Niagara College Suwon (NC Suwon) will celebrate many milestones this year. While NC Canada gets ready to welcome its largest cohort for the Fall 2021 term, NC is proud to see our first graduate complete the full pathway program.

Originally from Korea, Jooyong Cha was the first NC Suwon student to transfer to NC Canada after completing level four of NC’s English for Academic Preparation (EAP) program. Cha went on to complete level five of the EAP program in Canada and enrolled in the Hairstyling program. This past June, Cha graduated, making him the first graduate to complete the pathway between NC Suwon and NC Canada.

“NC Suwon helped me adapt and transition smoothly to the Hairstyling program at NC,” said Cha. “The experience at NC Suwon helped me to better adapt to the unfamiliarity of Canadian life, and made it easier for me to make the transition even when I was studying at Niagara College.”

The very same month he graduated, Cha began apprenticing at a hair salon in St. Catharines.

“Niagara College life helped me adapt to the new environment I was faced with by getting a job at a hair salon, and the hairstyling skills I learned in college laid the foundation.”

Cha is applying the communication skills he learned at NC Suwon to interacting with his clients and colleagues.

This Fall term, Niagara College Canada expects to welcome more students through the NC Suwon pathway, furthering NC’s reputation as Canada’s global college.

NC Global Campus: NC Suwon

As Canada’s leading global college, Niagara College has partnered with academic institutions around the world to offer delivery of some of its programs in China, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, South Korea and most recently, Toronto, Canada.

NC Suwon is one of Niagara College’s global campuses that enhances student mobility and preparedness to life in Canada through English language skills acquisition and information about NC’s academic programs. Delivered at the University of Suwon’s state-of-the-art facilities in Suwon, South Korea, the program is developed, and administered by NC’s School of English Language Studies and delivered in partnership with NC’s Global Engagement department.

For more information on NC Suwon, please visit suwon.niagaracollege.ca/.

For more information on NC global campuses, please visit international.niagaracollege.ca/our-campuses/ or contact manager, Global Education & Training, Orel Ruiz, by emailing [email protected].

From June 14 to 19, students in Niagara College’s School of Business and Management, and the School of Hospitality, Tourism and Sport, competed virtually in the Interdisciplinary Case Challenge. The week-long competition was made possible through cross-departmental collaboration and the generosity of O’Malley, a long-time supporter of the college who donated the prize money.

The case competition has symbolic importance to faculty and students in the division of Business, Tourism, Hospitality and Sport, as it is the first time an NC case competition involved students from two schools.

“We’re especially proud of the Interdisciplinary Case Challenge as a shining example of cross-School collaboration in the division of Business, Tourism, Hospitality and Sport,” said Adam Weaver, associate dean, School of Business and Management. “The range of programs involved is fantastic.”

“The success of the Interdisciplinary Case Challenge speaks to the value of connecting dots across disciplines,” said Evan DiValentino, associate dean, School of Hospitality, Tourism and Sport. “We know interdisciplinary problem-solving happens routinely in industry, and the case challenge has given our students the opportunity to flex those problem-solving muscles. The School of Hospitality, Tourism and Sport looks forward to future collaborations that provide new and valuable learning experiences for our students.”

After a remarkable career in advertising spanning three decades, Terry O’Malley sees the value in giving back to aspiring business leaders. O’Malley, a St. Catharines native, is a Harvard University graduate and the former creative director and partner in Vickers and Benson Advertising (now Arnold Worldwide Canada) where he received many accolades for his work. Since 1997, O’Malley has supported several campaigns, scholarships, and bursaries for NC students.

“I’ve seen firsthand the importance of approaching problems like those in case competitions,” said O’Malley, who has been behind similar events at Brock University. “The real value is facing a defined task, backgrounding, researching, and solving the task in real time. It is so important for students to interact, brainstorm, critique, argue, and agree on an approach.”

“Support from eminent practitioners like Terry truly benefit our division – and Niagara College as a whole,” said Lisa Mendez, associate dean, School of Business and Management.

The ten students who participated came from four program areas: Honours Bachelor of Business Administration – International Commerce and Global Development (a four-year degree program); Hospitality – Hotel and Restaurant Operations (a two-year diploma program); International Business Management (a one-year graduate certificate program); and Business-Sales and Marketing (a two-year diploma program).

Each morning, students attended a virtual seminar guiding them on how to approach the case and develop a viable strategy before meeting with their group via Microsoft Teams. In the spirit of NC’s approach to applied learning, students were tasked with problem-solving the reopening of tourist attractions in Canada and developing sustainable solutions for a pandemic-proof Niagara Region.

Winning first place were Emily Massicotte from Hospitality – Hotel and Restaurant Operations, and Deontai Jennings from Business – Sales and Marketing. Massicotte and Jennings split the $1,000 grand prize. Second place received $700, and third place $300. The awards were applied to students’ tuition via financial aid.

“The feedback from students has been very positive,” said professor Stefan Johnson who coordinated the competition.

Johnson said that students were exposed to new themes and intense time constraints. “They had to think outside of the proverbial box and develop more unique solutions. Plus, the added challenge of conflict resolution – in the eleventh hour, under immense stress, students were forced to work together and find amicable solutions.”

The result? Johnson reports that many students are eager to coach future teams through case competitions.

Johnson has eyes on growing the competition. “We would like to expand into different departments where students from nursing, brewing, horticulture, hospitality, social work and more can take part in much more diverse teams. Those winning teams can go on to international challenges against other institutions. I am excited to continue to work with faculty leadership and the rest of the college to grow this experience.”

NC’s Adam Weaver, Lisa Mendez, April Tyrrell, and Patricia Beu – among others – provided support to students and judges throughout the competition. Judges included Melanie Sodka, professor, international business; Creator of Capacity Creator, April Tyrrell – Academic Business Manager, SoBM, and Kithio Mwanzia, Network Manager, SONAMI Ontario.

Participants included:

1^st place winner Emily Massicotte – Hospitality – Hotel and Restaurant Ops
1^st place winner Deontai Jennings – Sales and Marketing

2^nd place Isabella Wartabedian – International Business Management (P-G)
2^nd place Sohaib Faheem – HBBA – ICOM

3^rd place Rebeca Victoria – International Business Management (P-G)
3^rd place Dafu Zheng – HBBA – ICOM

Halyna Nizinkovska – International Business Management (P-G)
Alejandro Jaramillo – International Business Management (P-G)
Pamela Collado – Sales and Marketing
Jeunesse Manatad – Hospitality – Hotel and Restaurant Ops

Victory was on the menu for Niagara College alumna Erica Karbelnik (nee Hakien) who dazzled the judges on the finale of Top Chef Canada season nine which aired on June 7 on Food Network Canada. Karbelnik graduated from NC’s Culinary Management Co-op program in 2011, an experience that shaped her as a chef and inspired her love for local food.

Competing alongside her at the finale was Erica’s husband and NC alumnus Josh Karbelnik (Culinary Management Co-op, 2011) who cooked his way into the final four chefs on the Food Network Canada show before being eliminated. The high school sweethearts from Toronto were the first married couple to compete on Top Chef Canada.

“Winning is surreal. It is emotional. It is an out-of-body experience,” said Erica. “You go there with this dream of wanting to win and prove that you’re good at what you do. This industry is so hard, you give up so much. But it is a matter of not giving up and fighting for what you want, with cameras in your face, bright lights, and strangers all around you, you need to perform.”

“Our entire team of chefs at the Canadian Food and Wine Institute (CFWI) at Niagara College are so proud of Erica and Josh for this incredible culinary achievement. We were excited to watch them on Top Chef Canada from week to week,” said Craig Youdale, dean of the CFWI. “Seeing our grads build extraordinary careers and excel in culinary challenges like this will inspire our students to dream big.”

Flashback to 2011 at the start of their journey as aspiring chefs, Erica and Josh were living in Fonthill and attending classes at the CFWI at NC.

“The culinary program is so wonderful. You get to use so much of the local products. You don’t just focus on cooking but the whole culinary experience, from suppliers to produce to wine pairings,” said Erica. “We loved our professors. They shaped us and helped us grow.”

It was an experience at NC that inspired Erica’s creation of a dish for the ‘Eat local challenge’ in episode five of Top Chef Canada. “I made a seared porkchop with apple and wheatberry risotto which was inspired by a field trip to a pig farm in Niagara. I remember feeding the pigs apples and wheatberries.”

After graduating, the couple moved to Vancouver. Josh, classically trained French, began cooking ultra-fine cuisine for well-known Chef Scott Jaegger at The Pear Tree.

“Josh suffered from a tragic accident, losing two of his fingers in an ice cream machine. He thought he would never cook again. Scott Jaegger retrained him and gave him the strength and confidence. Now he cooks circles around people with 10 fingers,” said Erica.

Erica, classically trained French and Italian, explored her passion for pasta making before shifting gears as the operations manager and expediter at Wildebeest restaurant in Vancouver. After five years in Vancouver, Erica and Josh returned to Toronto.

With the COVID-19 pandemic taking a hit on the restaurant industry, the couple are looking forward to returning to their respective kitchens; Erica as the executive chef of Terrace Restaurant at Toronto’s Elmwood Spa, and Josh as the chef de cuisine at The Broadview Hotel. For now, the chef duo have embarked on their own catering company for private home events in the Greater Toronto Area.

“A lot of chefs have had to pivot,” said Erica. “Our dream is to have our own restaurant, but unfortunately because of the pandemic, the future is uncertain.”

After being eliminated in the semi-final round – placing fourth out of 11 professional chefs from across Canada – Josh supported his wife as sous-chef in the final five-course tasting menu challenge.

Along with the title of Top Chef Canada, Erica won a cash prize of $100,000 and a Lexus RX Hybrid Electric SUV. Josh took home $5,000 as the winning sous-chef in the final competition.

The win comes at a special time for the couple who are expecting their first child.

“Winning means everything to us. It is the start of our life, of our future. It’s a college fund for our baby, a house we can call our own, a restaurant we can own,” said Erica.

With their passion for Niagara, Erica says that they have considered moving back. “There is no place like Niagara. I love going to the farmers market, talking to the farmers, going to the wineries, picking out pairings. Not a lot of people know how special Niagara is, it really needs to be celebrated.”

“NC was such a big part of my and Josh’s life. The students who go to NC have to know how lucky they are … the people you are learning from, the wine, beer and horticulture classes – you can only get that at Niagara College. We were not just a number there. We were somebody that someone wanted to succeed.”

The full episodes of Top Chef Canada season nine are available at foodnetwork.ca, and to stream through STACKTV with Amazon Prime Video Channels, or the Global TV app.

 When life gets challenging, Courtney Zahara rolls up her sleeves.

The recent graduate of NC’s Event Management program didn’t let the global pandemic stop her from launching her career or even starting her own business. She tapped into her entrepreneurial spirit and launched Rare Collectives: a handmade swimwear and apparel business, which focuses on looking and feeling good – inside and out.

The early success of her start-up has already led Zahara back to NC to share words of wisdom with current students. On April 16, she was the featured guest of NC’s Ask and Alumni Anything series. Presented by Alumni Relations with support from the Student Administrative Council, the virtual series gives students an opportunity to pose questions to successful alumni via Instagram Live.

“My NC experience shaped who am I as an entrepreneur and business owner by helping me learn hands-on through my entire program,” said Zahara, prior to the event. “I look forward to sharing my story in hopes of helping our students through their own journey.”

Zahara spoke to students about how she switched gears from the industry she studied in and stitched together a brand new dream as an entrepreneur. After graduating in June 2020, she built a new business from scratch, by creating handmade clothing from her own home to sell, and founded Rare Collectives. But it’s about more than just dollars or fashion; Zahara’s business focuses on promoting self-love and self-motivation. She strives to help others feel confident.

The mission is personal for Zahara who, like many women, has struggled with body image and confidence. After completing her postsecondary studies, she wove self-love into her life and decided to launch a business to help others feel the same way.

“Courtney is the quintessential example of a Niagara College graduate who had to pivot upon graduating,” said alumni engagement officer Jana Boniferro. “She had an incredible story of learning to sew and starting her business to help women struggling with body image issues which was inspirational to our students.”

Watch the April 16 Ask an Alumni session featuring Zahara here.

NC’s Ask an Alumni series was launched during the Fall 2020 term to help connect current students with successful graduates.

Since the series was launched in November 2020, members of NC’s alumni community who have been featured include Jeff Blay, creative director, Enterprise Canada (Journalism 2011, and Public Relations 2015); Kevin Rempel, multi-award-winning retired world-class sledge hockey Paralympian and founder and CEO of The Sledge Hockey Experience (Event Management, 2009, and Business Administration – Marketing, 2005); Shannon Burns, CHUM 104.5 iHeartRadio Nights host (Broadcasting: Radio, Television and Film, 2013); and Émilie Steckenborn, host of Bottled in China (Wine Business Management, 2011).

Advice and achievement were in the spotlight during a recent Public Relations Grad Panel.

Students from the College’s graduate certificate program had an opportunity to connect with six successful program alumni and celebrate student awards from their own class during the virtual event on March 25.

Six graduates, invited by professor Emily McInerney, shared their experiences and career advice with soon-to-be graduates from their alma mater. Participating alumni included three repeat Grad Panel guests from the Class of 2008 Dave Mammoliti (De Groote School of Business), Ray McIlroy (No Fixed Address) and Jason Petznick (Blue Mountain); as well as 2011 graduates Steph Porter (Canadian Tire head office), and Kirstin Glover (Herjavec Group).

McInerney noted that the PR Grad Panel is an annual tradition for the program dating back at least 15 years. It is held on the final day of classes before students begin their internships.

“The student response is always 100% positive,” she said. “We deliberately schedule it on the last day of school in the program and many have shared how they walk away feeling really excited and inspired to launch their careers.”

While the event was cancelled last year due to the pandemic, this year’s event was held virtually – a format which this class of PR students have become well accustomed to over the course of their studies. With the program delivered remotely, McInerney noted that they had dozens of guest speakers visit the class virtually and several attended industry-networking events virtually as well.

“Nothing beats face to face but this was a great opportunity for our current students to interact with some of our amazing NC PR grads,” she said. “It was a great chance for them to ask questions and glean insights and advice before they began their internships on March 29.”

McInerney noted that this year’s class transitioned beautifully to remote studies and were highly engaged and committed to the program. Many of the students had also completed their last month or two of university online last year and were all accustomed to online learning as they began the program.

“I feel they have demonstrated resilience. They have impressed all our many virtual guest speakers with their thoughtful questions and high level of participation,” said McInerney. “Although we would all prefer to be face to face, the students and staff alike made an effort to make this a positive and impactful learning experience. I feel really confident we succeeded based on student feedback.”

Panel participants

Ray McIlroy (Class of 2008)

Ray McIllroy (LinkedIn photo)

McIlroy who is now VP, Public Relations for No Fixed Address Inc. was interested in participating in the Grad Panel because he feels it’s important to help provide knowledge, context and relevant advice after a dozen years of leaving Niagara and entering the PR agency world in Toronto.

“It’s on all of us to help each other succeed and to help foster new talent in PR,” he said.

His key message to students: to know their worth and to not work for free.

“If companies want to bring on junior employees, they need to pay them in more than just experience. Cost of living isn’t going down anytime soon and unpaid internships are an outdated concept,” he said.

McIlroy noted that helping his clients and helping to develop new PR-focused communications professionals is the most rewarding aspect of his career today.

“It’s a small industry so the more we can raise the standard, the better it reflects on all of us,” he said.

Jason Petznick (Class of 2008)  

Jason Petznick (submitted photo)

Petznick, who is currently an account marketing manager at Blue Mountain Resort, is proud of being able to forge a path for himself in an industry that allows him to go snowboarding or mountain biking on his lunch breaks. A snowboarder since Grade 7, he always dreamed of finding a career related to action sports in some way – and he found it in PR.

“My career gives me the opportunity to talk on a daily basis about sports and activities I’m passionate about,” he said.

As a graduate from NC’s Journalism-Print (2007) program, he was drawn to PR by the diversity of the industry.

“Communications is a broad field that allows you to explore classic public relations, along with events, marketing, social media, writing, editing, working with media and much more,” he said. “It seemed like there would be a lot of opportunities available to me after I graduated from the program.”

His key message to the students was that NC’s PR program sets them up with all the foundational skills they need to take their career in many different directions. He spoke about his own career, which began in social media and email marketing and progressed through graphic design, digital marketing and web design, to his current role.

“There was a lot of on-the-job learning involved in some of those positions but there have been direct or indirect ties back to what I learned in the PR program at every step of the path,” he said.

Steph Porter (Class of 2011)

Steph Porter (LinkedIn Photo)

Porter, a communications advisor for Canadian Tire – External – said she was interested in participating in the grad panel because she benefitted so much from NC’s PR program. She now hopes to be a resource for current students making their way through the PR industry.

“I found it was extremely organized and the students were keen and eager to ask questions,” she said.

She recalled that she never knew what PR was until she spoke to a guidance counsellor in university. “I just had this Communications degree that I didn’t know what to do with,” she recalled.

Since graduating from PR, Porter has built up a rewarding career in the industry. She has been part of a communications team at Canadian Tire which has been recognized with several recent notable industry awards including the Canadian Public Relations Society’s International Association of Business Communication Award (2019 and 2020), the Shorty Awards (2020), the CPRS Best Creative Award (2020) and CPRS Best Social Media Influencer Campaign Award (2020).

“I get to be creative, think outside of the box and learn from and collaborate with really smart people,” she said.

Porter’s summed up her advice to students with two letters: TP. “Tenacity plus Positivity will take you far in your PR career,” she said.

Student awards

Two current PR students were recognized for their achievements during the PR Grad Panel event.

Keith Davey Memorial Public Relations Award

Nicholas Mertens (Submitted photo)

Nicholas Mertens was announced as the recipient of the Keith Davey Memorial Public Relations Award. Given to the PR student who has shown extraordinary skills as a mentor to their peers and who has actively pursued, cultivated and benefited from the mentorship of faculty and industry partners, this $1,500 award was established by Terry O’Malley, a strong supporter of Niagara College and a long-time friend of Senator Keith Davey.

Mertens, who resides in Hamilton, was drawn to study PR following the results of a career aptitude test and hopes to grow his freelance business after graduation. He said that he felt validated receiving the award.

“I applied to so many jobs with my BA, never landing an interview,” he said. “With the College’s support, I feel confident I will get a good job and build a rewarding career.”

Coordinator Award of Excellence

Brier Barclay (Submitted photo)

Brier Barclay, of Smithville, was honoured with the Coordinator Award of Excellence. This award celebrates a PR student who has demonstrated a strong work ethic combined with a high level of engagement and professionalism. With a positive attitude, a collegial spirit and constantly striving to learn and improve, the recipient is recognized as a future ambassador for the program.

Barclay was grateful to be recognized with the award.

“I had such an amazing experience in this program and am so thankful that I chose to enrol, even in a virtual year,” said Barclay. “Overall, this award shows me that the hard work and dedication I put into this year was seen and appreciated by my peers. I will forever be an advocate for the NC PR program.”

Barclay entered the program with a bachelor’s degree in Sport Management and a minor in Communication Studies. She felt the PR program was the perfect opportunity to expand in an area she is passionate about.

“As COVID hit, jobs relating to sports were somewhat off the table so I believed now was a good time to expand my knowledge and I’m happy I did,” she said. “I am truly excited to see where I go – whether it be working in sports-related communications or starting my own public relations business.”

She found the panel speakers “insightful and passionate” and noted that her main takeaway was to continue to grow as a professional and ensure that she truly loves what she is doing at the end of the day.

“I hope to see myself and my classmates in one of these panels in the future,” she said.