Waterfront Campus Blog

Waterfront Campus Enrolments Top 1,000 Students for First Time

On Friday, September 1 at 11:44 a.m. Algonquin College’s Pembroke Campus made history. When second-year Practical Nursing student, Laura Edmonds, walked into the admissions office to enroll for her fall classes, she became the 1,000th student to register for the fall intake of students.

Student #1000It was the first time in the fifty year history of the campus that the enrolment in full-time programs exceeded four digits. Edmonds was greeted by clapping and congratulations by the admissions staff who were on the watch for student number 1,000, knowing the historical significance for a campus that started with 16-full-time students when it opened its doors in 1968.

The record enrolment is continuing a trend that started several years ago when the campus began introducing several unique programs that have helped it attract students from outside of Renfrew County. Programs like Outdoor Adventure, Urban Forestry-Arboriculture, Applied Nuclear Science and Radiation Safety continue to pull out of town students, and have been the primary reason why developers have built three privately owned and operated student residences to house visiting students.

PembrokeThere are now more than 170 students living in residence and many more who are renting or boarding in other apartments and homes in the Pembroke area. The out-of-town student population has grown to be about 50 percent of the students enrolled in the campus.

The campus now offers 21 full-time programs leading to certificates, diplomas, and degrees. As Algonquin College’s largest regional campus, it is blossoming as it celebrates its fifth year of operation at its Waterfront Campus which has become an anchor for Pembroke’s downtown, igniting a renaissance of the city’s inner core. The best example is the new residences, but the energy that has been created has resulted in new stores, façade and building improvements and increased investment in infrastructure such as roads, sidewalks and bridges.

Rome was not built in a day, and it has taken a lot of work by the dedicated administration, faculty and support staff at the campus to bring about record enrolments. The college employees who worked so hard at the old campus to create an exceptional learning environment for students, while making do with inadequate facilities, paved the way for creating a caring culture on campus.

The new campus has taken that commitment to student success, excellent teaching and customer service to a new level. With a beautiful facility built along the picturesque shores of the Ottawa River, it has become a destination campus for both local and out of town students like Laura Edmonds of Cobden.

Not many people have the opportunity to make history. Edmonds did, by being in the right place at the right time. She is student number 1,000 at a campus that looks forward to four-digit enrolments being the norm, not the exception, as its plans for the next fifty years.

Posted by Jamie Bramburger, Manager of Community and Student Affairs at Algonquin College’s Pembroke Waterfront Campus

 

 

 

How Being Mentored Changed My Life and Could Change Yours

Chris Dore with arms crossed and smiling at cameraI remember the first time I asked my mentor to mentor me. I was quite nervous and afraid she would say no. I didn’t realize at the time that I was being silly. Why would she say no to my request – she was one of the most engaging, encouraging and respectful people I had ever met and these were the traits that inspired me to ask that awkward question, “would you mentor me?”

A silhouette of a person on a cliff reaching for another person on the top of the cliff - mentorshipI came into formalized mentoring later in life, and only after an abundance of work experiences and mistakes. I have to admit when I think back, there were mentors but they often took on the guise of teachers and coaches, picked not by me but by the activities I participated in. It was only into my 30s that I started to actively look for mentors. I started to make a list of people whom I held in high regard in the community and that I believed I could learn from.

As I assembled my “team” of mentors I looked for certain skills and ways of thinking that I lacked. I also started to realize the immense power of mentoring as my mentors provided me with:

  • Viewpoints and perspectives regarding business I had yet to experience, like how to start a business, what is needed legally, and what should I not do?
  • An understanding of the importance of ethics and trust when doing business with others
  • A completely new network of people and contacts
  • Acted as references and even nominated me for awards
  • Career advice – they gave me new ideas and prevented me from making costly business mistakes
  • Guidance in business and in life

The one regret I hold is that I did not find my team of confidantes, friends, life coaches, business advisors, when I was a student. Mentors can become one or all of these things to you as you develop a long-lasting relationship.

Highway Signpost "Mentorship - straight ahead"For all these reasons and more, mentoring and giving back to the community through mentoring is one of my core values, and I believe I am lucky to be able to guide and help students reach their own goals and achieve their dreams.

If you are interested in being mentored and are starting a business or have a great idea but don’t know where to start – start with our Mentorship@AC application site! If you’re interested in becoming a mentor, have a look at our Mentor@AC application site.

You can always reach out to me at dorec1@algonquincollege.com or on Twitter @chrisWdore, I am sure we can help.

Posted by: Chris Doré, Entrepreneur in Residence, Waterfront Campus

An Incredible Week at Algonquin’s Pembroke Waterfront Campus

There are very few weeks in the 50 year history of Algonquin College’s Pembroke Campus that would rival this past week. A former Prime Minister delivering a convocation address, celebrating a high profile alumnus who has raised thousands of dollars for the campus and an inspiring big swim by a faculty member trying to raise awareness about a complicated environmental issue, were all part of the past seven days.

Convocation 2017, Algonquin College, Pembroke Campus Let’s start with former Prime Minister, the Right Honourable Paul Martin, who challenged the class of 2017 to do their part in helping Canada be the best that it can be. Canada’s 21st Prime Minister was speaking from the heart, after being deeply moved by the college’s acknowledgement of his late father’s political accomplishments through the awarding of a posthumous Honorary Degree.

The Right Honourable Paul Martin Senior spent 33 years as an elected member of the House of Commons and is best known for his work as Canada’s Health and Wellness Minister, and Secretary of State. What is not as well known is that he grew up in Pembroke, and many of his political views were formed from his childhood in Pembroke, where he contracted polio as a young boy and his family struggled to make ends meet.

Martin Sr. would be a father of universal health care, would ultimately make the decision to introduce polio vaccinations that would save thousands of Canadian children, and would be instrumental in having many additional countries enter the United Nations. In his speech, his son would tell the graduates, ” Yes, my Dad made history, but he never could have done it had the people of Pembroke not been there for him.”

Jason Blaine, Business Grad, Algonquin College, Pembroke CampusA few days before the graduation ceremony, one of the Pembroke Campus’s most successful graduates was being celebrated. Country Music Artist, Jason Blaine, was honoured with a plaque on a computer lab at the campus for raising $100,000 towards the building costs of the Waterfront Campus, which opened in 2012.

jason BlaineBlaine was in town for his annual concert and golf tournament which raised $90,000, and has now brought in almost $300,000 over its first four years. Moving forward, he has committed to using funds from his charity to establish an endowment for students in financial need, so they can attend the Waterfront Campus.

The week was capped off by the incredible and inspirational “big swim” by Environmental Technician Coordinator, Sarah Hall. After weeks of training, Hall swam more than 16 kilometres through choppy and cold water in the Muskrat Lake, raising more than $4,000 and bringing awareness to the serious environmental issues facing the watershed.

Sarah Hall

Hall and her students have spent countless hours doing research and trying to find solutions to the causes of algae blooms which have plagued the watershed for many years. Exhausted and cold, Hall was greeted to a heroes welcome when she reached the shoreline in the village of Cobden, after more than five hours in the water.

That’s a lot in one week, but it’s also a snapshot of how many great things are happening at Algonquin College’s Waterfront Campus in Pembroke. Truly amazing!

Posted by Jamie Bramburger, Manager of Community and Student Affairs

Community Support Strong for Waterfront Campus

AC Waterfront CampusAlgonquin College is turning 50 years old in 2017 and public support for the campus has never been better. In the past few weeks, new endowments have been established to support students in financial need at the campus, construction is continuing on another student residence to support the college’s growing out of town student population, and more than 200 women attended our Girls’ Night Out fundraiser at the Waterfront Campus.

Mayor Mike Lemay After five decades of serving the Upper Ottawa Valley, the College has come of age and the community fully understands its importance to Renfrew County’s future. Perhaps, Pembroke Mayor Mike Lemay said it best when the college held a 50th anniversary kick-off event at the Champlain Trail Museum, saying, “Now, more than ever, the College is critical to our region as we face labour market challenges brought on by an aging population. The infusion of young people into our community as a result of the College being here is vital and has created significant economic spin-offs for the city.”

PembrokeHow great is that impact? Well, more than fifty percent of the students who attend the Waterfront Campus now come from out of town. It’s why the former college campus on Pembroke Street, the previously empty Lakeside Medical Clinic and the new apartment building under construction on Lake Street near the Pembroke Memorial Centre, have been purposefully renovated or built to accommodate student housing needs.

From humble beginnings in 1967, with only a handful of students to approximately 1,000 students each fall, the campus growth has had a profound impact on Pembroke, spurring all kinds of new business opportunities, while helping the city grow its tax base and creating more access for local residents to access post-secondary education.

That’s where the need for more financial aid bursaries comes into play. While the Ontario government has made some progressive changes in supporting low income families with its new free tuition policy, there are still hundreds of students who study at the campus who need additional financial support.

the Girls’ Night Out committeeIn the past few years, several families, businesses and organizations have setup endowments. Most recently, the family of Larry Scales, a retired Forestry Technician teacher who passed away last year, established a memorial bursary in his name. After raising more than $24,000 this year alone, the Girls’ Night Out committee used the funds raised at its sell out event to create a bursary to annually support a woman who attends the Waterfront Campus. Business program alumnus and Canadian recording artist, Jason Blaine, has also announced he will be creating an endowment for college students.

Musician Jason Blaine with guitar singing

These generous gifts are truly appreciated by the students and the College. It helps the college to fulfill its overarching goal of supporting students to be successful in their academic studies and to be career ready when they graduate.

Yes, fifty years is a significant milestone. It’s enough time to be fully integrated into a community, just like the founder of the Ontario College system, former Premier Bill Davis, envisioned when he established Algonquin College with a mandate for a regional campus in Pembroke.

Posted by Jamie Bramburger, Manager of Community and Student Affairs

Top 5 Reasons Why You Should Attend Your Program Awareness Camp Day

Orientation for new college students is several months away, or is it? At Algonquin College’s Waterfront Campus in Pembroke, the college is committed to helping students get off on the right foot as they begin their college journey. To do this, the campus organizes a Program Awareness Camp day each spring to start building a relationship with its incoming class, an initiative that really helps students get comfortable with their new surroundings.

Algonquin College Student Success Specialist

 

Based on student feedback, here are the top five reasons why students should attend.

  1. Career clarity. The Program Awareness Camp day is full of experiential learning opportunities for students to better understand the program they are planning to enroll in. It provides enough of a snapshot for students to determine if it is the right fit for them.
  2. Meet your faculty. Building an early relationship with your teachers can really help students feel connected to their program. The faculty will be leading the activities so it exposes students to their teaching style and takes away some of the apprehension students may have about the learning environment.
  3. First Contact Meetings. These one-on-one sessions with faculty allow both the student and the faculty advisor to get to know one another better. The faculty advisor will ask a series of questions that could identify potential issues that need to be resolved during the summer months to better prepare a student for their academic program.
  4. Connecting with other students. There will be many incoming students who attend the Program Awareness Camp Day. This provides an opportunity to get a head start on meeting new friends and starting relationships prior to the start of classes. This fosters a much easier transition to college.
  5. Get to know your campus. The Waterfront Campus is built on a picturesque property on the shores of the Ottawa River in downtown Pembroke. The campus offers many great features including a fitness centre, gymnasium, specialized labs, a library that overlooks the river and much more. Taking advantage of a campus tour can help students picture themselves in their college program, experiencing everything that college has to offer.
Environmental Technician students working in their science lab

Attending a Program Awareness Camp day is time well spent. Parents are also invited to attend as there is a parent’s program that can also help Moms and Dads feel better about the decision their son or daughter is making in choosing to study at the Waterfront Campus.

This year’s Program Awareness Camp day is scheduled for Saturday, May 13th. There’s still time to register. You won’t regret it!

 

Posted by Jamie Bramburger, Manager of Community and Student Affairs

 

 

Entrepreneurship Growing at Waterfront Campus

It has been just over a year since the Waterfront Campus became the first regional college campus in Ontario to hire an entrepreneur-in-residence, and the move has clearly paid off. The entrepreneurial spirit is alive and wChris Dore with arms crossed and smiling at cameraell at the campus and has been producing great results.

Since Chris Doré came on board in January of 2016, several initiatives have been launched to create more opportunities for students and faculty to engage in entrepreneurship. For example, a new general education course focused on entrepreneurship was launched a few weeks ago and is getting great reviews from students. The interactive course teaches students the various steps needed to successfully launch their own business, and also introduces them to entrepreneurial terms such as start ups, venture capital, social enterprise and more.

Speaking of start ups, Startup Ottawa Valley was recently launched under the Startup CaStart up Canada Logonada umbrella. Startup Canada is a grassroots efforts to encourage and support more entrepreneurs nation wide. Within the Ottawa Valley, several champions have been identified who will create networking and mentoring opportunities for new entrepreneurs, who can also access all of the tools and resources available through Startup Canada such as grants, pitch events and professional development.

The first TedxPembroke event was held at the Waterfront Campus last fall and brought together 7 speakers who shared innovative ideas that were both inspiring and engaging. There is nothing more entrepreneurial than a Tedx event which purposefully uses the spoken word to start deeper conversations to spark crTedX Pembrokeeative ideas. The College intends to offer more Tedx events in the future given that the first one sold out and was very well received by the community.

The true test of the college’s efforts is the success of its students and graduates to become entrepreneurs. Our confidence was given a great boost recently when first year Outdoor Adventure student, Brennan Lemieux, won first prize at the Wolves’ Den competition at Algonquin’s Ottawa Campus. Lemieux was the only competitor from the Waterfront Campus and took home $1,000 for his impressive presentation to the judges on Outdoor Adventure student, Brennan Lemieux, won first prize at the Wolves' Den competitionhis plans to launch a digital logbook for outdoor adventure leaders.

We know there will be more success stories in the future as we turn the Waterfront Campus into an entrepreneurial hub for our students, employees and the greater community. Exciting times indeed!

 

Posted by Jamie Bramburger, Manager of Community and Student Affairs

Waterfront Campus to Honour Great Canadian Paul Martin Senior at Convocation Ceremony

When Paul Martin Sr. rose in the House of Commons on February 24, 1937 to encourage the federal government to provide scholarships to outstanding students who could not afford to attend post-secondary education, he was reflecting on his own experiences growing up in a low income family in Pembroke.

The future Liberal cabinet minister had attended several higher education institutes including some of the most prestigious schools in the world, but none of those experiences would have happened without the generosity of others.

Paul Martin Sr.Martin’s original plans were to become a Priest and he received help through the Pembroke Diocese of the Catholic Church to pay tuition at a school in Gatineau, Quebec. While studying in Gatineau, he remained enthralled with the happenings at near-by Parliament Hill, where he climbed a tree to watch the funeral procession for one of his early political heroes, Sir Wilfrid Laurier. He had left home at only 15 years of age and by his late teenage years, he knew politics was where he wanted to be.

As a stepping stone to public life, Martin pursued a law degree by first studying at St. Michael’s College on his road to Osgoode Hall in Toronto. His interest in international matters led him to Harvard University in Boston and then Trinity College in Cambridge, England. When he returned to Canada, his quest to enter politics continued as he became involved with the Liberal party, making valuable connections across the country.

After an unsuccessful provincial election bid in his hometown, Martin settled in Windsor where he went on to win ten consecutive elections leading to a 33-year career in the House of Commons.

Paul Martin Sr.Best known for his work as Minister of Health and Wellness, Martin is widely credited along with Tommy Douglas as the fathers of universal health care in Canada. He also initiated the introduction of mandatory polio vaccinations for children, a move that saved thousands of lives. Martin and his son, the future Prime Minister, both suffered from polio as children, and he was determined to eradicate the disease.

Martin’s first cabinet post came ten years after he was elected when he became Canada’s Secretary of State. He was well respected at the United Nations and was a major influence to Canadian social policy following the second World War, advocating programs such as unemployment insurance, a minimum wage and the right of workers to unionize. After voluntarily leaving politics, he joined the senate as the government house leader and finished his political career as the High Commissioner to the United Kingdom.

Paul Martin Sr. was a great Canadian. He served under four Prime Ministers, and while he never had the opportunity to lead his country as its highest elected official, he arguably made some of the greatest contributions to our country though his work as a senior Liberal Cabinet minister.

On June 16, 2017, Algonquin College will pay tribute to his legacy through the posthumous awarding of an Honorary Degree to Paul Martin Senior. The Degree will be accepted by Canada’s 21st Prime Minister Paul Martin Jr., who is deeply touched by the college’s efforts. “This all the more so because of my Dad’s earliest initiative following his fist election in 1935 was to table a resolution in parliament, advocating more student aid which, as he said in his memoirs, reflected ‘my own experience as a boy whose parents could not afford to pay for his education.'”

All graduation ceremonies are special, but given the fact that Canada is celebrating its 150th birthday and the college is marking its 50th anniversary, listening to the address by the former Prime Minister will be a wonderful opportunity for all of the graduates and a life experience that will stick with them long after they leave Algonquin College.

The convocation ceremony will begin at 1 p.m. The ceremony is open to the public.

(Posted by Jamie Bramburger, Manager of Community and Student Affairs)

Spring Conference Delivers Great Professional Development Opportunity

Jim Kyte played a tough brand of hockey, but it’s not surprising he lasted 17 years in professional hockey, considering the obstacles he had to overcome. The NHL’s first deaf player will share his incredible story as the keynote speaker at Algonquin College’s annual Spring Business Leadership Conference on May 25, 2017 at the Waterfront Campus in Pembroke.

Jim Kyte, Keynote Speaker at Spring Business and Leadership Conference, Algonquin College, PembrokeNow into its third year, the conference provides great value to small town businesses in Eastern Ontario by providing high quality professional development opportunities at a very reasonable cost. In its first year, the conference attracted more than 60 people. That number jumped to more than 90 registrants last year, and this spring the College expects the conference to exceed more than 100 attendees, based on the positive feedback it has received on the conference.

Built on a theme of bringing a “big city” conference to the Ottawa Valley, the line-up includes several workshop presenters who have participated in larger conferences in places like Toronto, Ottawa and Kingston. The line-up is supplemented with the continuing education faculty from the Waterfront Campus, providing an opportunity to showcase the high quality trainers the College has available locally.

Amongst the presenters this year is Doug Wotherspoon, Algonquin College’s Vice-President of Innovation and Strategy, who will provide tips on how businesses can build a sustainable competitive strategy. Wotherspoon will introduce his audience to the “playing to win” model, a simple framework that looks to ask five integrated questions to help businesses think ahead and align their company for sustainable success.

Sylvie Rimbach is a human behaviour strategist who will focus her workshop on being a courageous leader in today’s competitive landscape. Rimbach’s session will explore the power and influence leaders have, turning leadership into a verb, not a noun.

Katie Tollis-Flabbi, Spring Business and Leadership Conference, Algonquin College, Pembroke

Katie Tollis-Flabbi is a young entrepreneur with a passion for marketing. As a business owner and part-time faculty member at the Waterfront Campus, Tollis-Flabbi will share six practical and easy marketing steps for a small business. The goal is to share ideas that won’t break the bank, but will generate revenue and much needed exposure for a small business with a limited marketing budget.

Two of the sessions will focus on the pending labour market shortage being driven by an aging population. Angela Hoyt is the President of Evolution Group and for the past 19 years she has helped organizations manage performance. Her session promises to provide the audience with tools they can use to attract the right employees at a time when they will be hard to find.

Chela Breckon is the Coordinator of the Local Immigration Partnership program in Renfrew and Lanark County. A passionate advocate for immigration in rural regions, Breckon will help business leaders build a welcoming strategy that will support their efforts to attract newcomers to their workplace.

There are also workshops on social media and public and media relations, areas that are evolving but becoming increasingly important for businesses and organizations of all sizes. The keynote address by Jim Kyte, lunch and a refreshment/networking break, an after conference social and the awarding of a business innovation award are all part of the conference.

Early bird registration rates for the conference are in place until March 31st and businesses that send three employees will receive a fourth registration free. At $199, plus HST, (early bird rate) the conference is very affordable and for most attendees will not require any additional expenses for overnight accommodation, travel or meal expenses.

The Spring Business Leadership conference has been designed to support small and medium sized businesses in both the private and public sectors. Given its growth since being launched in 2015, it appears it has hit the mark.

Posted by; Jamie Bramburger, Manager of Community and Student Affairs

 

Canadian History Highlights 2017 Speaker Series

2017 is a very special year for Canada and Algonquin College. Both have a milestone birthday as the country celebrates being 150 years old and the College marks its 50th anniversary.

To celebrate these two occasions, Algonquin College’s Waterfront Campus is dedicating its 2017 speaker series to covering topics of Canadian history.

Speaker SeriesThe Speaker Series kicked off recently with Steve Paikin, long time host of TVO’s popular political program, The Agenda. Paikin has written a book on former Ontario Premier, Bill Davis, the founder of the Ontario college system.

Davis was Ontario’s second longest serving Premier and over his 14 years heading the province he had many accomplishments, but his legacy focuses on education through his work in founding colleges and introducing equal funding for the Catholic school system.

On April 18th, the College will welcome Tricia Logan, Education and Outreach Coordinator for the National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation. The NTR commission issued 94 calls to action in its landmark report which dealt with several sensitive issues including residential schools.

Residential School

Logan’s presentation will focus on the legacy of the residential schools, the inclusion and exclusion of the schools in Canadian history and what it means to approach a new version of Canada and revised Canadian histories.

Sean Conway is well known at Queen’s Park for his oratory skills. Now retired as an elected member of provincial parliament, Conway is a frequent lecturer at universities across the province.

He has put together a talk entitled, “The Character and Colour of the Ottawa Valley Political Tradition” that he will present at the Waterfront Campus on May 8th. Filled with stories about politicians at all levels who represented Ottawa Valley constituents, the lecture will be a wonderful history lesson on local politics.

Kingston PenitentiaryThe now closed Kingston Penitentiary was Canada’s oldest and most notorious prison. It was also the backdrop for author Merilyn Simonds’ best selling book, “The Convict Lover” which tells the story of a young Renfrew man who is imprisoned, but has a romance with a young woman while serving time for a series of misdeeds in the Ottawa Valley.

Simonds, who has authored 17 books, will participate in the Speaker Series on September 12th sharing many stories about what led to Canada’s first prison riot.

the deciding game of the 72 Summit Series with the Soviet Union.For Canadian hockey fans, September 28, 1972 is a date that will live on as one of the defining moments in Canadian sports history. It was the day that Paul Henderson of the Toronto Maple Leafs scored a late goal for Canada in the deciding game of the Summit Series with the Soviet Union.

2017 marks the 45th anniversary of that historic game, and author Roy MacSkimming will be in Pembroke on September 28th to talk about the series and his book entitled, “Cold War.” MacSkimming wrote the book for the 25th anniversary of Henderson’s goal, and will re-live the series which was about much more than hockey, but rather a battle between two political systems at a time when tensions between the west and the Soviet bloc were at their peak.

The 2017 series wraps up with Charlotte Gray on November 8th, as she speaks about her book entitled, The Promise of Canada. Gray will explore the great achievements in our country’s history, while acknowledging the darker shadows of our past.

More speaker series engagements may be added, but 2017 is shaping up to be a very special time for those interested in Canada’s history.

Posted by: Jamie Bramburger, Manager of Community and Student Affairs

Celebrating a Great 2016 at the Waterfront Campus

A lot has happened in the past year at Algonquin College’s Waterfront Campus. That’s why it’s so tough to put together a top ten list of reflections, but here it goes…

Chris DoréComing in at number 10: The introduction of an Entrepreneur-in-Residence. Chris Doré joined the campus in January and has brought forward many initiatives that are creating a more entrepreneurial spirit on campus. This includes the development of a student entrepreneurial club, the first TEDxPembroke event and the college’s sponsorship of StartUp Ottawa Valley, a grassroots network that encourage entrepreneurs throughout our region.

#9: The incredible applied research done by students in the Environmental Technician program who spent hundreds of hours tackling a complex environmental issue along the Muskrat Lake watershed in Whitewater region.

Jason Blaine#8: The community contributions of our students and graduates. Alumnus Jason Blaine raised a record $80,000 at his third annual charity concert and golf tournament and has now been able to invest more than $200,000 in local community causes. Office Administration-Executive student Wendy Hewitt was elected as Chair of the Renfrew County District School Board trustees and students in our Bachelor of Science in Nursing program participated in a humanitarian mission in Guatemala. Just a few examples of how our students and alumni made a difference in 2016.

#7: The economic impact the Waterfront Campus is having on Pembroke’s downtown. Two privately owned and operated student residences are open and a third is under construction and will be ready for the fall 2017 intake. Several new stores have opened and many buildings that had been neglected are being invested in by developers who are helping build Pembroke’s reputation as a college community.

Urban Forestry - Arboriculture, Algonquin College#6: The development of three new full-time programs that will launch in September of 2017. The new Action Sports Park Development program is the first college program of its kind in Canada, while the Urban Forestry-Arboriculture program will compliment the highly popular Forestry Technician program that has been offered at the campus for more than 45 years. The Applied Nuclear Science and Radiation Safety Diploma program has already been endorsed by Bruce Power for its future hiring needs.

Melissa Bishop, Olympian and Pan Am Gold medalist#5: An inspirational visit by Canadian Olympian Melissa Bishop who captured the hearts of all Ottawa Valley residents at the summer Olympics when she just missed a medal in the 800 metre race. Bishop spoke to both students and visiting guidance counsellors during an October stop at the campus and broke news when she announced her intentions to be ready for another Olympiad in four years time.

#4: Having our Loggersports team celebrate a Grey Cup championship with the Ottawa REDBLACKS. While our athletes were prevented from attending the championship game in Toronto by the CFL, they were front and centre when 40,000 fans celebrated Ottawa’s first football title in 40 years.

#3: The hundreds of employers who provided placement and co-op experiences to our students and jobs for our graduates. Employers are critical to helping our college provide the skilled workforce that will ensure our region prospers in the future, and in 2016 our businesses were truly our greatest partners.

Waterfront Campus Convocation 2016 banner#2: Words to live by from former Board of Governor representative Fred Blackstein at our 2016 convocation ceremony. His six words, “Be Algonquin Proud, Make Algonquin Proud,” have become a call to action for the entire Waterfront Campus community.

#1 thing to celebrate is: Another record enrollment of students at the Waterfront Campus. With almost 1,000 full-time students studying at the campus, the college is attracting both local and out-of-town students, helping produce college graduates who can help meet the workforce needs of employers across Canada, and in some cases around the world.

2016 was a great year. We look forward to even better things in 2017 as we celebrate our 50th anniversary!

Posted by Jamie Bramburger, Manager of Community and Student Affairs