy began work with the Bigstone Education Authority as a Computer Technician at the Oski Pasikoniwew Kamik School. Soon, he was promoted to Network Administrator. In 2009, Andy became the Website Development and Communications Liaison for the Bigstone Health Commission. In 2011, he returned to NLC to take the Business Administration Management Diploma program. Graduating in 2013, he returned to the Bigstone Health Commission, working various positions in Finance and Health. Now the Assistant Director of Health for the Bigstone Health Commission, Andy is proud of his family’s long history with NLC. “It is so important for people to have the opportunity to pursue an education within their community. I know only too well the difficulties of leaving the community to pursue an education. NLC being in the community and offering a wide variety of programs allows community members to pursue post-secondary goals they otherwise could not.”

Marty Fullerton Instructor at Smith CVC, 1986 to 1988 Instructor Manning Campus, 2009 to 2012 Instructor High Level Campus, 2012 to 2015

Marty Fullerton was an instructor at the Smith CVC in 1986 to 1988. He returned to Northern Lakes College as an instructor in 2009, retiring as Campus Instructor at the Peace River Campus in 2020.

50 Years of Excellence

WELCOME TO THE 21ST CENTURY Today, the innovative NLC delivery model successfully provides flexible and quality educational opportunities to students at home, work, or on campus. The Supported Distance Learning (SDL) and Supported Distance Teaching (SDT) models include unique online delivery options such as NLC LIVE Online™ and NLC Anytime, Anywhere. These options provide learners with the flexibility to balance the responsibilities of work, home, and school, and a supportive learning environment with staff to assist, counsel, and provide specialized learning assistance. To ensure students know they are a part of a larger whole, a host of online student services, including tutoring, counselling, scholarships, funding services, career services, and the library’s extensive digital collection, are available, whether a student is studying at a College campus or is home-based elsewhere in Alberta or Canada. Online students receive the same quality learning experience as if they were on campus. The NLC Connect app provides students with easy access to campus information, College updates, wellness initiatives and resources, and an opportunity for making social connections. Expert online instructors and Campus Instructors (CIs), like Marty Fullerton, provide students with support at all Northern Lakes College campuses. The CI provides support to students in all programs. Marty, who retired in 2020, shares these reflections on his role: As a CI, I was part of a supportive team whose goal it was to help students to succeed. I attempted to create a positive, welcoming, safe atmosphere at the campus. I supported students in all programs in many ways, including daily contact, tutoring, and assisting students to connect with subject matter experts when necessary. I supported students through a variety of academic concerns that arose, connecting them to the many student support services the College offers. I invigilated and provided access to tests, ensured students had the necessary materials for successful completion of courses, and helped with computer and connectivity issues. I maintained contact with the students’ online instructors and the support staff at other campuses, liaising and consulting with them as necessary to ensure the success of students.

NORTHERN LAKES COLLEGE MODEL

SUPPORTED DISTANCE LEARNING

NORTHERN LAKES COLLEGE MODEL

SUPPORTED DISTANCE TEACHING

Alumni Brooke Ghostkeeper completed the Social Work Diploma (2014) and Bachelor of Social Work (2020 University of Calgary).

50 Years of Excellence

ALUMNI BROOKE GHOSTKEEPER Returning to school as a mature student is never a simple task. Brooke Ghostkeeper can attest to that. In spite of the challenges, her advice to others is concise: “Just do it! It is a life-changing experience. Things just fall into place.” It is evidently worth the sweat and tears, as Brooke’s educational ambitions have no end in sight. Brooke was born and raised in High Level and relocated to Slave Lake as an adult. Looking to start a career where she could set long-term goals, she enrolled at Northern Lakes College in Slave Lake, graduating from the Social Work Diploma program in June 2014. Brooke did her program practicum at WJS Canada, landing a full-time job there upon graduation. Commenting on how she felt on graduation day, she says, “I could not believe that I had achieved my goals and my dreams. I had achieved a milestone. It was a surreal experience.” Being able to stay in her community as she attended Northern Lakes College meant she had the support of friends and family as she pursued her studies. She and her partner have two children and relied on friends and family for childcare many evenings and weekends. “I chose Northern Lakes College because it is in my community, which is convenient. Moving from the community to study was not an option I would have considered,” she states. One of the many benefits of attending Northern Lakes College, with its small class sizes, was that Brooke had the support of her instructors. She recounts, “When I got to a point where I was overwhelmed with personal challenges, they were there to support me. They helped me to stay focused on my goal and to push through.” Today, Brooke works as a Criminal Court Worker and has recently completed her Bachelor of Social Work through the University of Calgary. When asked where she sees herself in five years, she does not hesitate, “I will be working on a Master’s degree in Social Work.”

Michelle Mitchell began her career with Northern Lakes College as an instructor in the Teacher Assistant Program in 2006, becoming the Coordinator, Human Services Programs, then Chair, Educational Development Centre, and Dean, Academic Quality & University Studies in 2017. As of 2020, Michelle serves as Dean, Academic Development & Quality and Interim Dean, Health.

50 Years of Excellence

PROGRAM PARTNERSHIP AND COLLABORATION Committed to increasing post-secondary engagement in the province, NLC strives to increase accessibility to programming through Supported Distance Learning (SDL) and partnerships. For example, agreements with the University of Calgary provide Northern Lakes College students with access to the Community-Based Bachelor of Education and Bachelor of Social Work degrees. Northern Lakes College also provides a number of programs to partner institutions, ensuring they are able to fulfill local training needs without incurring the costs of program development. This includes partnerships such as those with Lakeland College and Medicine Hat College. Northern Lakes College has a long history of program partnerships to increase accessibility to programming in the service region. Michelle Mitchell is the College lead on program partnerships with Campus Alberta institutions and other agencies. A recently-established partnership is the one between the University of Calgary’s Werklund School of Education and Northern Lakes College. Commencing in 2020, NLC University Studies students are able to transfer courses in partial fulfillment of UCalgary’s Community-Based Bachelor of Education program. “This provides students living in the College’s northern, rural, and remote communities with an opportunity to complete the majority of their program requirements without leaving home. Field placements are also completed in or near students’ local communities,” explains Michelle. This course of studies prepares students to teach at the elementary and secondary levels. As part of a blended program where students are connected to the Werklund School of Education from the beginning of their studies, students complete a two-week summer residency on-campus at the University of Calgary in each of the four years that they are enrolled.

Paul Chaulk, photographed at the High Prairie Campus, joined Northern Lakes College as the Assistant Director, Facility and Ancillary Services in 2008 and has served as the Senior Director, Facility and Ancillary Services since 2014.

50 Years of Excellence

BUILDING FOR THE FUTURE In our 50th year, we completed one of the largest infrastructure projects in College history - construction of the first net-zero ready campus in Alberta. The new High Prairie Campus provides access to state-of-the-art classrooms and E-learning suites, an industrial kitchen, and specialized health and trades learning spaces customized to support the programming. The $24 million project was funded by the Government of Alberta’s investment of $21.6 million, along with $2.4 million committed by corporate donors, community members, and the College. The new High Prairie Campus accommodates up to 225 students and can address future growth plans. The facility positions Northern Lakes College to help meet current and future workforce demands in the region. Paul Chaulk was involved with all aspects of the project, from preparing proposals for provincial funding, to concept and design, construction, and furnishing. He explains, “The LEED Silver, net-zero ready campus is fitted with furniture and technology to support the learning and teaching needs of students, staff, and community members well into the future.”

President & CEO, Glenn Mitchell, began his career with Northern Lakes College as the Coordinator in the Educational Development Centre in 2007, later becoming the Centre Director. From 2011 to 2020, he served as Dean of a variety of programs, including Academic Upgrading, Business & Administrative Studies, and Trades & Technology. He became Vice President, Academic and then started as President in 2020.

50 Years of Excellence

NLC IN 2020 On September 1, 2020, the Board of Governors of Northern Lakes College appointed Glenn Mitchell as President & CEO. With over 20 years of leadership experience in the education sector, and a demonstrated commitment through his 13-year tenure with Northern Lakes College, President Mitchell has a strong commitment to communitybased education and Supported Distance Learning. Under his stewardship, the Northern Lakes College vision to provide the most accessible educational opportunities to Albertans continues, stronger than ever. The College has locations in 25 communities, including 15 First Nations and four Métis Settlements. In 2020, the College established a new campus in Fox Creek, an education partnership with the community of Drayton Valley, and is completing construction of a state-ofthe-art facility in High Prairie. Reflecting upon the College’s history and its future, President Mitchell shares: Northern Lakes College continues to be a champion of community-based learning through Supported Distance Learning. Our robust technologies ensure the distribution of programs and services to students in our region, the province, and beyond. Maximizing technological tools and our expertise, we are able to create opportunities for students where none existed before, directly in their communities. In our 50th year, we have not strayed far from our roots, when we trained Education Technicians in Grouard to return to their home communities, ready to provide adult upgrading in the CVCs. Today, we have established Community Adult Learning Programs (CALPs) in eight communities within the NLC service region, and partnered with 15 other CALPS, bringing foundational learning and employability skills classes to residents in these communities.

50 Years of Excellence

GROWING OUR OWN From the early 70s, when Ed Techs taught adult upgrading in community-built campuses, to today’s Supported Distance Learning delivery model, Northern Lakes College makes programming accessible. Over the years, a number of employees started as alumni of College programming and can attest to the accessibility of our programming! The following current employees are also Northern Lakes College alumni. Employee Cleo Carifelle Muriel Carifelle Christine Coutts Jo-ann Cunningham Lydia Cunningham Alisha David Kurtis Drefs Jeannie Ghostkeeper Lena Giroux Leonard Gladue Nicole Gliege Chrissy Grandjambe Rhiannon Hennings Susan Horner JoAnne Huculak Amanda Konschuh Diane Lamarche Dani Laurin Paula Leighton Edith Mackenzie Christine McIntyre-Blake Randah Mouallem Rene Ouellette Lynn Panasiuk Amy Saitz Melissa Schmidt Mary Schroder-Prince Rhiannon Strang Jessica Van Hoek

Position

Program Alumni

Student Awards Administrator Accounting Supervisor

Business Management Office Administration, Business Administration Instructor, Health Programs Advanced Care Paramedic Access Facilitator, Peavine Campus Educational Assistant Accounting Assistant Academic Upgrading, Office Administration, Business Administration Instructor, University Studies University Studies Network Analyst Computer Technician Administrative Assistant, External Relations Business Administration Accounting Assistant Office Administration Security Personnel Personal Management Administrative Assistant, Academic Office Administration Upgrading Educational Support Academic Upgrading, Business Administration, Human Resource Management Instructor, Health Programs Practical Nurse Educational Support Business Administration Educational Support Office Administration Instructor, Health Programs Practical Nurse Student Financial Records Specialist Secretarial Arts Instructor, Health Programs Practical Nurse Executive Assistant, Human Resources and Business Administration, Health & Safety Human Resources Management Senior Liaison, Business and Professional Secretarial Arts, Accreditation University Studies Instructor, Health Careers Practical Nurse Coordinator, Centre for Teaching and Computer Technician Learning Director, IT Infrastructure and Information Computer Technician Security Liaison Social Work Dean, Business, Academics, Trades & Secretarial Arts, Regional Stewardship University Studies Educational Support Maintenance Management Program Instructor, Addictions Counselling Diploma Academic Upgrading, Social Work Educational Support Office Administration Marketing Officer Educational Assistant 54

50 Years of Excellence

GOING THE DISTANCE The strength of an organization can be measured in multiple ways. One such measure is most certainly the number of long-serving employees. Northern Lakes College thanks all former employees who spent their careers serving the College’s students. The following current employees have served Northern Lakes College for 20 or more years as of June 2021. Employee

Years of Service

Kyle Paulson

Donna Feschuk

Edith Mackenzie

Brian Panasiuk

Deb LaFoy Caissie

Curt Cowell

Barb Durocher

Patricia Reid

Carol Baker

Sherry Villeneuve

Nancy Giese

Rachel Ouellette

Wanda McGrath

Paul Hardy

Karen Laboucane

Rene Poirier

Bev Hammon

Susan Hopps

Rene Ouellette

Noreen Tomkins

Shelley Gionet

Reiner Haack

JoAnne Huculak

Lisa Knutson

Taralynn Lyons

Donna Shumaker

Brenda Yellowknee

20 55

WE ARE NORTHERN LAKES COLLEGE Northern Lakes College has always had a singular vision to provide the most accessible programs and services in Alberta. We are leaders, game changers, and trailblazers. We are passionate about what we do, where we are, and who we are. We are inspired by our students and invested in our communities. We are hungry in our quest for excellence and relentless in that pursuit. We are Northern Lakes College, and we make a difference!

What’s your vision?

Let Northern Lakes College inspire your new beginnings and create your endless possibilities. New Beginnings. Endless Possibilities. Northern Lakes College

Northern Lakes College 1970 – 2020

Are you a former employee, Community Education Committee member, or alumni? We would love to hear from you.

Northern Lakes College New Beginnings. Endless Possibilities. www.northernlakescollege.ca