Samir Al-Rubaiy is a first-year Computer Systems Technician student at Algonquin College, and his goal is to study computer security. Wednesday night, Samir was recognized for security skills of a different kind.
This past December, Samir saved twin toddlers from a fire in his apartment building. The toddlers’ mother, Bernadette, was accidentally locked out of her apartment when one of the children closed the door behind her.
“Bernadette needed help. My children play with her children. I didn’t really think about what I was doing. You just do these things,” Al-Rubaiy told the Ottawa Citizen at the time.
Last night, as part of the second annual Cyber Security Days conference at Algonquin College, Samir was presented with an award by one of the conference’s sponsors Cisco, recognizing his bravery.
“I congratulate Samir for demonstrating true heroism and community service,” said Subir Chadha, Vice President, Ottawa sales for Cisco Canada. “We are all in awe of Samir’s courage during the events that transpired last December”, added Craig Delmage, Senior Manager of Information Security and Data Privacy at Algonquin College, and conference chair. “I am honoured and proud that Samir is determined to join the cyber security profession once he graduates.”
The funds from Cisco’s award will be used to help cover Al-Rubaiy’s education at Algonquin College.
L-R: Alessandra Bottero, Initial PR; Bryant McNamara, Initial PR; Councillor Marianne Wilkinson; President Cheryl Jensen; Alex Scantlebury, Initial PR; Graham Spero, Initial PR; Councillor Rick Chiarelli
We’re open for business, and students are all fired up about it.
At today’s launch event for Algonquin College’s Centre for Innovation and Entrepreneurship, the centre’s official name – IgniteAC – was formally unveiled, and students were introduced to the resources designed to help them launch their businesses during their studies.
“We believe that college is the best place to start your business, and in the coming years you will hear us talking more about how we are building that entrepreneurial culture internally with our students and employees,” said Cheryl Jensen, President, Algonquin College. “Algonquin College has long been known within the college sector as an innovator, and by opening this centre we are placing more tools in our toolbelt and better equipping our students and graduates for success.”
The centre, located in room C151, is open to students and employees of the College. It offers office and meeting space, and connections to a variety of College entrepreneurship resources including events, education, and programming (like the upcoming SUMMIT Summer Intensive entrepreneurship ‘boot camp’ this summer).
The centre complements existing entrepreneurship support offerings within the College, including Applied Research – a business incubation service uniting innovators, students, and faculty mentors to tackle business challenges.
The Algonquin Students’ Association’s Executive-in-Residence, Andrew Foti, also supports students working out of this space and guides students through the many community resources outlined at www.algonquinsa.com/entrepreneurship
In addition to the centre’s opening, guests were treated to a surprise announcement – a business launch! Initial PR, a public relations firm headed up by four Algonquin College students, officially unveiled itself to the world. Company president Bryant McNamara spoke to his classmates’ burning desire to start their own business.
“We are honoured to be a part of this new facility, as this is precisely what we need at this time to make sure that we succeed in our career and in the economy of today,” said McNamara. “This economy is one that requires entrepreneurship to grow, and Algonquin has heard that call. IgniteAC will be a valuable resource, supporting us as we blaze our own trail into the working world.”
The College’s Centre for Innovation and Entrepreneurship forms one part of the Capital Entrepreneurs program, a joint venture with Carleton University, the University of Ottawa, and La Cité collegiale, which is supported by the Ontario government through the Campus Linked Accelerators program.
The Ottawa Police Service is honoured to host the 2nd Annual Polar Plunge for Special Olympics taking place at Algonquin College, 1385 Woodroffe Ave, on Saturday, February 27, 2016 in partnership with the Ontario Law Enforcement Torch Run.
The Polar Plunge takes place in several cities across Canada and raises much-needed funds for the athletes and families of Special Olympics Ontario.
“We are a non-profit organization and we want to continue to support athletes and their families by providing quality sports and training programs,” stated Glenn MacDonell, President and CEO of Special Olympics Ontario.
Athletes range in age from children, youth to adults who have an intellectual disability. Sports and training programs are only possible through funds raised through initiatives like the Polar Plunge.
“These athletes are my heroes, truly,” said Ottawa Police Inspector John McGetrick. “Their perseverance and dedication to their sport, coupled with their enthusiasm and sportsmanship, makes for a really enjoyable team experience for athletes, as well as their families.”
Plunging begins at 9 a.m. on Thursday, February 27. Register online, collect donations, and track your fundraising progress.
About Special Olympics Ontario
Special Olympics Ontario is part of a global movement that unleashes the human spirit through transformative power and joy of sports. We empower people with intellectual disabilities to become accepted and valued members of their communities, which leads to a more respectful and inclusive society for all. Using sports as the catalyst and programming around health and education, Special Olympics is fighting inactivity, injustice and intolerance. Special Olympics encourages sports and fun, bringing people together and breaks down stereotypes about people with intellectual disabilities through a unified sports approach.
The hats were raining down on Algonquin College employees Wednesday afternoon, as they were informed the College had been once again named a Top Employer in the National Capital Region for the third year running.
At a special event featuring former Ottawa Senators captain Laurie Boschman, employees were surprised with ball caps and the opportunity to celebrate ahead of this morning’s announcement of the College as a Top Employer.
“Algonquin College has a strong reputation for student success, and we take employee success just as seriously,” said Cathy Frederick, Vice President, Human Resources. “We know that investing in our people, and tapping into the pride they have for this institution, is central to our mission of transforming our students’ hopes and dreams into lifelong career success. This award reflects the pride our employees have for this institution and – while I have not yet met everyone, having started at Algonquin College just last fall – I can say AC pride is obvious and easily acquired!”
The National Capital Region Top Employer competition is organized and judged by Mediacorp. Twenty five employers in the Ottawa area are selected for the honour, based on criteria such as work and social atmosphere, employee communications, training and skills development, and community involvement, among others.
Here were a few reactions from employees:
“Being a part of such a dynamic and entrepreneurial college has been a dream come true for me,” said Chris Doré, part-time professor and entrepreneur-in-residence at the College’s Pembroke campus. “The professionalism and caring that I have seen from my fellow instructors and professors make me proud to be a part of such a wonderful team of educators. The openness of the various Algonquin College program Coordinators, Chairs and Deans are key to the entrepreneurial environment that has allowed me to flourish as a professor and bring value to the students I teach. They have encouraged a “just do it” environment that enables me to provide my students with an educational experience that I hope makes a difference in their lives.”
“My first year working for Algonquin College has been filled with much excitement and I have been astonished by our unique brand of Algonquin pride,” said Amy Desjardins, Executive Director of the Algonquin College Foundation. “It is that pride and that common purpose of transforming hopes and dreams into lifelong career success which makes this College a top employer. At the Foundation, it is a privilege to work with the community to support our students and ensure that our College continues to grow and thrive for future generations.”
“I have been working with Algonquin College for the past four years, starting out as a part-time Professor, then a coordinator, and now the Academic Chair at Perth Campus,” says Gerry Salisbury, Academic Chair at Perth campus. “After 30 years of policing experience, the transition to the education sector has been an amazing journey. The staff and faculty at the college are extremely supportive and I especially enjoy working with our students, who are preparing to be the leaders of our future. At Perth campus, it is very rewarding to work in an environment that is an integral thread of the community and a partner in the success of so many lives. I am so very proud of our students achievements, and our faculty and staff’s dedication and commitment. It is a pleasure and an honour to play a small part to help build the future!
Registration is now open, and tickets are already going fast for this year’s no-charge Cybersecurity Conference at Algonquin College, coming up this February 24 and 25!
Across industry, media, and government, cyber security will be among the hot topics of 2016. What are the challenges facing business and government in 2016, what new technologies are on the horizon to meet those challenges, and what are the job opportunities in cyber security? Join us at the Cyber Security Days 2.0 Conference: Privacy Risks and the Impact on You, a no-charge two-day conference, and find out!
Building on the tremendous success of Cyber Security Day 1.0, this premier National Capital cybersecurity event brings together Algonquin College and its partners from education, high technology, private sector, and the federal government.
Come and learn from Canada’s pre-eminent thought leaders, authors and researchers, brought in from across the country. Share ideas on current topics in cyber security, privacy, youth and cyber, dark actor tactics, as well as the state of cyber security and privacy careers. Visit with global leading cyber security companies, see the latest in cyber security solutions and check out the career opportunities. Sit-in on the new cyber security startup showcase, technical hacking related demonstrations and take your turn at the hacking village.
Visit www.algonquincollege.com/cybersecdays to see the list of speakers and presenters including Greg Young, VP, Gartner; Dave Black, RCMP; Dr. Michael Cheng of CHEO; John Weigelt, National Technology Officer, Microsoft Canada; and many others.
As the victims’ rights movement progresses in Canada and around the world, our country has seen the growth and development of a service sector of victim assistance workers tasked with supporting victims of crime – from an initial disclosure all the way to supporting a family when an offender is granted parole.
Despite a rapid expansion of services for victims of crime, there has been limited research on how victims of crime experience these services and how they navigate different service providers and negotiate to meet their needs.
That’s why the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC), a federal research funding agency, is supporting an important new applied research project at Algonquin College – marking the first time the agency has supported an applied research project at Algonquin College.
As announced in Toronto this afternoon by Federal Minister of Science Kirsty Duncan, SSHRC has awarded $207,210 in funding to the Algonquin College Victimology graduate certificate program over three years to fund the efforts of a team of seven – including Victimology students, in partnership with the Victim Justice Network (VJN) – to study how victims of crime can be best served by the support systems designed to help them.
“Our program was launched in part to offer enhanced training for service providers on the specific vulnerabilities and sensitivities of victims of crime as they respond to adversity and navigate the criminal justice system,” said Dr. Benjamin Roebuck, Coordinator, Victimology program. “Through this applied research project, we aim to create innovative training materials, contribute a Canadian perspective to international literature on the subject, and examine how the strengths of victims of crime contribute to their resilience. This project will be a meaningful learning opportunity for our students, and our team hopes that the results will be useful to survivors of violence and those who serve them.”
“We are fortunate to have the support of the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council for this important applied research,” added Marissa Locke, one of the students working on this project. “This will be both a significant learning opportunity for us and the industry which we will be working in, and I hope it will result in better, more informed services for victims of crime.”
“Our mandate is to promote awareness, understanding and support for victims of crime in our society,” said Priscilla de Villiers, Executive Director with the Victim Justice Network – a key partner in this project. “We are pleased to play a role and support this important applied research, ideally reducing the trauma experienced by victims of crime through their interactions with the criminal justice system.”
The project, which began in the fall, will run for three years and will include consultations with survivors and service provides, an online survey, in-depth interviews, focus groups, and a strong focus on knowledge dissemination. Findings will be presented in venues including the World Society of Victimology annual conference in Croatia, the Critical Criminology & Social Justice Conference in Ottawa, and at Algonquin College Applied Research Days and other project-specific events and webinars.
At its conclusion, a series of recommendations will be issued to Ontario’s Office for Victims of Crime and Ministry of the Attorney General, and articles will be submitted to peer reviewed journals.
Ottawa Mayor Jim Watson, joined by Cheryl Jensen, President and Chief Executive Officer of Algonquin College, Councillors Cloutier and Fleury, co-chairs of the City’s efforts in Ottawa 2017, and Guy Laflamme, Executive Director of the Ottawa 2017 Bureau, have announced a partnership to create hands-on learning opportunities for students as Ottawa prepares to welcome millions of visitors for Canada’s 150th birthday celebrations. (See photos from the announcement event)
The partnership will seek to create opportunities for students at Algonquin College to participate in the planning, development and delivery of Ottawa 2017 programs that relate to their field of study.
In addition to the partnership, Ottawa 2017 is announcing the creation of the “SuperHost150” program, a unique training tool to help ready tourism industry staff, volunteers and residents to welcome visitors to Ottawa in 2017, which will be developed in collaboration with both Algonquin College and La Cité.
“Our city will be centre stage in 2017, as a record number of Canadians come to their capital to celebrate the 150th anniversary of Confederation,” said Mayor Watson. “Together with our partners at Algonquin College, we’re creating a destination experience that will engage all residents as Ottawa 2017 ambassadors.”
In 2017, Algonquin College will also be celebrating a milestone: its 50th anniversary. In the spirit of the SuperHost150 program and to mark a half century of education excellence, the post-secondary institution will look to welcome visitors to stay in campus residences during peak tourism periods.
“There’s no better way to jointly celebrate our past than with such a forward-looking partnership,” said Cheryl Jensen. “We’re providing our students with the opportunity to gain experience and skills on real-life projects that will strengthen their college experience. This will benefit the community in 2017 and well beyond, when these students join the Algonquin alumni workforce.”
At today’s announcement, students donned Ottawa 2017 SuperHost150 aprons and welcome signs next to a festive cupcake display.
“We’re thrilled that Algonquin College students will have the opportunity to connect in a creative, meaningful way with Ottawa 2017 celebrations,” said Guy Laflamme. “Their contributions will have a direct impact on the quality of programming and services that people will experience when they visit, and on the memories of our city they will take home with them.”
Additional details regarding the SuperHost150 program and other opportunities will be available next year. The online SuperHost150 tool will be launched in the fall of 2016.
Ottawa 2017 will be announcing many more initiatives in the weeks and months ahead, as we gear up for this once-in-a-lifetime, year-long celebration of Canada’s 150th birthday, right here in the capital.
To stay informed on the latest plans, visit ottawa2017.ca.
Algonquin College executives, Perth campus representatives, and local construction industry members and politicians unveil applied research lab, already under construction, to support local innovation. Photo: President Cheryl Jensen, with the help of a student, brings the lab one step closer to completion!
(Perth, November 30, 2015) It may look like a house, but it’s not just any house.
It’s a Residential Living Lab, an applied research facility where students, faculty, and businesses in the Perth area will come together to tackle everyday business challenges. The facility was unveiled today as part of an introduction of the project to the broader Perth community. On hand to help celebrate the launch: construction associations like the Greater Ottawa Home Builders Association, construction companies, and education focused groups like Ontario Centres of Excellence. (See photos from the launch)
So what kind of challenges will this lab help address? In her remarks, President Cheryl Jensen discussed an applied research project underway with EcoTay in Perth. Algonquin College students are applying the latest building science techniques to a nearly 200 year old home, making it more efficient and bringing the building envelope up to current day standards.
The lab unveiled today is, itself, an applied research project, modelling the very sustainable design principles the students are learning in class. When Perth Mayor John Fenik asked all the students involved in building the facility to raise their hands, half the room was a sea of hands!
Students in Algonquin College’s Construction Carpentry – Advanced Housing program in Perth are managing the construction site and putting together the 2,500 square foot ‘home’. GRC Architects of Ottawa designed the lab, with inspiration from the Green Architecture program graduate students.
“What a legacy for these students, who will be able to point to this building with pride long after they graduate and say “I made that”! They truly are changing the landscape of our campus,” said Chris Hahn, Dean, Perth campus. “As a polytechnic, Algonquin College is known for its applied research, and this project will allow us to step up our research efforts across all of our program areas, including the construction sector.”
“Applied research connects students and faculty with local employers to solve business challenges, and many of our clients are local businesses and startups” said Cheryl Jensen, President of Algonquin College. “Through applied research, we are growing the entrepreneurial ecosystems across the Ottawa Valley. Opening centres like this one is just one way we are living out our commitment to be a driver of innovation in our communities.”
The lab was partly funded by the Canada Foundation for Innovation and the Ontario Research Fund.
A formal opening of the Perth Residential Living Lab will take place in summer 2016.
The familiar roar of a chainsaw will echo through Investors Group Field as Algonquin College’s Loggersports team cheers on the Ottawa REDBLACKS in this Sunday’s 103rd Grey Cup Championship game. Members of the Loggersports team will be travelling to Winnipeg to cheer on Ottawa’s CFL team.
Algonquin College President, Cheryl Jensen, says this is a wonderful opportunity for the Loggersports team to be part of one of Canada’s signature sporting events. “The Grey Cup game is watched by millions of Canadians every year and we are thrilled to have our Loggersports team in Winnipeg as part of our partnership with the Ottawa REDBLACKS football club. For our College community, having the Loggersports team on the sidelines will make Ottawa’s first Grey Cup appearance since 1981, even more special than it already is,” says Jensen.
Since the REDBLACKS inception, the Loggersports team has been at every home game including last weekend’s thrilling Eastern Final that propelled Ottawa into the title game. This year alone, the Loggersports squad has cut 39 wooden cookies, a symbol of the REDBLACKS high powered offence led by league most valuable player, veteran quarterback Henry Burris.
The Loggersports team is supported by both Algonquin College and the Algonquin Students’ Association. The team is part of the Intercollegiate Lumberjack Association and competes in several competitions each year against other colleges and universities from across Eastern Canada and the Northeastern United States.
Meanwhile, in an email to President Glenn Feltham at the Edmonton-based Northern Alberta Institute of Technology (NAIT), Algonquin College President Cheryl Jensen made a friendly wager over Sunday’s game:
…In the unlikely event of an Edmonton win, I will wear an Edmonton Eskimos jersey for a day, and send a video to you praising the virtues of your hometown team. I would challenge you to wear a REDBLACKS jersey and send me a similar video. I would suggest you start rehearsing.
President Feltham has accepted the offer.
So, if you weren’t already rooting for Ottawa here are two more reasons to cheer on the R-R-R-R-REDBLACKS!
He was Algonquin College President for 16 years, part of a lengthy 45 year career in education.
Through his leadership, the College staked a claim as the ‘digital college’, a leadership position it still holds today within the Ontario college system.
He lead a large infrastructure campaign – some say if you draw a line halfway down the Ottawa campus you’ll find there was very little on the other side before Bob Gillett was President (not to mention the new campuses in Perth and Pembroke). To thank him for the new facilities, and his leadership, the Algonquin Students’ Association named one of those new buildings – the Robert C. Gillett Student Commons – after him.
“President Gillett was focused on the Customer Experience and to him the Number One Customer was the Students,” said David Corson, a past Students’ Association President. “He also believed that Algonquin should be a leader in the Digital Experience so that other colleges would follow. He wanted us to be a trailblazer so that we were the superior choice in Ontario and in Ottawa. These are the primary reasons that the Students’ Association at the time requested the Board of Governors to allow us to name the new Student Commons in his honour.”
He brought Algonquin out of deficit and into financial surplus, enhanced its reputation, diversified its educational offerings through degree programs and applied research, and widened its partnerships with the City of Ottawa, fellow Ottawa postsecondaries, and others.
Monday, Bob Gillett was recognized for all these achievements, and many more, through the Minister’s Lifetime Achievement Award. The award was presented at the annual College’s Ontario Higher Education Summit in Toronto. On hand to deliver the award: The Hon. Reza Moridi, Ontario’s Minister of Training, Colleges and Universities; Colleges Ontario President Linda Franklin; and Colleges Ontario Chair David Agnew.
The criteria for this annual award includes: (1) demonstrating exceptional leadership over a significant period of time; (2) exemplifying collegiality working with other colleges and local institutions, with the community, and with students, and through this collegiality advancing the social and economic development of Ontario; (3) displaying wisdom and depth of leadership that has made a significant difference locally and provincially; (4) promoting excellence within the college, within the college system and within postsecondary education in Ontario.
“Robert Gillett has made an indelible mark on our province’s college system,” said the Hon. Reza Moridi, Minister of Training, Colleges and Universities. “It is an honour to present him with this award for his forward-thinking and leadership, which has helped to establish Algonquin College as a leader in the community, in the digital sphere and around the world. Through his hard work, he is truly making Ontario a better place to learn.”
“Bob is an innovator, and we are all beneficiaries today of his vision,” said Algonquin College President Cheryl Jensen. “His achievements are many: turning Algonquin’s finances around, cultivating a culture of pride and innovation, forging community partnerships which benefit us to this day, fostering internal communications, and so many others. I can think of no other candidate who so deserves this honour. Congratulations Bob for all your success!”
