HUMBER COLLEGE

THE GARDENS

We’re welcoming the sunshine of May at Humber Lakeshore and some positive news. The COVID-19 vaccination rollout has inspired everyone to become a little more hopeful for a summer spent closer to the community. The evolving pandemic has made it challenging to plan for the future, but Humber College is committed to moving forward.

As our students navigate the maze of the future, Humber College is building a strong foundation to provide the best possible learning environment and training ground. That work includes providing a safe space to learn, both online and on campus.

Amidst the backdrop of the Derek Chauvin trial for the murder of George Floyd and the recent killing of Daunte Wright, we find ourselves once again condemning acts of violence and anti-Black racism. The important work of dismantling systemic racism is a part of our commitment towards building a diverse and inclusive community here at Humber College, and I encourage you to learn more about the work we are doing through our Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) Taskforce.

Humber’s strategic plan puts emphasis on building a diverse and inclusive community for staff and students. The EDI Taskforce works alongside the Centre for Human Rights, Equity & Inclusion and includes staff, faculty, administration, and students.

Looking Ahead

The Lakeshore campus is still closed to the public, but I am pleased to be able to share some positive news and developments.

We are planning for in-person components for most of our programs this fall. These plans are based on some assumptions about the ongoing vaccine rollout and future public health directives. We will adapt our plan as necessary as protocols change.

Before that, though, we’re diving into spring.

This year, it is exciting to announce that funding was received from the City of Toronto, Live Green, Waste Management department. The funding will expand the GARDENS education program with our community partner, LAMP CHC leading workshops potentially in-person (based on restrictions) and virtually on how to divert food waste. The year-long program will emphasize saving money, changing behaviour, and rethinking waste.

Praise for Humber’s screen stars

Many programs from our Faculty of Media & Creative Arts call the Lakeshore campus home, including Music, Comedy and Film Media Production. You can find our graduates performing in legendary Toronto venues, on the evening news, or in the closing credits of

This year, Humber students, faculty, mentors, and honourary degree holders garnered 30 Canadian Screen Awards (CSA)!

The Lakeshore campus’ proximity to downtown Toronto makes it a great place to launch a career in the arts and in media. Many of our faculty members are currently working in the field, and students have the opportunity to meet and collaborate with industry professionals.

One of those students, Allison Hogg, is up for a CSA in the Best Writing, Variety or Sketch Comedy category. You might be familiar with her work on Baroness Von Sketch Show, a popular sketch comedy that pokes fun at pop culture.

In the early 2000s, Allison moved from her small hometown to Toronto to attend the Comedy program at Lakeshore.

She says that the community helped her transition from her small town to the big city. She met people she still performs with today.

You might recognize some of the other Humber talent nominated this year, including Breakfast Television host and Journalism graduate Dina Pugliese and Humber Music mentor, composer Ari Posner. The Screen Awards will be broadcast online May 17. I hope you tune in – we’ll be watching!

Best wishes,

Derek Stockley

ALLISON HOGG DEREK STOCKLEY

Principal, Lakeshore Campus Senior Dean, Faculty of Social and Community Services Follow on Twitter: @derek_stockley

people continue to work, and without the promise of these distractions from our life, it sometimes makes you wonder what to focus on.

Some of the biggest distractions from dayto-day life right now are the news and social media. How are those distractions for you? There’s a lot of information available these days and it’s important to curate it from a trustworthy source and to understand the full story behind the headline. Now more than ever, the headlines that draw attention are often the ones that make us feel worse, as well.

What’s one way to take better care of yourself, then? Start to direct your focus. This is in your control, isn’t it? Focusing on solutions or what you can control will help you move towards taking action in a positive way. You may even find that it’s easier to take better care of yourself when you choose a better focus.

JONATHAN NHAN, RPh, CDE

Pharmacist / @nhanjonathan903

Be picky about what information you choose to accept. Spend some time with yourself and see how you are really doing. It’s been a long while and we may be in it for a little while longer. Remember to enjoy the

Are you taking care of yourself? A common sentiment that I hear lately is that no one ever imagined that this pandemic could have gone on for as long as it already has. By this time, we would have hoped that things were back to normal, and yet we continue to move on in this “new normal”. One thing that all of these restrictions, lockdowns, changing recommendations, and change to our previous way of life is that it puts into focus things about ourselves that were easier to ignore in the past. nice weather, the sunrise or sunset, and connect with people again, including yourself.

So, are you taking care of yourself? When I think back to pre-pandemic life, there was always the mentality of work hard (maybe too hard!) and sacrifice now for something down the road. Whether that is a weekend off, a vacation, or the potential promise of a secure future. The pandemic has really put this model of life into question, especially as it continues on. Many