Algonquin College Students’ Association Celebrates 50 years
Posted on Thursday, August 20th, 2020
The student voice always matters at post-secondary schools. Hearing what students have to say is what drives decision making and at Algonquin College the voice of its students has been effectively heard for the past five decades through its student leaders. This year the Algonquin Students’ Association is marking a very special milestone as it celebrates its 50th anniversary.
Founded in 1970, just three years after the Ontario college system was launched and Algonquin College got its start, the Association has lived up to its mission to create an environment that inspires a passion for student success. While the directors have changed over the years, the student leaders who have represented the student body have been true to the mission, continually aspiring to leave the College a bit better for the next group of students who come behind them.
At the Pembroke Campus, there is no greater example of the Students’ Association commitment to students than its bold move in 2008 to commit $4-million towards the building of a new Waterfront Campus along the shores of the Ottawa River. What made this extraordinary financial gift so significant was not only the amount of funding that was being put forward by the students but also the fact the commitment was being made before the College’s Board of Governors had officially approved the project for construction.
For many years the Students’ Association had heard from students at the former Pembroke Campus that they wanted recreational and sports facilities on campus, but with an aging building and no room for expansion, there was no opportunity to respond to this request. When momentum built to construct a new campus the Association jumped at the opportunity to throw its full support behind the project, making public its plans to help fund a gymnasium, fitness centre and student lounge that would create more social space for students.
There is no question the public declaration was highly influential in the ultimate decision made a few months later by the Board of Governors to approve the building of the new campus, with or without any government funding. The $36-million campus opened amidst much fanfare in the Fall of 2012. It was a proud moment for everyone involved, including the Students’ Association, but the S.A. wasn’t done yet.
In the winter of 2020, the Students’ Association again responded to student requests by installing a rock climbing wall in the gymnasium. With a significant out-of-town student population and some of the most unique outdoor adventure programs in the college system, the climbing wall is a perfect fit for the Pembroke Campus. It has been very well received and has created more opportunities for students to literally “hang out.”
Over the years the Students’ Association has expanded its facilities and services at all three Algonquin College campuses. The Association continues to invest in college infrastructure and services that go beyond the classrooms. Soon, the S.A. will open a new athletics facility at its Ottawa Campus, another example of its leadership in providing some of the top athletic facilities in the country.
The Students’ Association has had a great run for the past five decades. Given its track record, it’s certain that the next 50 years will produce more great moments for the organization and ultimately the students who choose to study at Algonquin College.
Posted by: Jamie Bramburger, Manager of Community and Student Affairs
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