They may have graduated from different programs, years, and even campuses but, for one memorable day, they gathered to celebrate their shared experience as forever NC Knights.

More than 200 members of the College’s alumni community returned to their alma mater for ReuKnighted ’24, an action-packed one-day alumni reunion event hosted by Alumni Relations in partnership with Athletics. Held at the Welland Campus on November 2, this year’s event marked the fourth ReuKnighted event since 2019, offering alumni and friends a chance to return to campus, reconnect with their former classmates and college staff, and cheer on the NC Knights.

“This year’s ReuKnighted was our best to-date! It was so fantastic to see our alumni bring their pride back to campus and see how much it has evolved since they attended,” said Jana Boniferro, Director, Alumni Relations. “The nostalgia in the room was palpable – can’t wait for ReuKnighted 2025!”

An indoor tailgate party at The Core was at the heart of the event, where alumni had a chance to mix and mingle while enjoying snacks from the School of Culinary Arts. Guests could also take in four varsity Knights games held throughout the day at the Simplii Financial Athletic Centre – or view the action on screen from The Core in real time, thanks to the involvement of NC’s Broadcasting – Radio, Television and Film program.

“We appreciate all of the athletes coming back and it’s really fun to see all the alumni from Niagara College who come back for this event,” said Michele O’Keefe, Director of Athletics.

50-year milestone

The event proved to be a trip down memory lane for a group of School of Business alumni from the Class of 1974. After meeting for lunch at the Rex Hotel, the group had an opportunity to tour some of the newer areas of the Welland Campus prior to attending the indoor tailgate party.

“This is just amazing to see it now,” said Karla Gilmore (St. Catharines), recounting the many facilities on campus that did not yet exist while she attended the College. It was her first time back on campus since the group’s 25-year reunion.

“In some ways, I’d like to be a student today,” she said, complimenting the newer spaces. “There were only 2,000 students at the time we were at the College.”

Gilmore smiled as she flipped through a 1974 yearbook and pointed to a photo of her 19-year-old self as a Business – Accounting student. Her NC experience prepared her well for her more than 40-year career in accounting. She recalled how, during the first couple weeks of school, one of her teachers told the class to look to the person on their left and then to the person on their right.

“He said, in three years, only one of you will be here … he meant that one of us would succeed in the program,” she said. “It was so rigorous. And it was the hardest course.”

Daryl Schneider (Port Colborne), who was also among the group celebrating their 50-year graduation milestone from the School of Business, pointed to a photo of himself along with two others on their graduation day, standing next to a brick wall backdrop in the old Mackenzie Building

He looked back on how attending NC helped him and his classmates enter the workforce after graduating in 1974.

“I had one job after this. I was a manufacturing engineer at John Deere in Welland,” he said “I retired at 56 years old but that gave me 36 years. We all had good jobs.”

Schneider enjoyed touring the campus during ReuKnighted, taking in the places that did not exist while he was a student, as well as those which remained. He has returned to campus a few times over the years and now looks forward to his granddaughter following his footsteps.

“My granddaughter is coming here in January,” he said, noting she will soon be enrolled in the Hairstyling program. “She’s 18 and she’ll start here. So I thought, that’s pretty cool.”

Leaders take the stage

Vice-President, Advancement Gord Arbeau addresses the crowd.

With the tailgate in full swing, guests had a chance to hear from two members of NC’s executive team who addressed the crowd.

Vice-President, Advancement, Gord Arbeau spoke about the College’s growth and plans for the future. He pointed out that NC’s alumni community includes 125,000 around the world, and recognized attendees who are among the College’s 2024 Alumni of Excellence honorees (soon to be announced), including Elizabeth Tait (Motive Power Technician, 2011) and Andres Coimbra Castedo (Game Development, 2019). He called out the group of Business grads from the Class of 1974 who were celebrating their 50^th milestone at the event, and mentioned that many from the group began their careers together after graduation at Canadian National Railway, which had hired an entire class of 20 Business graduates in 1974.

Looking to the future, Arbeau highlighted the launch of the largest fundraising campaign NC College’s history, the Together Campaign, and encouraged guests to learn more about it.

“We hope to raise $50 million to do some really transformational things for the College,” he said, noting plans to invest in new buildings, including a new skilled trades centre and an expansion of the Applied Health Institute.

“Skilled trades and health are two areas that our community partners are telling us they need more NC graduates so we need to expand those facilities,” said Arbeau. “And we’re going to be investing more in our students, more student scholarships, more bursaries, more supports for our students.”

Alumni also got a special welcome from Vice-President, Students, Chris McGrath who noted his focus is on ensuring that NC students have the best possible experience both inside and outside of the classroom.

“Do take the opportunity to reconnect to people who are important to you and go see the places that are important to you. On behalf of all of our current students who know how important you are to them in their futures, outside of NC, thanks for joining us,” said McGrath. “I’m very focused on making sure that our students today have a very similar sort of experience so hopefully in three, four, five, or 30 years, they’ll also come back for ReuKnighted as well.”

The NC community will soon have a chance to get a copy of the Wonders of Welland – a recently released book that aims to help newcomers feel at home in their community – and meet its creators.

On November 6, a pop-up book signing event will be held at the Welland Campus featuring the recently released children’s book, Wonders of Welland, authored by staff from the City of Welland and an alumnus from NC.

Members of the book’s creative team will be on site during the event, including author Marc MacDonald, Chief Communications and Engagement Officer, City of Welland; illustrator Javier Carranza, NC alumnus (2024) who worked on the project as a student intern; and editor Paul Orlando, Communications Specialist from the City of Welland.

The book was launched by the City in June 2024 as an innovative way to ease the anxieties of relocation and foster a sense of belonging and community among new and existing residents. The 36-page book unfolds across a calendar year, and highlights must-visit places and diverse opportunities within the community. It aims to bridge generational gaps, promote literacy, encourage family bonding, and nurture civic pride and community engagement.

The College’s Welland Campus is also featured in the book, as a place where the main character’s mother works and includes colourful illustration of the main campus.

Illustrator Carranza graduated from NC’ General Business program earlier this year and has a previous degree in Graphic Design. Originally from Honduras, he brought his experience in graphic design as well as his unique perspective as a newcomer to the project when he illustrated Wonders of Welland while working with the City’s Communications department as an intern in 2022 and 2023.

Carranza, who currently lives in Welland and works as a media marketing assistant for a company in Niagara Falls, said he felt honoured, grateful and excited to to be able to share the great achievement with the Niagara College community.

“For me, personally, this project has a valuable meaning, to be able to not only have the opportunity and responsibility to take a creative role in this project, to be surrounded by wonderful people to make it happen, but also to be able to experience each of the feelings that Jackson has from the perspective of a newcomer,” he said.  [It] captures the emotional journey of being a newcomer–the highs, the lows, and everything in between. It’s okay to feel sadness when leaving a place we once called home, but each phase along the way brings something positive.

“Embrace the new: new people, new experiences, and new opportunities to share who we are. In time, this new place becomes home, and that’s perfectly okay.”

“We’re thrilled that Javier Carranza, the book’s illustrator and now-Niagara College alum, has the opportunity to showcase his work, which he completed during his co-op at the City of Welland,” said MacDonald, who authored the book. “What made Javy’s involvement truly special was that he was new to the city, just like the demographic we aimed to reach with the book. As he explored Welland, he experienced firsthand many of the sites featured in his illustrations.”

MacDonald noted that although the book’s main character is young, it highlights many incredible things to see and do in Welland, regardless of age or experience.

“For students arriving in the city for the first time, it provides a year-round glimpse into what awaits in their new backyard,” said MacDonald. “We hope this project inspires students to make the most of their time here–just as Javy did by contributing his talent to something meaningful during his studies.”

The event was organized by the College’s Alumni Relations and Community Relations and Events, in partnership with the City of Welland.

Staff from the City of Welland will be on site with print copies of the book, which will be available at no cost, from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. (while supplies last). They will be located at the Welland Campus near International.

For more information on the project, including its history, the biographies of those involved, and a digital copy, visit www.welland.ca/WoW.

Read more

June 21 article: College featured in city of Welland’s children’s book illustrated by alumnus

Niagara College employees, students and alumni joined a dynamic conversation around how to make the Niagara region a more livable place at a September 23 hackathon hosted by NEXTNiagara.

NEXTNiagara is an advisory council to the Greater Niagara Chamber of Commerce (GNCC) that empowers young professionals by representing, engaging, and amplifying the voice of Niagara’s 40 and under community.

NEXTNiagara’s ENGAGE event provides a platform for open, honest, and productive discussions between young professionals, employers and community leaders. The hackathon-style event encourages collaboration and ideation among participants who come together to brainstorm solutions to different topics that are important to the next generation.

Among the 117 participants in attendance at this year’s event was Kristen Nilsen, Academic Quality Consultant with NC’s Centre for Academic Excellence who has been volunteering with NEXTNiagara since 2020 and was appointed Chair this past Spring.

Nilsen was joined by NC colleague Mitchell Lutz, SONAMI Business Development Lead, and Hish Clifford, a third year NC Business Administration – Accounting student who works part-time in the College’s ITS department. Both Lutz and Clifford are NEXTNiagara council members. Emily O’Connor, Development Officer with NC Development and Donor Stewardship, also volunteered at the event and is a council alumna.

“This year, our topic was Livable Communities, with the goal of collecting the thoughts of young professionals working and living in Niagara around what livable communities could and should look like,” said Nilsen.

Participants discussed the different elements of a livable community including social services, diversity, sustainability, safety, and affordability, and provided solutions and recommendations for ensuring that Niagara is a place where young professionals want to live, stay and prosper.

For Clifford, who also serves on the NC Student Administrative Council Board of Directors as Director for the School of Business and Management, the event was his first hackathon since joining the council in May.

“This year’s Engage was incredible; we had great conversations among young professionals, and it was fantastic to see more established professionals and local representatives present, engaging with us in meaningful discussions,” he said. “Local organizations that are deeply invested in improving the region were also a key part of the event, which added another layer of impact.”

“I’m always so amazed by the work that NEXTNiagara and the Chamber of Commerce do,” added Clifford. “Their efforts consistently benefit young professionals, future students, and future employees of the region.”

Hish Clifford (centre) looks on as Mishka Balsom, GNCC CEO and former Chair of the NC Board of Governors speaks to guests at NEXTNiagara’s 2024 ENGAGE.

Nilsen says the feedback collected at the event will be compiled into a summary, which will inform NEXTNiagara’s advocacy initiatives. The information will also provide an overview of the themes that are important to young professionals in the region, which the council hopes will be a resource for decision makers in Niagara.

“Our vision is to see Niagara grow as a vibrant, inclusive, and prosperous community where the NEXT generation of leaders feel connected, represented, and engaged,” said Nilsen, speaking to the work of the council.

“We do that through our relationship with the Chamber, knowing that the graduates of post-secondary institutions in Niagara are valuable to the growth of Niagara, and are looking for opportunities to build a future in the region.”

Of the current 16 NEXTNiagara Council members, six are NC alumni, some of whom attended the event along with GNCC Membership Engagement Manager Amy Lloyd, who is a council and NC alumna (Event Management, 2016).

• Devin Brown (Welding Techniques, 2012)
• Bernard Cooper (Journalism, 2010)
• Grace Howes (Public Relations, 2019)
• Mitchell Lutz (Business Administration – International Business, 2013; Honours Bachelor of Business Admin – International Commerce & Global Development, 2015; Human Resources Management, 2021)
• Patricia Menear (nee. Bernardo) who is the Vice-chair of the NEXTNiagara council (Public Relations, 2020)
• Dan Prudente (Human Resources Management, 2015)

Colleen Morton has fond memories of her time at Niagara College and of the “amazing” professors who helped her make it to her graduation day in 2021.

But even more than that, Morton remembers the way being at NC made her feel.

“NC made me feel more empowered with my life and guided me to learn what I love to do,” Morton said. “I had a great experience at NC. I met great people there and my grades were in the 80s and 90s. I also did the Study Abroad program for a week in England for Pop Culture, which was amazing. (It) was the most memorable part of my experience at NC.”

It was a time of new beginnings for Morton, who–with the support of Birchway Niagara (formerly Women’s Place of South Niagara)–was rebuilding her life with her two sons after leaving a domestic violence relationship.

Initially, she planned to just get her high school diploma, but then decided to pursue a college education, too. She applied to NC’s Early Childhood Education program before realizing she was better suited to Office Administration-Health Services.

Upon graduation, Morton found work at Niagara Health-Niagara Falls site and then moved on to a chiropodist’s office where she was quickly promoted to Team Lead Medical Office Administrator. She still works there today.

But earlier this year, Morton said, she was feeling in a rut. “I needed to figure out what my purpose was.”
She decided to take a break and head to British Columbia for a visit with her sister. In the small town of Mission, she stopped by a lightly used clothing store that supports women who are fleeing an abusive partner. It was the purpose she had been looking for.

“After shopping there, it clicked,” she said. “I wanted to help my community and do the same thing at home. That was on May 26. Once the fire in my soul was lit, it took me almost three months to get everything together and ready for my grand opening.”

Morton’s Port Colborne store, 39 Hers, celebrated its grand opening on August 17. Like the store that inspired her in B.C., Morton’s helps women who are escaping domestic violence: A portion of her sales go to the organization that helped her and her sons start over–Birchway Niagara.

“Birchway was absolutely incredible and supportive,” Morton said. “I was staying at the Welland location and the staff was so loving and empathetic and really cared about us.

“Birchway helped me with getting sole custody of my children, helped me get my divorce and also helped me with housing. I did not do any of these steps alone. Without Birchway, I wouldn’t’ be the woman I am today (and) my children would not be the children they are today.”

She said her goal is for the store to be a place that women in or leaving an abusive relationship can turn to for help and support from someone who’s been in their position.

“I need women to know that there is an affordable place to get work attire, gym clothes and casual clothes. I want women to know that when they come to 39 Hers, it is a safe place with no judgment. I want them to feel empowered…to let women know that I have been there, and they can get out and there is help; it looks and feels scary, and it is, but there is a way out and I need them to know that. My plan is to make an impact and be a part of the solution and end violence against women and their children once and for all.”

Despite not having studied business, Morton said the time she spent at Niagara College taught her a valuable lesson that’s stuck with her for years and helped her as she started her entrepreneur journey: Ask for help when you need it.

“Do not give up no matter how challenging things might get,” she said. “There is no growth without the challenges and the outcome is worth all the uphill battles you experience. People are afraid to chase their dreams because they are afraid of ‘what if?’ What if it doesn’t work out? Well, I say ‘What if it does?’ And if it doesn’t, at least you tried and learned something in the process. Taking chances is never a waste of time.”

39 Hers is located at 197 Main St. W. in Port Colborne. To donate gently used women’s and children’s clothing, accessories and footwear, contact the store at 905-394-9725.