At noon, President Dan Patterson will open formal presentations and remarks by industry partners and student researchers. Niagara Research will present student awards sponsored by various community partners.

Larry Kent, Manager, TD Canada Trust , 31 Queen St. St. Catharines, on behalf of Small Business Banking, Central Ontario Region, will present The TD Canada Trust Small Business Banking Group $500 award to a student who has worked with Niagara Research and has successfully started, or is planning to start, a new business.

“Our third annual Research Open House is the highlight of our research year, focusing on the achievements of our student researchers, the support of our faculty experts, and the vision of our industry and community partners”, notes Marti Jurmain, Director, Research and Innovation Division at Niagara College.

Niagara Research is the home of applied research at Niagara College. Applied research is broadly defined as the application of new or existing knowledge to solve practical real-world problems and advance the goals of our community. The role of Niagara Research is to provide real world solutions for business, industry and the community through applied research and development activities. Niagara Research, in partnership with business or community partners, conducts applied research projects that model or simulate solutions, develop and test prototypes, adopt new technologies and knowledge, develop and evaluate new or improved products, processes, or solutions to community issues.

Niagara College is one of Ontario’s 24 publicly-funded Colleges of Applied Arts and Technology. With 8,000 full-time students, Niagara College offers more than 90 diploma, baccalaureate degrees and advanced level programs at campuses in Welland, Niagara-on-the-Lake, Niagara Falls and St. Catharines. Areas of specialization include food and wine sciences, advanced technology, applied health and community safety, and the College is home to the globally-recognized Niagara Culinary Institute and Niagara College Teaching Winery. In 2008, Niagara College launched an unprecedented $90 million campus redevelopment project, which is scheduled for completion in 2011. For more information, visit www.NiagaraCollege.ca.

-30-

For more information, contact:

Natalee Tokar
Project Manager, Research and Innovation Division
Niagara College Canada
905-641-2252, ext. 4151
ntokar@niagaracollege.ca

The Canadian Technology Accreditation Board (CTAB) has granted national accreditation status to Niagara College’s Construction Engineering Technology program, marking the first time a program of this type has been accredited in Ontario, and only the second in Canada.

“This accreditation it great news for our students,” said Dr. Ben Cecil, Dean of Environment, Media and Technology. “It tells employers that our graduates are coming from a high-quality program that meets or exceeds national standards, and reinforces the fact that our students are able to hit the ground running and make an immediate impact in the construction industry.”

National accreditation is a voluntary evaluation of applied science and engineering technology programs offered through educational institutions in Canada. A program is examined and assessed in its ability to meet the profession’s approved standards and criteria. Subject to periodic review, the program is granted certification by provincial associations within the Canadian Council of Technicians and Technologists (CCTT) upon accreditation. Graduates of nationally accredited programs are eligible to seek certification by CCTT members after several years of work experience. Niagara College’s accreditation is for the maximum four-year period, after which it will be re-assessed.

Later this month, the Ontario Association of Certified Engineering Technicians and Technologists (OACETT) will present Niagara College’s Construction Engineering Technology program with a national accreditation certification.

Niagara College offers the three-year nationally accredited Construction Engineering Technology program at its Welland Campus. Today’s competitive construction industry demands professionals who have mastered the latest management techniques and computer technology. Students are exposed to diverse construction and architectural subject areas, including on-the-job training with a sponsoring company, and assisting with design and construction of a Habitat for Humanity Niagara home-build project. The program meets the academic requirements for membership in Ontario Association of Certified Engineering Technicians and Technologists (OACETT), Ontario Institute of Quantity Surveyors (OIQS) and Ontario Building Officials Association (OBOA). For more information, visit www.NiagaraCollege.ca/cetech.

Niagara College is one of Ontario’s 24 publicly-funded Colleges of Applied Arts and Technology. With 8,000 full-time students, Niagara College offers more than 90 diploma, baccalaureate degrees and advanced level programs at campuses in Welland, Niagara-on-the-Lake, Niagara Falls and St. Catharines. Areas of specialization include food and wine sciences, advanced technology, applied health and community safety, and the College is home to the globally-recognized Niagara Culinary Institute and Niagara College Teaching Winery. In 2008, Niagara College launched an unprecedented $90 million campus redevelopment project, which is scheduled for completion in 2011. For more information, visit www.NiagaraCollege.ca.

-30-

For more information, contact:

Dr. Ben Cecil

Dean of Environment, Media and Technology

Niagara College

905-735-2211, ext. 7699

bcecil@niagaracollege.ca

The SIFE Niagara College team was represented by fourth-year Bachelor of Applied Business – International Commerce and Global Development student Kari Spry (Cobourg, ON), past President of SIFE Niagara, presenter and team leader on the presentation team; second-year Business Sales and Marketing students Yusuf Serag el-din (Sudbury, ON), Ethics Manager of SIFE Niagara and presenter; Tarig Serag el-din (Sudbury, ON), VP Marketing of SIFE Niagara and presenter; and third-year Business Administration – Marketing student Akwasi Nti Bonsu (Welland, ON), Program Manager of SIFE Niagara and technology operator. Business professor Robert Greene serves as SIFE Niagara College Faculty Advisor.

SIFE Niagara College also took second place in the HSBC SIFE Financial Education Challenge.

“We are very honoured and excited to have won this award,” said Spry. “It’s great to see all of our hard work recognized and it truly inspires us to continue to create a positive impact in our community.”

SIFE teams throughout Ontario and Quebec were judged by live panels of business professionals in their ability to provide guidance and mentorship to aspiring entrepreneurs throughout the year, by working directly with local businesses to help improve operations, profitability and job creation. Teams were provided with the necessary tools and training by ACE to develop and implement their extensive projects.

SIFE Niagara College claimed first place in the 2010 TD SIFE Entrepreneurship Challenge with its dedication to underprivileged cooperatives in developing countries, aspiring student entrepreneurs and current business owners. All projects in operation are at no cost to the participants.

Through the Fair Trade Niagara project, SIFE Niagara College helps create economic opportunities for underprivileged cooperatives in developing countries, while creating international and local jobs. Currently, the team is working with three counties, South Africa, Argentina and Peru, creating 17 jobs and over $275,000 in economic opportunity.

The team’s Ready. Set. Succeed. project educates and assists entrepreneurs in the Niagara Region in creating a sustainable business through one-on-one mentorship. To date, this project has created 19 jobs and over $650,000 in economic opportunity.

As the 2010 ACE Central Canada Regional Champion, SIFE Niagara College will continue on to the National Competition of the SIFE TD Entrepreneurship Challenge in Calgary, Alberta, on May 11.

Founded in the mid-1980s, Advancing Canadian Entrepreneurship (ACE) is a national, charitable organization that is teaching and igniting young Canadians to create brighter futures for themselves and their communities. ACE delivers a team-based program called Students In Free Enterprise (SIFE) and an individual-based program, the Student Entrepreneur National Competition. These programs provide university and college students access to real world experience, through the implementation of outreach projects and business ventures that complement in-class studies. Students involved in ACE make a meaningful contribution to their communities today, and discover their potential to achieve an even greater impact as the leaders of tomorrow. Last year, ACE students created 600 jobs, logged 260,000 volunteer hours, impacted 63,000 people, and generated over $40 million in economic activity. ACE is currently established on over 50 post-secondary campuses across Canada.

Niagara College is one of Ontario’s 24 publicly-funded Colleges of Applied Arts and Technology. With 8,000 full-time students, Niagara College offers more than 90 diploma, baccalaureate degrees and advanced level programs at campuses in Welland, Niagara-on-the-Lake, Niagara Falls and St. Catharines. Areas of specialization include food and wine sciences, advanced technology, applied health and community safety, and the College is home to the globally-recognized Niagara Culinary Institute and Niagara College Teaching Winery. In 2008, Niagara College launched an unprecedented $90 million campus redevelopment project, which is scheduled for completion in 2011. For more information, visit www.NiagaraCollege.ca.

-30-

For more information, contact:

Robert Greene
Professor, Business and Entrepreneurship
Niagara College
905-641-2252, ext. 4132
rgreene@niagaracollege.ca

Kari Spry
SIFE Niagara College
905-969-0342
karispry@hotmail.com

The community is invited to join the celebration at the Niagara-on-the-Lake Campus, March 20-21, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

The popular event has grown in recent years to incorporate the work and talents of students in the College’s culinary, wine, esthetics, golf management, hairstyling, hospitality and tourism, and environmental program areas. This year, students in the Event Management Graduate Certificate program will play a lead role in organizing the two-day event.

Guests will enjoy speakers, student displays, demonstrations, applied research projects, exhibits and expert garden advice. Local garden clubs and horticultural industry representatives will be on-site, and students will provide interactive tours both days.

The successful “Backyard Marketplace” returns this year to provide a venue for a wide selection of Niagara businesses, and will feature more than 40 vendors, including clothing, jewellery, food exhibits, viticulture, and garden and home décor. Concession-style refreshments will also be available in the marketplace.

Among this year’s exhibitors and presentations are Valleybrook Gardens, Perennial Combinations to Knock your Croc’s Off, Skyhunters Birds of Prey, Arvinda’s Healthy Gourmet Cooking School, featuring an interactive presentation, and a live broadcast with Bruce Zimmerman from 105.1 FM The River, as he hosts the “Garden Show” live from the Niagara College Greenhouse. The event will also feature a Niagara Research Open House, hair and fantasy make-up competitions, mini-manicures, kids cooking class, and wine seminars and demonstrations at the new state-of-the-art Wine Visitor + Education Centre.

Visitors can sample award-winning Niagara College Teaching Winery wines, available in the NCT Winery Retail Store located in the new Wine Visitor + Education Centre, and the Niagara Culinary Institute (NCI) Dining Room will also be open throughout the event. On Sunday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., the NCI will also play host to the Vintage Hotels Culinary Competition which will see more than 40 culinary and baking students compete for prizes and a one-year mentorship sponsored by Vintage Hotels. Winners will go on to compete in the Skills Canada competition. The action takes place in the NCI food labs.

A colourful selection of thousands of student-grown plants will be available to purchase in the Greenhouse. All plants are grown by Niagara College students, with revenues from plant sales supporting educational programs at Niagara College.

Admission and parking for the annual “In Your Backyard” Horticultural Open House and Plant Sale event are free. Visitors will have a chance to win a Niagara College Basket door prize worth over $200. For more information, including a list of events, speakers and exhibitors, visit www.NiagaraCollege.ca/inyourbackyard.

The Niagara College Greenhouse is a living lab and classroom for students in the horticultural programs. Located in the heart of Canada’s rapidly expanding greenhouse industry and near the base of the Niagara Escarpment, at the Niagara-on-the-Lake Campus, the living classroom is key to success in the education of horticultural students by offering hands-on experience and expert advice from top industry leaders. For more information, visit www.NiagaraCollege.ca.

-30-

For more information, contact:

Gordon Hunchak
Director, Marketing & Communications
Niagara College
905-735-2211, ext. 7567
905-650-7820 (cell)
ghunchak@niagaracollege.ca

“Greater numbers of people will get the higher education and training they need to achieve success,” said Anne Sado, the chair of the colleges’ committee of presidents, “This is an important commitment to people’s futures and to producing a stronger workforce in this new knowledge economy.”

The government’s throne speech today included a commitment to increase the number of spaces in colleges and universities by 20,000 this year. As well, the government is pledging to support increasing the attainment rate of post-secondary credentials to the required 70 per cent from the current level of 62 per cent.

The throne speech also included a commitment to develop a new, five-year plan to improve the quality of post-secondary education. And the government says it will aggressively promote Ontario post-secondary institutions abroad, and increase international enrolment by 50 per cent.

“Today’s throne speech is a strong endorsement of the importance of Ontario’s post-secondary system in transitioning and strengthening Ontario’s economy,” said Dan Patterson, President, Niagara College, “Niagara College has taken a leadership role in re-training Niagara’s workforce for new careers in a changing economic landscape, and we welcome the enhanced focus and support by the Ontario government as we move forward.”

In addition, the government will create a new Online Ontario Institute, bringing the best instructors from colleges and universities to people’s homes through online learning.

“The government clearly recognizes the demand for post-secondary education and training continues to grow,” Sado said. “Ontario colleges are pleased with the vision spelled out today and look forward to seeing more details in the upcoming provincial budget.”

- 30 -

For more information:

Sally Ritchie

Senior Communications Officer

Colleges Ontario

(416) 596-0744, ext. 242

ritchie@collegesontario.org

Gord Hunchak

Niagara College

(905) 650-7820

ghunchak@niagaracollege.ca

Gemmell, a professor in Mechanical and Welding Techniques programs and Metal Fabricator (Fitter) Apprenticeship program at Niagara College, was recognized for his leadership in developing outstanding programming and lab facilities at the College. Gemmell was also instrumental in helping to raise funds for equipment in support of high school technology training. Since 1994, Gemmell has served as a Skills Canada – Ontario judge at the Ontario Technological Skills Competition (OTSC).

Niagara College’s Dr. Ben Cecil, Dean of the Environment, Media and Technology Division, and Kevin Hewitt, Manager of Apprenticeship and Technical Training, nominated Gemmell for the honour.

“Don is a strong advocate for skilled trades training, and recognizes the important role that skilled trades play in the sustainability and competitiveness of our manufacturing and industrial sectors,” said Dr. Ben Cecil, Dean of Environment, Media and Technology.

The Klaus Woerner Skilled Trades Hall of Fame recognizes individuals who have made significant contributions to the advancement of skilled trades and technologies, including invention, innovation or advocacy in Education/Training, Entrepreneurship, Industry or Leadership.

Skills Canada – Ontario is a not-for-profit organization that promotes careers in the skilled trades and technologies to young people in Ontario as viable, first choice career options. Since 1989, through its partnerships in education, industry, labour and government, Skills Canada – Ontario is helping young people brighten their futures and industries strengthen theirs.

Niagara College is one of Ontario’s 24 publicly-funded Colleges of Applied Arts and Technology. With 8,000 full-time students, Niagara College offers more than 90 diploma, baccalaureate degrees and advanced level programs at campuses in Welland, Niagara-on-the-Lake, Niagara Falls and St. Catharines. Areas of specialization include food and wine sciences, advanced technology, applied health and community safety, and the College is home to the globally-recognized Niagara Culinary Institute and Niagara College Teaching Winery. In 2008, Niagara College launched an unprecedented $90 million campus redevelopment project, which is scheduled for completion in 2011. For more information, visit www.NiagaraCollege.ca.

-30-

For more information, contact:

Gordon Hunchak
Director, Marketing & Communications
905 735-2211 ext. 7567
905 650-7820 (cell)
ghunchak@niagaracollege.ca

Gus Hernandez of St. Francis Xavier in Mississauga captured the gold medal in the baking competition. On the culinary side, Curt Lawrence and John Dudar of Blessed Trinity Catholic in Grimsby captured silver and Stephen Girodat and Dakota Francis of St. John’s College in Brantford captured bronze.

Kelly Plato of Fort Erie Secondary captured the silver medal in the baking competition and Brenden Baines of Sarnia’s St. Clair Secondary and Tiffeny Rensen of Welland’s Eastdale tied for bronze.

In all, 82 students competed in the culinary and baking events.

Students were judged by industry chefs and College chef professors (NOTE: LIST OF JUDGES PROVIDED BELOW). The gold medal winners in each category win $1,000 scholarships to be used for Niagara College culinary programs. The scholarships are sponsored by Mercer Tools and Chef Revival.

“Our judges were very impressed with the level of skill and competition they saw today,” said Virginia Marr, Niagara College Chef Professor. “This was a great opportunity for students to measure their skills and progress against their peers, and get a taste of the many opportunities that await in this exciting industry.”

Twenty-nine culinary teams (of two competitors each) and 24 individual baking competitors, representing 21 high schools from the Niagara, Burlington, Peterborough, Sarnia and Greater Toronto area, competed in this year’s Niagara Invitational High School Cook Off.

The culinary competition saw teams of two prepare two identical appetizers and entrées, and were judged on culinary techniques, balance of menu, plate presentation, kitchen sanitation and taste. Baking competitors presented a fully decorated cake, soft rolls and assorted éclairs and cream puffs, and were judged on baking and decoration techniques, presentation and kitchen sanitation.

Niagara College offers a full array of culinary programs, including Culinary Management Co-op (two-year diploma), Culinary Skills-Chef Training (one-year Ontario College Certificate), Baker-Apprenticeship and Cook-Apprenticeship. Currently, more than 420 students study in culinary programs at Niagara College, including 34 international students. For further information, visit www.NiagaraCollege.ca/programs/programs_academic_culinary.htm.

The programs are offered at Niagara College’s Niagara Culinary Institute at the Niagara-on-the-Lake Campus. The Niagara Culinary Institute is a state-of-the-art learning environment that includes interactive food and bake labs, food and wine sensory lab, culinary demonstration theatre, and a 100-seat dining room where culinary students gain practical experience working in a fine-dining restaurant.

Culinary students at Niagara College benefit from synergies that exist with the Niagara College Teaching Winery, Niagara College’s premier School of Business, Hospitality and Tourism, and a new Brewmaster – Brewery Operations Management diploma program that will also launch in Fall 2010.

Niagara College is one of Ontario’s 24 publicly-funded Colleges of Applied Arts and Technology. With 8,000 full-time students, Niagara College offers more than 90 diploma, baccalaureate degrees and advanced level programs at campuses in Welland, Niagara-on-the-Lake, Niagara Falls and St. Catharines. Areas of specialization include food and wine sciences, advanced technology, applied health and community safety, and the College is home to the globally-recognized Niagara Culinary Institute and Niagara College Teaching Winery. In 2008, Niagara College launched an unprecedented $90 million campus redevelopment project, which is scheduled for completion in 2011. For more information, visit www.NiagaraCollege.ca.

NOTE: LIST OF JUDGES PROVIDED BELOW. PHOTOS OF COMPETITORS ARE AVAILABLE.

-30-

For more information, contact:

Virginia Marr

Chef/Professor

Niagara Culinary Institute

905-641-2252, ext. 4621

vmarr@niagaracollege.ca

Michael Wales

Senior Communications Officer

Marketing & Communications

Niagara College

905-735-2211, ext. 7773

mwales@niagaracollege.ca

6TH ANNUAL NIAGARA INVITATIONAL HIGH SCHOOL COOK OFF JUDGES

William Wallace – Corporate Chef, SYSCO

Duane MacNeill – Director of Business Development, Chef Revival

Christopher Day – Vice-President, International Business Development, Mercer Tools

Allison Misener – Chef de partie, Prince of Wales

Marc McKerracher – Co-owner, August Restaurant

Jim Duncan – Executive Sous Chef, Niagara Casinos

Roxanne Shiu – NCI Dining Room/NCI Grad

David Gibson – NCI Chef Professor

Mark Picone – NCI Chef Professor

Avi Hollo – NCI Chef Professor

Peter Storm – NCI Pastry Professor

Bernard Savter – NCI Pastry Professor

http://community.foodnetwork.ca/blogs/hostsinterviews/archive/2010/02/25/anna-and-michael-olson-at-the-vancouver-games.aspx

Last year’s competition drew 56 students, with Welland’s Notre Dame College School taking the top prize in the culinary competition, and Pine Ridge Secondary of Pickering was tops in baking, of the 56 students from 17 schools who competed in the event.

This year marks the biggest group to compete in the annual event, with an extra 28 competitors participating, a 48 percent increase from last year. Some schools have been waitlisted to take part in the event, and an extra cooking lab will be required to accommodate the increase in competitors.

“This is a great event that continues to grow,” said Niagara College Chef Professor Virginia Marr. “It’s a wonderful opportunity for secondary school culinary students to get a taste of what’s in store for them as they look toward postsecondary education and ultimately a successful career in the industry.”

Thirty culinary teams (of two competitors each) and 23 individual baking competitors, representing 22 high schools from the Niagara, Burlington, Peterborough, Sarnia and the Greater Toronto area, will compete for a Gold Medal, which includes a $1,000 Niagara College scholarship for both the culinary and baking competition winners. The scholarships are sponsored by Chef Revival and Mercer Tools. (SEE LIST OF COMPETING SCHOOLS BELOW).

The culinary competition will see teams of two prepare two identical appetizers and entrées, and will be judged on culinary techniques, balance of menu, plate presentation, kitchen sanitation and taste. Baking competitors will present a fully decorated cake, soft rolls and assorted éclairs and cream puffs, and will be judged on baking and decoration techniques, presentation and kitchen sanitation.

Niagara College offers a full array of culinary programs, including Culinary Management Co-op (two-year diploma), Culinary Skills-Chef Training (one-year Ontario College Certificate), Baker-Apprenticeship and Cook-Apprenticeship. Currently, more than 420 students study in culinary programs at Niagara College, including 34 international students. For further information, visit http://www.niagaracollege.ca/programs/programs_academic_culinary.htm.

The programs are offered at Niagara College’s Niagara Culinary Institute at the Niagara-on-the-Lake Campus. The Niagara Culinary Institute is a state-of-the-art learning environment that includes interactive food and bake labs, food and wine sensory lab, culinary demonstration theatre, and a 100-seat dining room where culinary students gain practical experience working in a fine-dining restaurant.

Culinary students at Niagara College benefit from synergies that exist with the Niagara College Teaching Winery, Niagara College’s premier School of Business, Hospitality and Tourism, and a new Brewmaster – Brewery Operations Management diploma program that will also launch in Fall 2010.

Niagara College is one of Ontario’s 24 publicly-funded Colleges of Applied Arts and Technology. With 8,000 full-time students, Niagara College offers more than 90 diploma, baccalaureate degrees and advanced level programs at campuses in Welland, Niagara-on-the-Lake, Niagara Falls and St. Catharines. Areas of specialization include food and wine sciences, advanced technology, applied health and community safety, and the College is home to the globally-recognized Niagara Culinary Institute and Niagara College Teaching Winery. In 2008, Niagara College launched an unprecedented $90 million campus redevelopment project, which is scheduled for completion in 2011. For more information, visit www.NiagaraCollege.ca.

NOTE: List of participating high schools provided below.

-30-

For more information, contact:

Michael Wales
Senior Communications Officer
Niagara College
905-735-2211, ext. 7773
905-328-4101 (cell)
mwales@niagaracollege.ca

PARTICIPATING SCHOOLS

Turner Fenton, Brampton

Robert Bateman, Burlington

Thistletown Collegiate, Etobicoke

Fort Erie Secondary, Fort Erie

Blessed Trinity, Grimsby

John Cabot Catholic, Mississauga

St. Francis Xavier, Mississauga

St. Joan of Arc, Mississauga

St. Johns College, Mississauga

Stamford Collegiate, Niagara Falls

White Oaks Secondary, Oakville

Kenner CVI, Peterborough

Pine Ridge, Pickering

Lakeshore Catholic, Port Colborne

St. Clair Secondary, Sarnia

Denis Morris, St. Catharines

Holy Cross, St. Catharines

Danforth Collegiate, Toronto

Confederation, Welland

Eastdale, Welland

Jean-Vanier Catholic, Welland

Notre Dame College School, Welland

Key personnel, including Jon Ogryzlo, Dean of Food and Wine Sciences, and faculty member Jennifer Wilhelm were also honoured for their contributions to the Ontario wine industry.

The awards, often referred to as the “Oscars” of the Ontario wine industry, are the only awards in Canada where winners are selected by winemakers. This year, 45 winemakers tasted more than 200 wines from 56 wineries to determine the winners.

The Niagara College Teaching Winery’s (NCT) 2007 Dean’s List Pinot Noir Canadian Oak Project was named top Limited Edition Red Wine. It’s the second year in a row an NCT Winery Dean’s List Pinot Noir has won at Cuvee – another feather in the cap of Winemaker/Professor Terence Van Rooyen and students from Niagara College’s Winery and Viticulture Technician program.

Aged in Canadian Oak, the 2007 Dean’s List Pinot Noir Canadian Oak Project has a black cherry nose with spicy vanilla oak, and long finish. It sells for $38.95 and is available at the Wine Visitor + Education Centre at the Niagara-on-the-Lake Campus.

Ogryzlo was recognized with the Tony Aspler Cuvée Award of Excellence for Leadership and Vision in the Ontario Wine Industry in recognition of his role in the creation of the state-of-the-art Niagara College Wine Visitor + Education Centre.

Wine Visitor + Education Centre is a unique state-of-the-art industry centre set in the College’s teaching vineyards and is designed to showcase and promote the Ontario and Canadian wine industry, provide wine tourism information services, and feature academic and wine industry programming. It is also home to the NCT Winery, Canada’s first and only commercial teaching winery. With a full range of production winemaking equipment and facilities, the NCT Winery provides students with learning opportunities that range from the grape crush to selling the finished product in the Teaching Winery’s on-site retail store.

As Dean of Food and Wine Sciences, Ogryzlo leads an academic division that includes the NCT Winery, the Winery and Viticulture Technician and Wine Business Management programs, the Niagara Culinary Institute and the College’s postsecondary and apprenticeship culinary programs.

“It’s particularly rewarding to be honoured by the very industry that we serve,” said Ogryzlo. “This is a testament to the hard work and talents of our staff, faculty and students, and our College’s vision for innovative wine education that helps drive one of Niagara and Ontario’s key industries.”

Jennifer Wilhelm, coordinator of the College’s wine programs, was also named Wine Educator of the Year in the Promote the Promoters Competition.

A Certified Professional Sommelier, Wilhelm teaches in Niagara College’s Wine Business Management, Hotel and Restaurant Management postsecondary programs and Continuing Education and Canadian Association of Professional Sommeliers courses.

Students and staff from the Niagara College Teaching Winery and Niagara Culinary Institute (NCI) students were on-hand at the Gala to share in the success. Culinary students prepared and served food for guests and students from the College’s wine programs poured wine from the NCT Winery and other area wineries.

The Niagara College Teaching (NCT) Winery serves as a practical learning enterprise for students in Niagara College’s Winery and Viticulture Technician, Wine Business Management (Graduate Certificate) and Certified Sommelier programs. Since opening in 2002, the wines of the NCT Winery have captured more than 70 national and international awards. The NCT Winery wines can be purchased at the Wine Store located at the recently opened Wine Visitor + Education Centre at the Niagara-on-the-Lake Campus, with all proceeds supporting student learning. For information, visit www.nctwinery.com.

Niagara College is one of Ontario’s 24 publicly-funded Colleges of Applied Arts and Technology. With 8,000 full-time students, Niagara College offers more than 90 diploma, baccalaureate degrees and advanced level programs at campuses in Welland, Niagara-on-the-Lake, Niagara Falls and St. Catharines. Areas of specialization include food and wine sciences, advanced technology, applied health and community safety, and the College is home to the globally-recognized Niagara Culinary Institute and Niagara College Teaching Winery. In 2008, Niagara College launched an unprecedented $90 million campus redevelopment project, which is scheduled for completion in 2011. For more information, visit NiagaraCollege.ca.

-30-

For more information, contact:

Gordon Hunchak

Director, Marketing & Communications

Niagara College

905-735-2211, ext. 7567

905-650-7820 (cell)

ghunchak@niagaracollege.ca