Niagara College News and Media

The 2011 Canadian Colleges Athletic Association Women’s Basketball Championships will be taking place at Niagara College’s new Athletic Centre at the Welland Campus from March 17 – 19.

This high-profile championship will showcase Canada’s elite eight Women’s collegiate basketball teams. As the host college, the Niagara College Knights will have an automatic berth into the championships and will look to become the first team from Ontario to ever win national gold. The Knights face the number-one ranked College Montmorency in the first-round on Thursday, March 17 at 8 p.m.

Tickets are available at the Welland Campus Athletic Centre, or online at www.ticketbreak.com. For further information, including the full championship schedule, visit ccaawomensbasketball2011.ca

Please note: the Learning Commons will be closed to Student and Public Use from December 15 through to January 7, 2011, to permit construction work. Access through the Learning Commons to the Library is permitted only at the Merritt Wing Entrance. Please obey all construction signs.

College faculty and staff,

2009 has been a year of tremendous achievement and change at Niagara College. As we prepare to break for the holidays, I would like to congratulate and thank all staff for their hard work and dedication that is the foundation for our ongoing success and the rewarding futures we create for our graduates.

I can’t recall a time in our College’s history when there has been as much activity and excitement. A sampling of some of our many highlights from the past year include the opening of the Wine Visitor + Education Centre, the announcement of the Applied Health Institute, the launch of our new “Applied Dreams” branding, record enrolment once again, #1 ranking in student satisfaction for a fifth straight year, great progress in our Master Plan construction project (the largest in Niagara College history), and visits by high-level dignitaries including the Prime Minister of Canada and the Prince of Wales. Our students continue to flourish on community projects and at various competitions at both the provincial and national levels. We are all very proud of them, and their numerous medals and awards are constant reminders of the excellence we all strive for. Thank you to the faculty and staff who coordinate, coach and travel with our students who embody the essence of all that is Niagara College.

The December 2009 edition of College Report (www.niagaracollege.ca/ncglobal/docs/collegereport_Dec2009-WEB.pdf) is hot off the press. Please take a moment to read the latest update on the Master Plan, find out how hybrid learning is changing the classroom and see how the Student Access Committee is working to improve access for non-traditional learners.

As we look ahead to entering a new decade, 2010 promises to be another exciting year, with new instructional facilities and buildings, innovative new programs and continued growth and success. While I can’t ignore the fact that we will have challenges to face in the coming year, I truly believe we have the best team of dedicated faculty and staff and together we will continue to make Niagara College the best college in the province.

It was great to see so many of you at the Holiday Reception yesterday. Please accept my personal best wishes for a safe and happy holiday season filled with the warmth of family and friends, and I look forward to seeing you in the New Year, re-energized and ready to build on our success.

Cheers,
Dan

To all Niagara College staff and students:

I am pleased to share some very exciting news with you.

The Honourable Tony Clement, Federal Minister of Industry, and the Honourable John Milloy, Ontario Minister of Training, Colleges and Universities, today announced $40 million in infrastructure funding – $20 million each – for Niagara College’s new Applied Health Institute. The announcement was made at a joint federal/provincial media conference held at Brock University today, where investments totalling $1.476 billion for infrastructure projects at post-secondary institutions throughout Ontario were announced.

The federal/provincial funding announced today is the largest funding announcement in Niagara College’s history, and is a significant enhancement to our comprehensive campus redevelopment master plan. Today’s announcement is the result of an incredible amount of work in a very short period of time by a large number of people here at Niagara College, who came together to develop a very successful funding proposal for both the Federal and Provincial governments.

The construction of the new Applied Health Institute is a major leap forward for our College, and will truly position the college as a leader, accommodating key health programs, applied research, and related community health services in a new integrated facility on the Welland Campus.

The Applied Health Institute, designed to anticipate the future healthcare training needs of the Niagara Region and the province of Ontario, provides for the establishment of permanent facilities for the Registered Practical Nurse and Personal Support Worker programs (programs that must vacate their current leased St. Catharines facilities in 2010). The new Applied Health Institute will add 100,000 sq ft of new classrooms and labs, expanding space in existing applied health programs including Paramedics, Therapeutic Recreation, Pharmacy Assistant, Dental Assisting and Dental Hygiene.

The new Institute will also allow for the launch of new programs serving the health and wellness of the Niagara Region, including potential programs such as Occupational Therapist/Physiotherapist Assistant, Gerontology, Addictions Counseling, Mental Health Worker, Children’s Mental Health Worker, and Elder Care Advocate.

Extensive planning for the Applied Health Institute has already taken place. The project is in the design phase, with construction beginning by August 2009, and completion targeted for February 2011.

This is incredible news for Niagara College and the Niagara Region. It will further enhance our campus re-development project, and significantly strengthens our ability to deliver the highly-skilled, job-ready graduates who support healthcare in Niagara and Ontario.

A media release regarding today’s announcement is available online at www.niagaracollege.ca/news, and architect’s renderings of the Applied Health Institute are available for viewing at www.niagaracollege.ca/masterplan/appliedhealth_media.htm

College flags have been lowered to honour the memory of Cpl. Tyler Crooks, a graduate of Niagara College’s Police Foundation Program (2005) who was killed Friday while serving his country in Afghanistan with the 3rd Battalion, November Company, of the Royal Canadian Regiment. Cpl. Crooks, of Port Colborne, was among four soldiers killed in two separate incidents in Kandahar Province on Friday. A repatriation ceremony will be held in Trenton today for Cpl. Crooks and his fellow fallen soldiers. Funeral arrangements have not been released.

To read more about Cpl. Crooks, visit www.wellandtribune.ca/ArticleDisplay.aspx?e=1490771

Retired Niagara College Chef Professor Stan West is among this year’s inductees to the Klaus Woerner Skilled Trades Hall of Fame. Chef West was a professor and coordinator in the School of Hospitality and Tourism for 27 years before retiring in 2002. He will be formally inducted to the Hall of Fame by The Hon. John Milloy, Ontario Minister of Training, Colleges and Universities, on March 3 in Kitchener.  The Hall of Fame was established in memory of Klaus D. Woerner, a gifted entrepreneur, engineer and business leader who was known for his commitment to apprenticeship training. The Hall  recognizes individuals who have made significant contributions to the advancement of skilled trades and technologies.