Volunteer opportunities re-starting at Algonquin College

Posted on Monday, April 25th, 2022

Looking for volunteers for an upcoming event? No problem. The AC Volunteer Centre has re-opened and is ready to help you find volunteers for activities of all kinds.

Elizabeth Holmes is the community engagement officer at the AC Hub in the Volunteer Centre overseeing the re-launch. “Our programming is back but may look a little bit different with the new hybrid nature of work and school at the College,” she said.

Holmes is excited to have opportunities available to students. “For the first time in over two years, we will have in an AC Day 1 presence with 25 volunteers working alongside the AC Hub’s student navigators,” she said. Student navigators are employed by the AC Hub and work to help support students as they begin their studies here at Algonquin College. “They are going to be in residence and assisting with questions like giving directions, or figuring out where orientation for programs are, answering any questions at all. If a student is looking for a building, a student volunteer will be able to walk them there.”

“We hope this is the first of many (returning and new) volunteer opportunities,” said Holmes.

Since February, Holmes has been fielding requests for volunteers from many community organizations like the HOPE Volleyball Tournament and Ottawa Race Weekend. She’s hoping to start hearing from on-campus services looking for volunteers as well.

“We are up and running and here to collaborate with different departments, services, faculty and programs,” said Holmes. “We are looking forward to connecting and engaging with the campus community.”

Website updates allow those interested to sign-up for a volunteer mailing list so they can be notified when positions and opportunities become available. Current opportunities are listed along with areas to showcase different organizations.

“It’s been tough to feel a sense of community on campus,” said Holmes, “but as things are opening up we are excited to re-engage and get students the most of their post-secondary experience. Volunteering is a great way to do that.”

Have a volunteer opportunity or wish to volunteer? Email volunteer@algonquincollege.com. 

EXTENDED – Double your impact! Give to the Rainbow Bursary today to have your gift matched

Posted on Wednesday, April 13th, 2022

A name change in Ontario costs $137 and takes anywhere from six to eight weeks for processing. With 2022 Spring Convocation just 10 weeks away, learners who want their credentials to match their authentic selves need to act now. You can help them – today – by supporting the AC Rainbow Bursary.

The AC Rainbow Bursary helps 2SLGBTQ+ with anything they need to feel secure and supported.

Established during Pride Month 2021 by School of Business professor Angela Lyrette, the AC Rainbow Bursary provides financial assistance to students who identify as 2SLGBTQ+, with special consideration given to students who identify as Black, Indigenous, disabled, trans and/or non-binary. Students may use the bursary to purchase books, supplies, gender-affirming clothing or basic necessities, for example.

In support of International Day of Pink — a worldwide anti-bullying and anti-homophobia awareness campaign which takes place April 13 — Algonquin College will match Rainbow Bursary donations up to $3,000 until April 20, 2022

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Smart Tenant wins top prize at RE/ACTION Showcase

Posted on Friday, April 8th, 2022

The winner of Friday’s virtual RE/ACTION: Applied Research Showcase is Smart Tenant, a mobile app for a property management company in Ottawa to engage in better and continuous communication with their tenants.

Hosted by the Office of Applied Research, Innovation & Entrepreneurship, the goal of RE/ACTION is to create a platform for students to showcase their hard work to an audience of their peers, faculty and community partners. Five project finalists were chosen out of 43 submissions to present to a panel of industry professionals during the live Zoom event.

Created by Mobile Application Design and Development students Karim Shaloh, Eric Shantz, J-C Castagne, Mohsen Qaddoura, Evan Liko and Sandeep Saini, Smart Tenant is a social platform for tenants in their client’s properties to communicate with one another. Team lead Shaloh detailed the team’s work over the past four months in creating an app that would help increase tenant retention, satisfaction and overall customer experience.

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