When Amy Ayers graduated from Perth Campus’ Personal Support Work program in 2018, she had no idea she would soon find herself on the front lines of a raging pandemic. As a Personal Support Worker in an Almonte long-term care home that was one of the first in Ontario to suffer a widespread, deadly outbreak of COVID-19, Ayers played a critical role in the battle against the virus.
Since those first chaotic months, she has dedicated herself to raising awareness about the pandemic’s impact on the mental health of PSWs and health care workers in long-term care. Ayers says there can be a culture of silence and stoicism in the field that keeps many PSWs from seeking help. She has encouraged co-workers—and, by sharing her story publicly, all PSWs—to seek counselling, stressing the risk of PTSD.
For many people, their college years briefly take them far from home. After graduation, the college town and all those fond memories of late study nights, local coffeeshops and time spent on campus are often left behind.
But for many graduates of Algonquin College’s Pembroke Waterfront Campus, the charm of living in Pembroke can lead them to put down permanent roots after the student experience has ended.
“It’s great living in a small community,” said Jim Butterworth, who graduated from the Pembroke Campus in 2007 with an outdoor adventure degree and business diploma. “In a smaller rural community, everyone knows who I am. The joke is if we need a cup of sugar or maple syrup, we ask our neighbours.”
As we approach the end of July, I want to provide another update about our evolving plans for the Fall Term.
To begin with, it is important to note that 48 per cent of Algonquin College’s programs will include some component of face-to-face activity in the Fall Term – as the College continues to gradually and safely expand academic activities on our campuses while adhering to public health guidelines. (As a reminder, program-delivery details can be found here.)
Secondly, I am happy to announce that progression to Step 3 of the Province’s COVID-19 reopening plan allows the College to increase events and activities on-campus, which may not have been previously permitted. It is still necessary that events and activities conform to various restrictions and health and safety protocols, as such there is an ongoing need for the College to maintain oversight over campus activities. To support this, employees who are organizing events or activities will be required to submit an online form at least 10 days ahead of any planned event.
OTTAWA (July 28, 2021) – Algonquin College is pleased to announce the recipients of its fifth-annual Alumni of Distinction Awards, to be held virtually this year on September 30.
The event will officially celebrate 10 Algonquin College alumni for their outstanding professional and community contributions, plus an employer from our campus communities who has empowered our graduates to make a difference.
This year’s honourees have demonstrated remarkable dedication to the well-being of others. They include a best-selling author, prominent federal civil servant, distinguished First Nations poet, influential journalist, and constable with a decades-long history of volunteerism and leadership, as well as dedicated health professionals and one of this city’s tops chefs.
Examples of exceptional accomplishments include supporting people and businesses during the pandemic; safe-guarding mental health for individuals in crisis; promoting economic vibrancy among Canadian Arctic communities; protecting Indigenous heritage; piloting a healthcare program for under-served patients; and improving access to education for Black students.
This year’s Alumni Employer of the Year is an award-winning Canadian animation studio based in Ottawa, that has hired and mentored a significant number of our graduates and supported education at the College.
Imagine being 18 years old, in your first year at Algonquin College and you’re about to speak before a prominent international organization. For first year Public Relations student Shelby Richardson, this is her future. Richardson and fellow students Catherine Matovu, Anna Ranger and Amarjeet Singh, alongside supervisor Jed Looker, will be presenting at a United Nations meeting on July 27.
“I feel nervous and very proud and confident, but I don’t know how it’s going to go,” said Richardson, a Public Relations student at Algonquin. “You wonder, ‘how did I get here?’ You have imposter syndrome. You worked hard and that’s how I’m here. I’m proud, especially during COVID.”
The four students and their supervisor researched the topic of gun violence and masculinity, spoke with their client IANSA – the International Action Network on Small Arms – and stakeholders including Gun Free South Africa, and have created a workshop for youth aged 12-15. They will be presenting their findings and recommendations to a United Nations international panel on Tuesday. The goal is to have the workshop available not only in South Africa but in other countries including Afghanistan and Pakistan. Continue reading Aim for Change: Algonquin College Students to Speak at UN Meeting
OTTAWA (July 22, 2021) – Algonquin College and HealthCareCAN have signed an agreement to extend and expand their current collaboration to deliver online training programs and build a ‘Campus of Care’ for healthcare professionals across Canada and beyond.
In 2017, Algonquin and CHA Learning, the professional development division of HealthCareCAN, entered into a revenue-sharing agreement for the delivery of CHA Learning’s flagship Health Information Management and Food Service Nutrition Management online programs. The successful relationship combined Algonquin’s vast experience in online education delivery and CHA Learning’s 70 years of offering programs and courses to tens of thousands of healthcare professionals in all regions across the country. Continue reading Algonquin College and HealthCareCAN’s CHA Learning Collaborate to Build Healthcare ‘Campus of Care’
Algonquin College is excited to announce that their new work-integrated learning (WIL) project has been chosen as one of 13 projects funded by the Business + Higher Education Roundtable (BHER), with generous support from the Government of Canada. The initiative is the result of a collaboration between BHER and Co-operative Education and Work-Integrated Learning (CEWIL) Canada.
BHER and CEWIL Canada share the goal of improving access to quality WIL opportunities for students across the country. This grant initiative will create more than 1000 quality WIL opportunities in six provinces, with a focus on underrepresented students. The 13 projects represent more than 28 community-based, non-profit, industry, and post-secondary partners. Continue reading Work-Integrated Learning Project Chosen as One of Thirteen BHER-CEWIL Grant Initiative Recipients
The Province of Ontario has announced that it will be proceeding to Step 3 in its Roadmap to Reopen starting Friday, July 16 at 12:01 a.m. The announcement is welcome news and comes a week ahead of schedule, as key public health indicators continue to improve and the province-wide vaccination rate reaches set targets.
Recently Chris Janzen, the College’s Senior Vice President, Academic, provided an update on the Fall Term, which indicated that while plans for academic programming have been determined, a loosening of public health restrictions could allow for more service and activity options on our campuses.
Ontario’s transition to Step 3 includes many changes, such as the reopening of indoor dining and permitting outdoor gatherings of up to 100 people. The College’s leadership team is currently examining these regulations to determine how they could impact our existing plans by increasing the number of learners and employees that could safely be accommodated and supported on our campuses. The health and safety of our learners and employees will remain the top priority, and any updates to our current plans will be communicated to the entire College Community. Continue reading Message from the President – July 15
When Algonquin College students were granted access to ALIBI Music last year thanks to an exclusive agreement, it opened up a world of production possibilities to professionally enhance their projects.
The ALIBI Music Library is a professional music and sound effects platform featured in Hollywood productions and the TV, streaming, video game and advertising industries. The library contains more than 250,000 audio files, including more than 11,000 curated original songs and 6,000 sound effects created by a global array of professional artists.
“ALIBI gives our students access to quality professional music. The fact that it’s copyright-cleared solves a lot of problems because the students aren’t out sourcing music from the Internet that they think they might have rights to. Now there’s a one-stop, where they don’t have to search anywhere else,” said Jeremy Atherton, Program Co-ordinator with Algonquin’s School of Media and Design. Continue reading ALIBI Music opens world of possibilities to Algonquin students
Canada Day is a time for our nation to reflect on our successes – but also to face our failures. Coming together in a spirit of truth and reconciliation, we must be honest about the tragedies experienced by Indigenous communities, and build a country based on empathy, education, and mutual understanding. Out of sensitivity to the victims of residential schools, Algonquin College will not hang the large flag on the Woodroffe Avenue side of the College as we have done in years past. For the President’s recent announcement on Truth, Reconciliation and Indigenization, visit here. For the College’s TRI page, visit here.
