Pembroke Campus

Pembroke : Soul-soothing and Spectacular

For those considering studying at our Pembroke Waterfront Campus, a recent article by The Wedge: A New Voice for Eastern Ontario introduces those new to Pembroke to the charm that our City has to offer.

“We finally traveled to the far northwest corner of the wedge. This is a milestone in our 1.1 years since launch. This node is a city named Pembroke–the largest in the Ottawa Valley. It sits on the Ottawa River and has a few rivers running through it, the Muskrat River and the Indian River.

Bridge over Muskrat River, flows by City Hall shown, Downtown Pembroke, Ontario, CANADA PHOTO BY the wedge.LIVE

Pembroke is a good 45 minutes West of the Town of Renfrew and one hour from the Town of Arnprior. The three offer travelers a perfect ‘puddle-jumping’ trek across the Ottawa Valley. Pembroke is also 30 minutes or less from Algonquin Park and could bring a trip to a perfect close this Fall and year-round.

“Technicallyyyy, we are the smallest city in Canada.”

“Technicallyyyy, we are the smallest city in Canada,” a few locals said. This is invariably uttered with a grin and a low brow. So it seems, the needle wiggles around 16,000 population–the miracle number that identifies a place as a ‘city’ and no longer a ‘town.’” Read more of the Wedge: A New Voice for Eastern Ontario article >>

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

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

Algonquin College students and grads give the College a strong 2016 report card

Algonquin College is number one for graduate satisfaction among large Ontario colleges! Recently released Key Performance Indicator (KPI) survey data showed exactly 80 percent of Algonquin College graduates are very satisfied/satisfied with their college experience, while just 7.9 percent are dissatisfied.

Holly Mortensen, Personal Support Worker Student, Algonquin College, Pembroke Campus“On behalf of the College, I want to thank Algonquin College students and alumni for our strong report card, which once again ranks us above average for a college of our size,” said Cheryl Jensen, President, Algonquin College. “This strong graduate satisfaction result comes as no surprise to us, as our College has performed very well in student satisfaction for the past seven years. I want to congratulate our peers at Fanshawe College, who edged out our title as the top large Ontario college for student satisfaction this year with 77.7 per cent (to Algonquin’s 77.4).”

All Ontario public sector colleges participate annually in the Colleges Ontario KPI survey program, which entails providing a mandatory satisfaction surveys to all enrolled students. The surveys measure outcomes such as students’ satisfaction with their courses, learning outcomes, facilities, and student services. Additionally, recent alumni are surveyed regarding their satisfaction as graduates and their employment status post-graduation. Finally, employers are surveyed to measure their satisfaction with the Ontario college graduates they hired. The results are then analyzed by an independent research company.

This year’s results across the college sector underscored the fact that college education is an effective and swift route to employment. Eighty-three percent of Ontario college graduates found work within six months of graduation, and more than 91 percent of employers were satisfied or very satisfied with the graduates they hired.

“Colleges are experts at helping people find rewarding careers,” said Linda Franklin, the president and CEO of Colleges Ontario. “Our graduates’ professional and technical expertise will be even more important in the years ahead as new technology and automation create a heightened demand for a more highly qualified workforce.”

Full 2016 KPI results may be seen at collegesontario.org.

Research reveals 83% of college graduates secure employment within six months

Algonquin College GraduationAs Ontario’s college system celebrates its 50th anniversary this year, new research confirms college education continues to be an effective and swift route to employment.

The provincial Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) released today show 83 per cent of Ontario’s most recent college graduates found employment within six months of graduation.

“Colleges are experts at helping people find rewarding careers,” said Linda Franklin, the president and CEO of Colleges Ontario. “Our graduates’ professional and technical expertise will be even more important in the years ahead as new technology and automation create a heightened demand for a more highly qualified workforce.”

Read more of this Colleges Ontario article >>

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)

Winter Parents’ & Families’ Newsletter

Welcome to our Parents’ & Families’ Newsletter

The calendar has turned to a new year and there is lots happening at Algonquin College’s Waterfront Campus. Here is a quick update for parents and family members. Enjoy our 2017 parent newsletter.

Winterfest: March 8th at the Waterfront Campus
Winterfest, Algonquin College, Pembroke Campsu

The winter semester at the Waterfront Campus is nicely underway and we certainly have plenty of snow in Pembroke. The mounds of snow surrounding the campus will help as we plan our Winterfest carnival for students on March 8th.

Winterfest is a fun afternoon and evening for students that will include:

  • outdoor activities in the snow
  • a free lunch for all students
  • free public skating at the Pembroke Memorial Centre followed by a women’s and men’s student-staff hockey game
  • free dinner back at the campus where students can enjoy live entertainment.
  • Plus, we will be making some draws for free Ottawa Senators hockey tickets.

Yes, we like to give our students free stuff to make their college experience more enjoyable!

Algonquin College
Celebrates 50th Anniversary: Speaker Series

In 2017, the College is celebrating its 50th anniversary, so there will be many special events taking place. Among them is our Speaker Series which is dedicated to Canadian history. One of the sessions that all students are being invited to attend is a presentation by Tricia Logan of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission.

This session will be held in the evening of Tuesday, April 18th at 7 p.m. at Festival Hall in Pembroke, a short walk from the campus. You can learn more about this presentation on our Speaker Series website >>

Truth & Reconciliation

Tricia Logan is the Education and Outreach Coordinator at the National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation. Tricia is originally from Kakabeka Falls, Ontario. Recently, Tricia completed her PhD entitled ‘Indian Residential Schools, Settler Colonialism and Their Narratives in Canadian History’ in History at Royal Holloway, University of London. She also has a MA and BA both in Native Studies from the University of Manitoba. In 2000, Tricia started working with the Aboriginal Healing Foundation at the Southwest Region Manitoba Métis Federation and has worked with the AHF, Legacy of Hope Foundation and National Aboriginal Health Organization research on various projects from 2000 to 2014.

New Entrepreneurship Course offered at Waterfront Campus

More of our students are interested in becoming entrepreneurs. To help them achieve their goals, the campus hired its first Entrepreneur-in-Residence (EIR), Chris Doré, last January. Since Chris has come on board, several initiatives have been introduced.For example, the college now has a student entrepreneur club, a group of community entrepreneurs who are available to mentor students, and a new general education course on entrepreneurship has been launched this winter. The course is open to all students and will help them better understand what it takes to be an entrepreneur. You can learn more about our entrepreneurship activities on our EIR website >>

Events, Events and More Events!

We have a number of events on campus, both faculty and staff driven and student organized. Sometimes it’s hard to keep track of everything that is happening, which is why we have created the Waterfront Campus Events Calendar >>. Learn more about the fun and academic event opportunities available for our students.

Flu SeasonFlu Season

With so many students and staff at the Waterfront Campus daily, it is easy for the flu to spread at this time of year. The College offers free flu shots to students through its Health Services office which is open Monday to Friday from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. An appointment is not necessary.Throughout the campus there are also hand sanitizer stations and our Health Nurse does a great job of promoting the importance of hand washing, particularly at this time of year when the flu and cold season is at their peak.

New Housing Options for Students for Fall 2017

Our out-of-town student population continues to grow. In fact, more than 50 percent of our first year student population last fall had to relocated to Pembroke to study with us at the Waterfront Campus.We wanted to let parents know that a third privately owned and operated student residence is currently under construction and is scheduled to be ready for August 1, 2017. This residence is located within walking distance of the campus on Lake Street near the Pembroke Memorial Centre. You can learn more about housing opportunities on our Housing website >>

It’s important to remember that the college provides housing information to students and families as a courtesy service, but all decisions on whether to enter into a rental agreement is between the family and the landlord. You may want to review the Landlord-tenant Act for Ontario.

New Support Groups: Chill Café & SMART Recovery

  • Our new Chill Café is a 6-week anxiety management program open to all students. The program runs weekly on Thursdays between 12:30 and 2 p.m. from February 9 to March 23. Students can register at acwaterfrontchillcafe.eventbrite.ca
  • Our SMART Recovery offers students the help needed to recover from any addictive behaviour by working on motivation, urges, negative thinking, and living a balanced life style. Weekly sessions are held on Fridays, 10:30 a.m. to 12 p.m. starting February 10 and running until April 28, 2017. There is no need for students to sign-up, they simply need to show up to Room 216 at the above mentioned times.

International Experiences for Students

While many college students will be on their winter break the week of February 13 to 17, more than 30 Algonquin students will be in Costa Rica where they will be taking the Rainforest & Tropical Science General Elective Course course. This course is open to students at all three Algonquin College campuses in Pembroke, Perth and Ottawa and is considered a general education credit. Learn more about this international education experience >>

In the spring, some third year Bachelor of Science in Nursing students will be travelling to Guatemala on a humanitarian mission to support health care needs in the third world country.

We hope this newsletter has been helpful. Please keep in touch with us and offer us feedback on topics you would like us to cover in future newsletters.Thank you for being part of your young adult’s post-secondary journey.

Sincerely,Jamie Bramburger
Manager of Community and Student Affairs
Algonquin College Waterfront Campus, Pembroke, ON.
PM-Parents@algonquincollege.com

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