“I never thought this could happen to me.”

That was Paula Natalia Gongora Quintero’s initial thought when she spotted an application form for the Ontario Remembrance Scholarship at Niagara College late last year. Fortunately, she applied anyway.

Now the international student in her second year of the Business Administration – Human Resources (Co-op) program is the proud recipient of the $10,500 award – the highest monetary award be granted to one student at the College and its most competitive with almost 200 applicants. It was also the first time an award has been open to NC’s domestic and international students.

Quintero said that she was so shocked when she read an email notifying her that she had won that she burst into tears. “It felt like a dream,” she said. “I called my family and they were so proud of their little girl and we prayed together.”

After the announcement, she shared the news on her YouTube channel to encourage others who share her Latin American culture that dreams can come true.

Originally from Colombia, Quintero was drawn to study in Canada after researching postsecondary institutions to study abroad and learning about NC.

“What I loved about the NC community was its openness to diversity, inclusion and support tools for international students,” she said. “Leaving behind your home country, family and friends is so dramatic, that I was waiting for a school that could help me with this transition.”

She loves her program at NC and has been excelling academically with higher than a 90% average in all of her classes. Creating a new life in Canada however, has been marked by hard work for Quintero who, along with her husband of two years, now calls Niagara Falls home. She has been working three different jobs to support her education.

As a student ambassador for the College, Quintero works to implement COVID-19 safety measures on campus – checking in students and employees at entrance points as part of NC’s restricted access procedures, and promoting physical distancing practices. She also guides new students to campus services. In addition to working at NC, she is employed as a customer services representative at Intelcom Express and as a cleaner at a local grocery store.

The scholarship, which has been set aside for tuition and fees for the next academic year, comes as a great relief for Quintero, knowing that she is able to pay for her final year of study in full and focus on her career goals. She plans to establish a non-profit to connect newcomers to Canada with employers and community services, help guide them through challenges and contribute towards their dreams.

The scholarship is about much more than the money for Quintero. “It is proof that anyone, regardless of their culture or language, can make a difference,” she said.

This was the first year the Ministry of Colleges and Universities has funded the Ontario Remembrance Scholarship at NC, in memory of the victims of the Ukrainian airliner crash in Iran in January 2020, which claimed the lives of 57 Canadians, including 34 Ontario postsecondary students or staff members.

“We thank the Government of Ontario for supporting student success at Niagara College through the Ontario Remembrance Scholarship,” said Marc Nantel, PhD, vice-president, Research & External Relations. “Helping students achieve their dreams is a meaningful tribute to the tragic loss of life from the Ukrainian airliner crash, which was deeply felt by college communities across the province.”

Financial Aid advisor Marissa Ditto noted that it was not easy to select a winner for the award from such a large pool of applicants. The selection committee shortlisted seven students for final round interviews, who all demonstrated a passion for their studies. Academic achievement, community engagement, volunteer experience, and financial need were factors in their final decision.

“Paula was selected because she went above and beyond in her academic achievements, her engagement and involvement in the Niagara College community, and had clear career goals and path to reach those goals,” said Ditto.

Quintero was applauded for being a great ambassador for NC with a positive and realistic attitude. Ditto pointed to her employment as an engaged student ambassador, her volunteer work to assist newcomers to Canada, her involvement with College research projects, and the fact that she created her own YouTube channel to document her experience and assist other international students.

“She wants to be a model of her culture to not only challenge stereotypes, but to motivate others to start their careers,” said Ditto. “Her career goals align perfectly with her values and beliefs, and her involvement and accomplishments thus far on her NC journey also reflect this.”

Knowing that she was selected for the scholarship among so many other applicants fills Quintero with pride and made her feel that “every tear was worth it.”

“This has motivated me to keep high standards, but also to share my experience with other students who think that financial or language barriers are an excuse to give up,” she said. “Everyone has a mission to leave a print that others can use as an example, and my goal is to prove that, as Latins, we have wonderful skills and capabilities to be leaders in our College and communities.”

Niagara College offers more than 130 diploma, bachelor degree and advanced level programs; as well as more than 600 credit, vocational and general interest Part-Time Studies courses. Areas of specialization include food and wine science, advanced technology, media, applied health and community safety, supported by unique learning enterprises in food, wine, beer, distilling, horticulture and esthetics. For more information visit niagaracollege.ca.

-30-

Media inquiries, please contact:

Michael Wales


Manager, Corporate Communications


Cell: 905-328-4101

[email protected]

ulie Greco


Corporate Communications Consultant


Cell: 905-328-2532

[email protected]

“I never thought this could happen to me.”

That was Paula Natalia Gongora Quintero’s initial thought when she spotted an application form for the Ontario Remembrance Scholarship at Niagara College late last year. Fortunately, she applied anyway.

Now the international student in her second year of the Business Administration – Human Resources (Co-op) program is the proud recipient of the $10,500 award – the highest monetary award be granted to one student at the College and its most competitive with almost 200 applicants. It was also the first time an award has been open to NC’s domestic and international students.

Quintero said that she was so shocked when she read an email notifying her that she had won that she burst into tears. “It felt like a dream,” she said. “I called my family and they were so proud of their little girl and we prayed together.”

After the announcement, she shared the news on her YouTube channel to encourage others who share her Latin American culture that dreams can come true.

Originally from Colombia, Quintero was drawn to study in Canada after researching postsecondary institutions to study abroad and learning about NC.

“What I loved about the NC community was its openness to diversity, inclusion and support tools for international students,” she said. “Leaving behind your home country, family and friends is so dramatic, that I was waiting for a school that could help me with this transition.”

She loves her program at NC and has been excelling academically with higher than a 90% average in all of her classes. Creating a new life in Canada however, has been marked by hard work for Quintero who, along with her husband of two years, now calls Niagara Falls home. She has been working three different jobs to support her education.

As a student ambassador for the College, Quintero works to implement COVID-19 safety measures on campus – checking in students and employees at entrance points as part of NC’s restricted access procedures, and promoting physical distancing practices. She also guides new students to campus services. In addition to working at NC, she is employed as a customer services representative at Intelcom Express and as a cleaner at a local grocery store.

The scholarship, which has been set aside for tuition and fees for the next academic year, comes as a great relief for Quintero, knowing that she is able to pay for her final year of study in full and focus on her career goals. She plans to establish a non-profit to connect newcomers to Canada with employers and community services, help guide them through challenges and contribute towards their dreams.

The scholarship is about much more than the money for Quintero. “It is proof that anyone, regardless of their culture or language, can make a difference,” she said.

This was the first year the Ministry of Colleges and Universities has funded the Ontario Remembrance Scholarship at NC, in memory of the victims of the Ukrainian airliner crash in Iran in January 2020, which claimed the lives of 57 Canadians, including 34 Ontario postsecondary students or staff members.

“We thank the Government of Ontario for supporting student success at Niagara College through the Ontario Remembrance Scholarship,” said Marc Nantel, PhD, vice-president, Research & External Relations. “Helping students achieve their dreams is a meaningful tribute to the tragic loss of life from the Ukrainian airliner crash, which was deeply felt by college communities across the province.”

Financial Aid advisor Marissa Ditto noted that it was not easy to select a winner for the award from such a large pool of applicants. The selection committee shortlisted seven students for final round interviews, who all demonstrated a passion for their studies. Academic achievement, community engagement, volunteer experience, and financial need were factors in their final decision.

“Paula was selected because she went above and beyond in her academic achievements, her engagement and involvement in the Niagara College community, and had clear career goals and path to reach those goals,” said Ditto.

Quintero was applauded for being a great ambassador for NC with a positive and realistic attitude. Ditto pointed to her employment as an engaged student ambassador, her volunteer work to assist newcomers to Canada, her involvement with College research projects, and the fact that she created her own YouTube channel to document her experience and assist other international students.

“She wants to be a model of her culture to not only challenge stereotypes, but to motivate others to start their careers,” said Ditto. “Her career goals align perfectly with her values and beliefs, and her involvement and accomplishments thus far on her NC journey also reflect this.”

Knowing that she was selected for the scholarship among so many other applicants fills Quintero with pride and made her feel that “every tear was worth it.”

“This has motivated me to keep high standards, but also to share my experience with other students who think that financial or language barriers are an excuse to give up,” she said. “Everyone has a mission to leave a print that others can use as an example, and my goal is to prove that, as Latins, we have wonderful skills and capabilities to be leaders in our College and communities.”

Niagara College offers more than 130 diploma, bachelor degree and advanced level programs; as well as more than 600 credit, vocational and general interest Part-Time Studies courses. Areas of specialization include food and wine science, advanced technology, media, applied health and community safety, supported by unique learning enterprises in food, wine, beer, distilling, horticulture and esthetics. For more information visit niagaracollege.ca.

-30-

Media inquiries, please contact:

Michael Wales


Manager, Corporate Communications


Cell: 905-328-4101

[email protected]

ulie Greco


Corporate Communications Consultant


Cell: 905-328-2532

[email protected]

Connecting with nature and protecting the planet will be the focus of Niagara College’s first Earth Week celebration April 17-25.

Hosted by NC’s Office of Sustainability, a roster of virtual initiatives will take place leading up to Earth Day on April 22 and beyond. Earth Week aims to provide an outlet for the College community to participate in sustainability-focused initiatives safely during the pandemic – in their own backyards and neighbourhoods, individually or with their families or roommates.

“At Niagara College, we strive to build a more sustainable future. It has never been more important to protect our natural habitat and reduce our carbon footprint as we take action to address climate change and help restore the health of our Earth,” said College president Sean Kennedy. “While we can’t gather in person at this time, I encourage our entire College community to get involved with Earth Week and demonstrate that we can make a difference #NCTogether.”

NC’s sustainability program and outreach coordinator Amber Schmucker noted that the initiatives are all about bringing the NC community closer to nature for the benefit of the planet, as well as the humans who inhabit it.

“With the ongoing pandemic and stresses at the end-of-term, we know that people are struggling with their mental health right now and our goal is to provide an extra push for our College community to connect with the land,” said Schmucker. “Being able to personally connect with nature makes you want to protect it – and the earth is precious, it needs protecting.”

With climate action and restoring the planet at the root of every sustainability initiative at the College, Schmucker acknowledges that a single cleanup or bioblitz won’t save the world. However, she hopes that getting involved with Earth Week will create a “spider web effect” among participants, leading to spin-off actions.

“Moving forward, we hope that our Earth Week activities create a mindset among our students and staff leading them to continue their stewardship throughout their daily lives,” she said.

The Office of Sustainability has branched out to include partners on a few of its Earth Week initiatives. For the first time, Indigenous Education at NC is co-presenting Earth Day and the Earth Week kickoff. The College is also collaborating with Brock University on a virtual cleanup in an effort to get the entire region involved. [View April 6 news release here.]

“We are proud of our collaborations with Indigenous Education and Brock University who share our interest in building more sustainable communities,” said Schmucker. “These valued partnerships have enabled us to offer a variety of virtual initiatives to our College community and beyond.”

Niagara Virtual Clean-up Registration April 17-25

NC and Brock University are hosting a Niagara Virtual Cleanup – and the entire community is encouraged to participate by cleaning up their own neighbourhoods from April 17 to April 25. This is the second virtual clean-up the Niagara postsecondary institutions have collaborated on since fall 2020.

To prepare for the virtual cleanup, NC and Brock have also launched a toolkit including specific guidelines to host safe clean-up initiatives. Participants from NC are asked to register for the cleanup on the College’s Sustainability website while those from Brock may sign up via ExperienceBU.

Participating students can become WWF-Canada Living Planet Leaders by completing a self-guided certification throughout their studies, where they will take on sustainability-related actions in the categories of volunteerism, personal application of sustainability, application of sustainability in academics, and leadership and teamwork.

Earth Week Kickoff Instagram giveaway April 19

The Office of Sustainability has partnered with Indigenous Education at NC to host a weeklong Instagram giveaway during Earth Week. Participants will have a chance to win an Earth Week Kick-Off Prize Pack. Details will be posted on April 19 on @sustainabilitync and @ie_nc. The College community is encouraged to register via NC Sustainability’s Earth Week Kick Off web page to receive updates leading to the kickoff.

Spring Bioblitz April 17-25

Amber Schmucker uses the iNaturalist app to identify birds – a tool that will be useful for the virtual bioblitz.

The annual spring bioblitz is back for 2021 with a virtual format which debuted last fall. Instead of participating on campus, ‘citizen scientists’ will inventory plant and animal species in their own neighbourhoods. The virtual bioblitz will be counted towards a student’s WWF-Canada Living Planet Leader designation.

Virtual Plant Along Series: Seed Starting & Garden Party April 21, 2-3 p.m.

If you’re planning a window sill or container garden, or a raised bed, you won’t want to miss this Zoom event. The informal, remote gathering offers participants an opportunity to discuss their summer garden plans – or just join in to wish their peers well as the Winter term draws to an end.

Virtual Earth Day Celebration April 22

Organized in partnership with Indigenous Education at NC, the College community is encouraged to celebrate Earth Day by sharing a photo via Instagram celebrating their favourite way to connect with the earth. All photos shared on Instagram (@sustainabilitync and @ie_nc ) by NC students or employees will be entered for a chance to win an Earth Day themed prize pack.

For more details about Earth Week or NC’s sustainability initiatives visit sustainability.niagaracollege.ca.

Niagara College offers more than 130 diploma, bachelor degree and advanced level programs; as well as more than 600 credit, vocational and general interest Part-Time Studies courses. Areas of specialization include food and wine sciences, advanced technology, media, applied health and community safety, supported by unique learning enterprises in food, wine, beer, spirits, horticulture and esthetics. For more information visit niagaracollege.ca.

-30-

Media inquiries, please contact:

Michael Wales
Manager, Corporate Communications
Cell: 905-328-4101
[email protected]

Julie Greco
Corporate Communications Consultant
Cell: 905-328-2532
[email protected]

There was nowhere else like it in the country when it opened 10 years ago, and no other place has rivalled its impact on Canada’s craft brewery scene over the past decade.

April 13 marks 10 years since the historic official opening day of the Niagara College’s Teaching Brewery. The milestone was marked by a virtual “Brewunion” for a group from the first class of Brewmaster graduates – who, in June 2012, set forth as pioneers in what was then an emerging craft beer scene. They joined college staff and president Sean Kennedy who led them in a special toast: “To history, and the trailblazing first class that put NC on the map.”

Located at its Daniel J. Patterson Campus in Niagara-on-the-Lake, the Teaching Brewery is home to NC’s groundbreaking Brewmaster and Brewery Operations Management program which has grown alongside the now booming craft beer industry in Ontario. Provincial, national and international awards continue to pour in for student-crafted brews from NC’s Teaching Brewery, which has become a springboard for budding Canadian brewing talent and continues to raise the bar for the industry. Class after class of graduates have seeped into the industry over the past decade – many as brewery owners and brewmasters who continue to craft their own award-winning brews.

Steve Gill, general manager of NC’s Learning Enterprises, is proud of the past decade’s accomplishments.

“When we first opened the Teaching Brewery, there was nowhere else in the country that postsecondary students could gain the hands-on brewing skills they need to succeed in the industry, and our Teaching Brewery continues to lead the way in Canada’s growing craft beer industry today,” said Gill. “Each beer brewed at our Teaching Brewery is a ‘resume in a bottle’ for our students, and the multitude of awards won for student-crafted brews is a testament to the quality applied education and training that our students bring into the industry in Ontario and beyond.”

President of the Ontario Craft Brewers Association (OCBA) Scott Simmons congratulated the College on the tenth anniversary of the Teaching Brewery. He noted that the OCBA was a proud founding industry partner when the College launched the program, and the partnership is still going strong today to help craft brewers adapt to the ever-changing brewing scene. He noted that while there were less than 100 breweries in Ontario when the Brewmaster program launched in 2010 – less than 40 of them still exist today – and the number of breweries increased to more than 320 by 2019.

“The program has played a major role in growing the craft beer industry in Ontario, with graduates making their mark across the industry, including many launching their own breweries,” said Simmons. “We understood the importance of having this incredible resource in our own backyard to foster the growth of our industry in the province and to help fulfil our vision of developing Ontario into a centre for brewing excellence. The continued success is a testament to the importance of this applied learning and program.”

The brewery is a living laboratory for Brewmaster students where they gain hands-on experience producing beer on campus. The College’s first student crafted brew, First Draft Ale, is still being produced, with slight variations in the ingredients each year, and, more recently, as Beer 101 Pale Ale – part of the popular series of 12 varieties of beers bearing the Beer 101 label. These award-winning brands are available for purchase, along with Small Batch Brews from class projects. Proceeds from sales support student success.

In addition to College brews, Downing and the Brewmaster team have also designed or assisted with numerous recipes for industry – including Wayne Gretzky Estates Craft Brewing (No. 99 Rye Lager), as well as MADD Virgin Craft Brewed Lager with NC’s Research & Innovation Division – and have contract brewed dozens of beers for others.

Downing noted that the past decade has been “a wonderful ride” with 19 graduating classes, more than 360 graduates, and 74 current students.

“It has been so much fun and hard work that would not have been possible without the dedication and diligence of all the students who wanted to succeed and thereby helped us to,” said Downing.

Aaron Spinney, who was among the first class of June 2012 graduates, is now at the helm of his own craft brewery: Merit Brewing Co. in downtown Hamilton. He noted that while being among the first to attempt anything is a great feeling, being a guiding light and beacon for others to follow is also a great responsibility.

“The challenge is to never stop learning and improving one’s self all while welcoming others to the table, paving the way with smiles, safety, constant learning and growth through educated beers and science,” said Spinney. “It’s a great responsibility to carry the history and traditions of brewers past, yet rules are meant to be challenged. Without challenge, you cannot have innovation.”

NC’s Brewmaster program, which launched in September 2010, has become a vital component of the College’s CFWI family of programs and has created skilled members of the brewing community from its inception – following in the footsteps of the College’s wine programs based at its on-campus Teaching Winery which was the also the first in Canada and was a game-changer for Niagara’s wine scene.

“There are few programs in the Ontario college system that got as much attention as the Brewmaster program did when it first launched in 2010,” said dean of NC’s Canadian Food and Wine Institute (CFWI) Craig Youdale. “It came at a time when the craft brewing industry in Ontario was just taking off, and the program was the perfect support for creating skills and knowledge in the expansion across the province.”

NC’s Brewmaster and Brewery Operations Management program was launched in 2010 as the first of its kind in Canada. The award-winning, two-year program offers extensive hands-on training at an on-site, state-of-the-art Teaching Brewery to prepare students for employment in the expanding brewery, microbrewery and brewpub industries. Located at the College’s Daniel J. Patterson in Niagara-on-the-Lake, students learn from award-winning faculty and have access to on-site hop yard and local farm products to brew a full range of beer styles. Visit ncteachingbrewery.ca.

Niagara College offers more than 130 diploma, bachelor degree and advanced level programs; as well as more than 600 credit, vocational and general interest Part-Time Studies courses. Areas of specialization include food and wine sciences, advanced technology, media, applied health and community safety, supported by unique learning enterprises in food, wine, beer, distilling, horticulture and esthetics. For more information visit niagaracollege.ca.

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Media inquiries, please contact:

Michael Wales
Manager, Communications
Cell: 905-328-4101
[email protected]

Julie Greco
Communications Consultant
Cell: 905-328-2532
[email protected]

Niagara College, Brock University and the World Wildlife Fund Canada (WWF-Canada) have partnered to work towards a more sustainable world and Niagara region, which includes a Virtual Clean-up event and Living Planet @ Campus program.

Niagara College and Brock University are hosting a Virtual Spring Clean-up — and they want to encourage community members to do the same.

In an effort to help build more sustainable communities, the institutions have come together to launch a toolkit that will make it easier for the public to safely hold clean-up events across Niagara and beyond.

Specific guidelines are provided to help students, community members and organizations take part in clean-up initiatives in a safe manner.

The kit includes information and simple steps on how to host or join a community clean-up anytime, anywhere. Resources also direct participants to their local health guidelines to ensure all COVID-19 restrictions are followed throughout the process.

To kick-start the community involvement as Earth Day approaches on April 22, Brock and Niagara College will host a Virtual Spring Clean-up for students from Saturday, April 17 to Sunday, April 25. This is the second joint Virtual Clean-up the schools have collaborated on, with the first held last fall.

It was after the first event that Brock and Niagara College began receiving inquiries about how to host a clean-up, resulting in the creation of the public toolkit.

Brock University and Niagara College students have the unique opportunity to engage in conservation activities, such as the Virtual Clean-up events, while working towards the Living Planet Leader Certification through a partnership with World Wildlife Fund-Canada (WWF-Canada).

Participating students can become WWF-Canada Living Planet Leaders by completing a self-guided certification throughout their time at Brock and Niagara College, where they will take on sustainability-related actions in the categories of volunteerism, personal application of sustainability, application of sustainability in academics, and leadership and teamwork.

Students from Niagara College may register on the College’s Sustainability website.   Brock students can sign up for the Virtual Spring Clean-up on ExperienceBU.

The Virtual Clean-up toolkit is available here.https://sustainability.niagaracollege.ca/event/niagara-virtual-clean-up-registration/

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For media inquiries, please contact:

Julie Greco

Niagara College, Corporate Communications Consultant

Cell: 905-328-2532

[email protected]

Maryanne St. Denis

Brock University, Writer/ Web Editor

905-246-0256

[email protected]