Niagara College’s Giving Tuesday 2023 campaign has been honoured with a silver medal at the Canadian Council for the Advancement of Education (CCAE) Prix d’Excellence Awards in the “Best Annual Giving/Giving Day Initiative” category.

The CCAE, a volunteer-led organization, supports educational institutions through networking, learning, and collaboration. The Prix d’Excellence awards celebrate outstanding achievements in educational advancement across Canada.

NCSAC representatives receive a ‘cheque’ from Development (Emily O’Connor middle) symbolizing more than 18,000 in funds raised on Giving Tuesday 2023.

On November 28, Niagara College’s Giving Tuesday campaign focused on reigniting donor support, combating food insecurity on campus, and showcasing the profound impact of giving on students’ lives. Every dollar raised went directly to the NC Nourishing Minds Fund, managed by the Niagara College Student Administrative Council (NCSAC). This fund provides essential support, such as free breakfasts on both campuses and digital grocery gift cards for students in need.

This year’s campaign was a shining success. Past Giving Tuesday supporters received heartfelt thanks, and an anonymous donor offered a matching donation. The ambitious goal was to assist 240 students by raising $12,000, but the NC community went above and beyond, raising a record $21,720 for the Nourishing Minds Fund.

“We are thrilled to be awarded silver at the Prix d’Excellence awards,” said Emily O’Connor, Development Officer, Advancement. “Being recognized by our peers nationwide for our Giving Tuesday efforts is an incredible honour and a testament to our dedicated NC community. Thanks to our generous donors, we raised the most money on Giving Tuesday in NC history, all to support Nourishing Minds and our students, and it has now been recognized on a national level.”

The award was presented during a virtual ceremony on June 18. You can watch the recording here, with Niagara College’s recognition at the 10:14 mark.

The Hamilton Spectator and the three Niagara dailies (St. Catharines Standard, Niagara Falls Review and Welland Tribune) released a July 15 profile on NC alumnus Bill Custers (Broadcasting – Radio Television and Film program, 1983) who passed away recently.

Alumni Relations held its inaugural Employee Alumni Summer Celebration at the Wine Visitor + Education Centre on June 25. The event brought together over 50 College employees, who are also NC alumni, for a fun-filled afternoon of celebration, connection and camaraderie.

Sharing in the unique bond that defines the NC community, attendees enjoyed the College’s finest wines, beers, and mocktails, complemented by hors d’oeuvres catered by NC alumni Tim Mackiddie’s Smoke & Barrel (Culinary Management Co-op program, 2006). Celebrating NC’s rich legacy, former classmates got to reconnect as colleagues, reminisce about their student days at NC, and discover new connections among fellow NC alumni.

President Sean Kennedy set the tone with a heartfelt welcome to guests, expressing his pride in leading a college filled with exceptional employees and outstanding alumni.

“These events are a reminder of how special Niagara College is,” said Kennedy. “The NC family exemplifies so many characteristics of what makes the College such a welcoming and caring place. We always strive to hire the very best employees and many of our employees are our incredible NC alumni, which is a great sign for the quality of our graduates, programs, and employees.”

Following his remarks, President Kennedy and guests raised a toast to honour the remarkable alumni and employees at the event.

Niagara College President Sean Kennedy, Vice-President of Advancement Gord Arbeau and Director of Alumni Relations Jana Boniferro welcomed and thanked employees and alumni for joining the special celebration.

Vice-President of Advancement, Gord Arbeau, also addressed guests, sharing reflections from a recent trip to the Okanagan region in British Columbia, where he connected with alumni from across the country.

“The feeling in the room tonight mirrors the same feeling we had in the Okanagan with graduates who, even though many graduated 10, 15, or 20 years ago, maintain that unique NC pride and spirit,” he said. “It reminded us of the importance of the special community we’ve built here.”

Arbeau also spotlighted recent activities of the Together Campaign, launched at the Renaissance Gala in April 2024. The campaign aims to support new and expanded facilities, student access, diverse and inclusive learning environments, global competencies and perspectives, and productivity and innovation.

Reflecting on the enthusiasm of employees and alumni eager to contribute, Arbeau announced the new Niagara College Employee Alumni Scholarship of Excellence, offering employees and alumni the opportunity to give back and support an NC student. The fund aims to raise $25,000 to permanently endow at least one student scholarship in perpetuity, in the name of alumni who are current employees at the College. The endowment will provide a $1,000 contribution towards the studies of a student in financial need.

Director of Alumni Relations, Jana Boniferro, echoed this sentiment, noting that many NC employees and alumni frequently inquire about ways to support the College and student success.

“Gord’s announcement on the Employee Alumni Scholarship of Excellence offers a wonderful opportunity to engage and support our students, who once walked in your shoes,” she said to the alumni and employees in the room.

Boniferro also extended special thanks to Alumni Engagement Officer, Tom Price, and Development & Donor Stewardship Event Assistant, Laura Hull, for coordinating the memorable gathering.

Guests celebrated another exciting milestone with the announcement that the College’s alumni community has now reached 125,000 members following this year’s Spring Convocation, further expanding the proud group gathered at the event.

NC employees who are also alumni and interested in supporting the Employee Alumni Scholarship of Excellence can contribute here. On the website, please click on “Payroll Deduction” under “NC Faculty and Staff Giving” on the right side. Then, under the designation of your gift, select “Employee Alumni Scholarship of Excellence” from the dropdown menu. For more information, contact Alumni Relations at [email protected]

Two recent Niagara College graduates have been recognized for their outstanding contributions to the Public Relations profession by the Canadian Public Relations Society (CPRS)-Hamilton.

Naomi Fox and Bhrigu Bagga, who both graduated from NC’s Public Relations graduate certificate program in June, were nominated by their peers for their exceptional leadership in the field and presented with Special Awards during CPRS Hamilton’s Pinnacle Awards at the Royal Botanical Gardens in Hamilton, June 18.

Fox received the Heather J. Pullen Memorial Award, which is presented annually to a graduating student member of CPRS-Hamilton who has demonstrated a commitment to lifelong learning through academic and professional pursuits.

Bagga’s Student Award of Excellence is in recognition of his ability to demonstrate a clear understanding of PR, actions and behaviour that reflect professionalism, leadership in personal and scholastic activities, and a commitment to the future of the PR profession.

“The Student Award of Excellence presented to Bhrigu Bagga and the Heather J. Pullen Memorial Award presented to Naomi Fox reflect the hard work and dedication of these two emerging PR professionals and the high calibre of education they received at Niagara College,” said Kim Zarzuela, Chair of Communication for CPRS-Hamilton. “We look forward to seeing all that they will accomplish as they join the PR and Communications industry, and (we) hope they will continue to be a part of CPRS-Hamilton to take advantage of the unique professional development, networking and recognition opportunities our organization provides.”

Fox and Bagga join a long list of NC alumni who have been recognized by CPRS-Hamilton, including Emily Zwart (2023), Sophia Cole (2022), Nicolas Mertens (2021), Ashlan MacDonald (2020), Katie McCabe and Shianne Stephens (2019), who all received Student Awards of Excellence. The Heather J. Pullen Memorial Award was last awarded to an NC grad (Rita Stranges) in 2021.

Fox, who also won the Notified Student Award of Excellence from the CPRS at its National Conference in Quebec on June 11, said it was a guest lecture from CPRS-Hamilton Board member Andrew Macklin that led to her joining the organization.

“I’m grateful that NC introduced my peers and I to this impactful community and am proud to be accepting this award, honouring my commitment to integrity, honesty and the ethical practice of public relations,” she said.

Bagga said the recognition means a lot to him, particularly as an international student now trying to start a career in communications. He gave credit to his NC instructors and his CPRS mentor, CPRS-Hamilton President and fellow Niagara College alumnus Ryan Strang, for showing him how to apply theory to practice.

“Because of them, I was able to solidify my understanding of Communications and Public Relations principles, combined with creativity, strategic thinking and professionalism,” he said.

Bagga was also this year’s recipient of NC’s Associate Dean Award of Excellence in the PR program.

Charles Kopun, Associate Dean of the School of Media, said Fox and Bagga’s success shines a light on the quality of the College’s Public Relations program.

“What a great achievement for Naomi and Bhrigu!” Kopun said. “Continued recognition of our students at this competition is a testament not only to their hard work but also to the commitment of our faculty and instructors in nurturing that excellence.”

From training space to technology, a lot has changed over the last 50 years in the way training is delivered to nursing students at Niagara College.

Members of the Mack Training School Alumni Association, who toured NC’s nursing labs at the end of May, saw many of those changes first-hand after presenting a $25,000 endowment gift to Niagara College for scholarships that will support the future of nursing.

The Mack School of Nursing was founded in 1874 by Dr. Theophilus Mack in St. Catharines and was Canada’s first nursing school. It was inspired by the Florence Nightingale system of nursing education, which emphasized hygiene, medicine, and discipline. Nurses from London, England, came to Niagara to train the first class of graduates, and over the years the school produced many nurses who worked primarily at the St. Catharines General Hospital and contributed to the advancement of the nursing profession.

In 1969, when the provincial government closed all hospital-based nursing schools and moved them to community colleges, the school changed its name to the Mack Centre of Nursing Education and its affiliation with the alumni association ended.

The school officially closed in 1973 when it became a part of Niagara College.

Over the years, the alumni association – founded in 1901 by Margaret Hughes (Class of 1896) – has offered financial support to students, graduates, the residences, and the St. Catharines General Hospital.

Its final donation came on May 29 when president Betty Ann Chandler (Class of 1970) and several other alumnae visited Niagara College’s Welland Campus to deliver a $25,000 donation that will be used for scholarships for nursing students entering either their third or final year of NC’s new Honours Bachelor of Science in Nursing program.

“We’re so grateful to the Mack School of Nursing (Alumni Association) for their interest in supporting future generations,” said Sinéad McElhone, Dean, Health Sciences. “They’ve been giving back to their community their whole lives.”

Nursing students practicing wound care engage with Mack Training School alumnae who reminisced of their own time as nursing students.

After 123 years, and with the number of remaining members declining, the alumni association disbanded on June 7. Its final annual banquet celebrated the Class of 1974 – the school’s last graduating class.

Past president Claudia Gilchrist (Class of 1973) said members wanted a lasting tribute that would honour the rich history and contributions of Mack graduates to the nursing program, so it decided to establish nursing scholarships at Niagara College and Brock University.

With about $5,000 sitting in its scholarship fund, the alumni association sent out a call to its membership in the hopes of raising more money to set up the scholarships.

“The donations came pouring in,” Gilchrist said.

As a result, Niagara College and Brock University each received $25,000. NC’s cheque was presented to McElhone and Courtney Evers, Associate Dean, School of Nursing and PSW, on May 29. The alumni association also gave the college a framed collage of photos from the early days of the Mack School of Nursing.

“We’re so honoured to host the nurses from the Mack Alumni Association,” Evers said. “We’re grateful for their generous show of support for our nursing students.”

Evers then led the group on a tour of some of NC’s nursing labs, where the alumnae engaged with nursing students who were practicing wound care.

Dr. Jeffrey Ko, who was on-site with a group of Term 4 students, also gave an impromptu presentation on NC’s nursing simulation lab.

“It’s an amazing place,” Chandler said at the tour’s conclusion. “It’s huge – it’s mindblowing. Students are very lucky to be educated here.”

The alumni association’s donation will be used to provide a $1,000 scholarship each year in perpetuity to one student in the Honours Bachelor of Science in Nursing program.