HUMBER COLLEGE UPDATE

December is an important and exciting month for many of our students at Humber College. Humber’s Fall 2021 graduates just joined a community of alumni 278,000 strong, and current students are wrapping up their term before the holidays.

When they return to school in January, the campus will be busier than it has been since the beginning of the pandemic almost two years ago. There’s a lot to look forward to in 2022.

Building local businesses

Humber College’s entrepreneurial students and alumni just got a boost from the Bank of Montreal (BMO) through a donation of $750,000. The contribution to the college supports the BMO Launch Me Competition, where students develop and pitch business ideas with the potential to receive start-up funding. The bank’s gift will also expand the competition to include three new pitch streams geared toward women, innovators and new graduates.

Humber will also be able to offer BMO Entrepreneurship Workshops, skillsbased training programs at the Centre for Entrepreneurship, located on our Lakeshore campus. The Centre, one of Humber’s Centres for Innovation, works with students, alumni and community members who want to explore the world of entrepreneurship.

With various facilities, including focus group and control rooms, boardrooms, a production lab with 3D printers and a media lab, the CfE is a hub of entrepreneurial activity.

Student success

Recent graduate Xana Mills is one of the many students to take advantage of the CfE’s programming and supports, which helped her win Humber’s latest Launch Me Competition. Mills, a Bachelor of Digital Communications student at the time, is the founder and creator of Glowvine Candles. The brand sells ecofriendly candles in vessels that can be reused as planters after the candle burns out.

Mills developed Glowvine’s business plan as part of her Digital Communications

Xana Mills

capstone project. As a media student, she didn’t have any formal business training, so she sought out classes at the CfE. Mills enrolled in courses in business plan writing and pitch presentation. The training came in handy when she moved on to the finalist round of the Launch Me Competition and pitched her business idea to a panel of judges, garnering rave reviews. Since her win, Mills has successfully launched her business and plans to continue working with Glowvine full time. You can learn more about the company at glowvine.ca

New year, new polytechnic experiences

Moving into 2022, Humber continues to focus on delivering a polytechnic model of education, though its definition has evolved. We developed new programs and modes of delivery throughout the pandemic so that our learners had the opportunity to gain practical, career-related experience while studying online or in a hybrid format.

Our approach included virtual work placements, applied research and skills development challenges into our curriculums and created more pathways between credentials, breaking down barriers to further education.

In January, students will be returning to even more hands-on learning, this time enhanced by online learning strategies.

Our Lakeshore neighbours will notice that facilities like the Humber Fashion Institute building are coming back to life.

From merchandising in the front window to brainstorming sessions in the lounge, our fashion and beauty students will be able to take advantage of the equipment, including mannequins, a dropped ceiling boardroom perfect for hanging merchandise and several presentation areas.

Humber College students are returning to work placements across the city, supporting the community in healthcare, law enforcement, the trades and more.

The new year will be full of changes, challenges and celebrations. The Lakeshore community can expect new and exciting programming on campus and online, and opportunities to engage with Humber College. The Lakeshore campus will also be hosting an update on the Humber Cultural Hub and its progress early in the new year.

Thank you for your continued support of our campus and our students, and happy holidays.

We look forward to seeing you in 2022!