This month, Niagara College is expanding its Cannabis 101 community seminar series with fresh offerings – including an interactive seminar on growing at home – as well as retail workshops led by local dispensary owners and a professional series for licensed producers.

The four-part Community Series is designed for anyone and everyone looking to develop a better understanding of cannabis. The series is a collaboration between NC’s School of Part-Time Studies and Environment division, and the seminars take place at the Daniel J. Patterson Campus in Niagara-on-the-Lake on topics including The History and Evolution of Cannabis, The Cannabis Plant from Seed to Sale, and Quality, Regulations and Access. Participants will explore the legal framework and stigma around cannabis, cannabis cultivation, sales and distribution, the difference between CBD and THC, and more, with a chance to visit NC’s cannabis teaching and research lab, the Cannabunker.

New to the winter roster is a full-day, hands-on seminar Growing Cannabis @ Home, taught by industry experts Scott Belton, NC faculty in the Commercial Cannabis Production program and Jennifer Maccarone, CEO of TotalGxP, a consulting company to the cannabis and pharma industry. Attendees will learn about the fundamentals of growing at home, different methods of cultivating, feeding, harvesting, drying and preserving the product, and be ready for the 2020 growing season indoors or outdoors.

“The cannabis industry is already beginning to transform the social and economic landscape of not only Niagara, but all of Canada,” said Al Unwin, NC’s dean of Environment. “The Cannabis 101 series is a great opportunity for members of the Niagara community who may have questions about the science and economics of cannabis to benefit from Niagara College’s expertise in this fast-growing field.”

The courses on offer as part of the Community Seminar Series this February are:

• The History and Evolution of Cannabis: From Prohibition to Legalization
  Wed. February 12 from 7 to 9 p.m.
• The Cannabis Plant: From Seed to Sale
  Wed. February 19 from 7 to 9 p.m.
• Cannabis: Quality, Regulations, Access
  Wed. February 26 from 7 to 9 p.m.
• Growing Cannabis @ Home
  Sat. February 22 from 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Participants can register for individual sessions, or for all four. Register online at niagaracollege.ca/pts.

Professional Series for licensed producers

NC is also rolling out an industry-focused professional seminar for those in the cannabis growing industry who want to expand their knowledge, which begins this weekend. The profession series includes two courses geared towards licensed producers on integrated pest management and quality assurance and control, taught by experts in the field, experienced NC faculty, and representatives from Health Canada. Participants who complete a course will receive a Statement of Recognition Certificate.

Retail Series

In addition, four seminar courses on the retail cannabis industry will be led by local owners and managers of the only two legal dispensaries here in the Niagara region, The Niagara Herbalist and Choom, geared towards retail professionals in the cannabis industry or those seeking employment in retail. Topics include an introduction and orientation to the industry, growing techniques and terminology, supply chain management and compliance, and front-line language and understanding your customer. Grant funding is available through NC’s Community Employment Services.

For the full course roster, visit niagaracollege.ca/parttimestudies/cannabis101

Part-Time Studies, formerly Continuing Education at Niagara College, offers a variety of part-time study options for professional and personal growth in a wide range of study areas. Hundreds of courses are available online and on-campus to fit today’s busy lifestyles, taught by instructors from business and industry with up-to-date, on the ground experience and a love for teaching.

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.

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Media inquiries, please contact:

Andrew Korchok
Communications Consultant
Office: 905 641-2252 ext. 7430
Cell: 905 329-1642
[email protected]

Michael Wales
Communications Manager
Office: 905 641-2252 ext. 7773
Cell: 905 328-4101
[email protected]

Niagara College game students are ready to race against the clock to create a video game in just one weekend, as part of the Global Game Jam.

When the theme of this year’s Global Game Jam is announced on January 31 at 7 p.m., small teams of students and alumni from the College’s game programs will hunker down in computer labs at the Welland Campus and get to work. With only 48 hours to complete their mission, teams will work around the clock until time runs out on Sunday, February 2 at 7 p.m.

NC’s Welland Campus is among more than 930 sites from 119 countries around the world currently registered to participate in this year’s Global Game Jam. Known as the largest game jam in the world, the event aims to be a unique opportunity for participants from any skill level to create, collaborate and practise their game-making skills.

“The Niagara College game development community is incredibly proud to be participating in Global Game Jam 2020,” said Rick Goertz, Game Development program coordinator. “The engagement our students and alumni demonstrate in connecting and collaborating with game developers from around the world for the purpose of sharing their highly creative skills is extraordinary.”

This will be the fifth consecutive year that NC will participate in the event, drawing students from its Game Development program, as well as its two dual-credential Bachelor of Science (Honours) Game Programming and Bachelor of Arts (Honours) Game Design programs which are run jointly with Brock University.

Tom Brown, Game Development professor and coordinator for NC’s game jam, noted that this year’s event is expected to draw 65 participants – the largest number to date.

“The students get this intense, compact game development cycle that really puts them to the test of their game development ability. Everyone learns something at the Game Jam, whether that’s putting to practice what they’ve learned from the program or trying something new,” said Brown. “This also gives our students a taste of what it’ll be like in game development after graduation, and a chance to talk with alumni and hear about their experiences.”

For information about the Global Game Jam visit globalgamejam.org/.

NC’s three-year intensive Game Development diploma program prepares students for careers in the digital game and interactive media industry. Students learn industry skills such as game programming and scripting, digital art production techniques, game design principles and game production practices.

NC also offers two dual-credential game programs with Brock University. A Bachelor of Arts (Honours) Game Design grants a four-year Bachelor of Arts-Game Design degree from Brock University and a three-year Advanced Diploma in Game Development from NC (completed in four years); a Bachelor of Science (Honours) Game Programming grants a four-year degree from Brock and a three-year Advanced Diploma in Game Development from NC (completed in four years).

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, horticulture and esthetics. For more information visit niagaracollege.ca.

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Media Availability

Media is welcome to attend the NC game jam during the dates and times below.

Please ask for Tom Brown upon arrival.

WHEN

• Friday Jan 31:  Event kickoff from 6:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.  (Global Game Jam theme will be announced at 7 p.m.); and
• Saturday Feb. 1: 2 p.m. to 4 p.m.

WHERE:

Niagara College Welland Campus, S306 (Simcoe Building)

MEDIA RSVP:

[email protected]

Media inquiries, please contact:

Julie Greco
Communications Consultant
Office: 905 641-2252 ext. 7368
Cell: 905 328 2532
[email protected]

Michael Wales
Communications Manager
Office: 905 641-2252 ext. 7773
Cell: 905 328 4101
[email protected]

A welcome song is performed by Elder Elaine Berwald and Nicole Joy-Fraser at the Indigenous Lounge opening on January 29.

Indigenous students have a new community gathering space to study, socialize or celebrate their culture at Niagara College.

January 29 marked the grand re-opening of the newly relocated and expanded Indigenous Lounge at the College’s recently renamed Daniel J. Patterson Campus in Niagara-on-the-Lake. Operated by the College’s Indigenous Education department, which is under the umbrella of Student Services, the lounge aims to create a sense of community and place for Indigenous students to enhance their student experience. A dedicated space for elder teachings and cultural programming initiatives, students can access resources and support services, and connect with peers and their culture onsite.

The new lounge is not only larger than its former location, it offers additional features and amenities such as a ventilated area to allow for smudging sessions, and a kitchenette with a sink and refrigerator to enable food prep – both important to Indigenous culture – as well as more seating, tables, and extra computer workstations. It is also in a more central location on campus, in a high-traffic area near the Student Commons.

“We are proud to unveil this beautiful expanded location for Indigenous Education which is an important part of campus life,” said College president Dan Patterson, PhD.  “This new student space is a testament to our College’s longstanding commitment to supporting our learners and to advancing the understanding of Indigenous cultures, heritage and languages within our College community.”

Student Services director Lianne Gagnon noted that Niagara College is dedicated to meeting the needs of its Indigenous students by providing academic and cultural supports, and encouraging student success.

“Indigenous students can face many barriers to education because of societal and historical factors and, for many, stepping through the front doors of a college shows their courage and desire to engage with formal education again in spite of the challenges,” said Gagnon. “It is vital for our Indigenous students to know that they have a culturally-safe space on campus where they can connect with one another and our Indigenous staff members. We know having this space makes all the difference to our students; it helps them stay in school and helps them feel supported and safe.”

Brian Kon, member of the College’s Indigenous Education management Circle, chair of Niagara Region Métis Council, and Indigenous lead for the Niagara Catholic District School Board, noted the significance of the new space.

“The Indigenous Lounge provides a welcoming and safe place for students to share their culture and traditions as well as learn from one another,” said Kon, who attended the grand opening. “It is a signal to the entire campus that Indigenous pride of our students and ancestors is strong and thriving at Niagara College.”

For the hundreds of Indigenous students on campus, the Indigenous Lounge serves as a ‘home away from home’ and plays a central role in daily campus life. Many access the space in between classes to study, participate in activities, or to connect with their peers and their culture.

Student Rachel Cloud speaks about how the Indigenous Lounge has helped her on her student journey.

For Rachel Cloud, Indigenous Student Ambassador for the NC Student Administrative Council and second-year student in the Primary Care Paramedic program, the lounge has played an important role in her personal college experience.

“Moving three hours from home to come to NC left me feeling very lost and isolated. The staff, students and elder of the Indigenous Lounge made me feel welcome and at home from the first day,” she said. “When the times got tough, Indigenous Education was there for me to support me in any and every way that I needed.”

She has since graduated from Indigenous Education’s Seeds of Community program, which teaches leadership skills to create peer mentors within the lounge for new incoming students, and became involved with the Indigenous Learning Circle to help educate faculty on how to support Indigenous students. Cloud noted that said that the Indigenous Lounge helps ease the transition to college for Indigenous students.

“Having the lounge provides a safe space for us to use our medicines, practise our culture, and be ourselves without the fear of scrutiny from others who may not understand or may not be as open and receptive to the practices of other cultures,” she said. “The Indigenous Lounge has helped make my experience at NC second to none.”

Second-year Business Administration – Human Resources student Dalton Bird, has also become a regular user of the Indigenous Lounge since he arrived at the College, and is thrilled about the new space.

“It’s a great opportunity and a great privilege that Niagara College gave us a bigger space because it is very much needed due to growth in the number of Indigenous students at our campuses,” said Bird.

Bird spends his time in-between classes at the Lounge not only to access support but to be available to help others with schoolwork or emotional support – just like others helped him during his first year.

“I would say that it’s the Indigenous nature to help one another in our community we are one giant family,” he said. “We take care of one another just as we would with our families at home.”

Indigenous Education staff, members of NCs Indigenous Management Circle, students and guests gather in the new Indigenous Lounge for its grand opening celebration.

Niagara College opened its first Aboriginal Student Resource Centre at the Welland Campus in 1992 and its first in Niagara-on-the-Lake in 2015. Both campuses also feature Indigenous gardens.

For information about Indigenous Education at NC visit niagaracollege.ca/indigenouseducation/

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:

Julie Greco

Communications Consultant

Office: 905 641-2252 ext. 7368

Cell: 905.328.2532

[email protected]

Michael Wales

Manager, Communications

Office: 905 735-2211 ext. 7773

Cell: 905 328-4101

[email protected]

Wine or beer – which is the preferred beverage to pair with a meal?

On January 25, students from Niagara College’s wine and beer programs will continue their battle for supremacy, while guests enjoy an elegant dinner at the College’s sold-out Caps, Corks and Forks event.

This will mark the 14^th round for Caps Corks and Forks – a popular series of dinner events held at NC’s Canadian Food and Wine Institute marked by a playful rivalry between the College’s wine and beer students. Guests savour a five-course meal, prepared by a team of culinary students led by chef Kyle Landry, while sipping two carefully selected beverage pairings to accompany each dish – one chosen by Team Wine and another by Team Beer.

Each dish becomes a battleground in this friendly wine-versus-beer competition and, after a little coaxing by members of both teams who address the crowd to defend their selections, guests vote for their preferred beverage following each course – with either a cap or a cork. The team with the most votes is declared the winner at the end of the event.

This round of Caps, Corks and Forks will also shine the spotlight on students from the College’s Artisan Distilling program. At a pre-dinner reception, guests will have an opportunity to sample the top five student-created signature cocktails, selected at a class competition last fall.

“Caps, Corks and Forks showcases applied learning in action for our wine, beer, culinary and distilling students, and is an opportunity for us to bring students from several different programs together for an event like no other,” said Craig Youdale, dean of NC’s Canadian Food and Wine Institute. “Guests get a taste of the world-class education at our Canadian Food and Wine Institute, and have an opportunity to experience the passion our students are developing for their industries first-hand.”

Team Wine is comprised of students in the Winery and Viticulture Technician and Wine Business Management programs, while Team Beer is comprised of students in the Brewmaster and Brewery Operations Management program.

First-year Winery and Viticulture Technician student Kate Baginski, who dreams of opening a micro winery someday, values the learning experience she is gaining as a member of Team Wine, led by College winemaker Gavin Robertson.

“Team Wine met many times discussing the menu and styles we believed would work well with each dish. Some were wonderful and some were an absolute no,” said Baginski who is originally from Collingwood, Ontario and developed a passion for wine while living in British Columbia’s Okanagan wine region. “It has helped me to develop a better understanding of what varietals pair well with certain foods, but also how greatly the style of the winemaker can influence the wine with food.”

Second-year Brewmaster and Brewery Operations Management student Alex Benjamin said that being a member of Team Beer, led by Brewmaster support liaison Victor North, has been educational and enjoyable. Through brainstorming and tasting sessions with his classmates to select the right beer for a dish, new memories were created.

“This event has been a unique experience by really putting our food and beer pairing knowledge to the test,” said the Dealtown, Ontario native who now lives in St. Catharines. “This was 100 percent a team effort where we all agreed on which individual beer we would pair with each dish. We came together as a team and put out five beers to win.”

Caps Corks and Forks has been a highly anticipated and quick to sell-out event since it launched at NC’s Canadian Food and Wine Institute in 2012. Team Wine has won seven previous Caps, Corks and Forks events while Team Beer has six previous wins.

The January 25 event will be held at Benchmark Restaurant at the College’s Daniel J. Patterson Campus in Niagara-on-the-Lake. Students from the Broadcasting – Radio, Television and Film program are also zooming in on the action, giving guests in the dining room a behind-the-scenes view of what is happening in the kitchen via a live stream.

Niagara College’s Canadian Food and Wine Institute provides students with valuable hands-on experience and academics in food, innovation, wine and beer. The CFWI, located at the Daniel J. Patterson Campus in Niagara-on-the-Lake, is home to Canada’s first Teaching Winery, Teaching Brewery and Teaching Distillery and its renowned teaching restaurant, Benchmark.

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:

Julie Greco

Communications Consultant

Office: 905 641-2252 ext. 7368

Cell: 905 328-2532

[email protected]

Michael Wales

Communications Manager

Office: 905 641-2252 ext. 7773

Cell: 905 328-4101

[email protected]

The aging population has a new made-in-Niagara solution to help regain their freedom of movement, thanks to a new device created by a local company with help from Niagara College’s Research & Innovation division.

Niagara Falls-based start-up Bisep Inc. is kicking off the new year by rolling out the full-scale commercialization of a new device that helps connect a person’s wheelchair to their walker, enabling unaided movement – solving a common challenge in long-term care. Named the ARMM (Ambulation, Retraining, Mobility, and Mechanism), the device acts as a security bridge to allow users to walk unassisted with their walker while the wheelchair trails safely behind them.

They plan to manufacture 1,000 units at Spark Niagara, a small manufacturing facility in Niagara Falls which, in turn, supports the creation of jobs and economy in the Niagara region.

The device was the brainchild of Bisep Inc. CEO and founder Daniel Bordenave, who identified the need, came up with the concept and turned to NC’s engineering research team for assistance in getting its innovative medical technology to market.

“We were limited in the machinery that we had and the brain capacity … we are not engineers,” said Bordenave. “What attracted me to Niagara College was the ability to access the amazing innovation department, a national leading group of engineers, and essentially create a quality product that would be functional, user-friendly, and safe.”

“This project is an example of applied research at its best, providing learning opportunities for our students as we help businesses innovate,” said Marc Nantel, NC’s vice president of Research, Innovation and Strategic Initiatives. “We are proud to use our expertise at our Walker Advanced Manufacturing Innovation Centre to provide solutions for a Niagara-based company that will assist the aging population in our community and beyond.”

Bordenave recognized the need for such a device while working as a kinesiologist in a long-term care facility. While it is standard practice for two or more health-care practitioners to help one patient with mobility training – one or two helping the individual walk, while another walks behind with the wheelchair in case of falls – funding was only available for a second therapist twice a week.

“Patients weren’t walking on a daily basis, and I couldn’t keep up due to safety concerns and regulations,” he said. “These folks were spending more sedentary time in their beds, in their wheelchairs and not improving, or causing further muscle loss because they were just not walking.”

Bordenave came up with the concept of attaching the wheelchair to the walker. After formulating his idea, he enlisted the tool and die talents of his grandfather to help fabricate a proof-of-concept prototype in their garage. To get it to market, he sought help from the engineering team at NC’s Walker Advanced Manufacturing Innovation Centre, based at the Welland Campus. NC’s R&I engineering team executed two projects to get to the final prototype, with funding from the Niagara Region and the Southern Ontario Network for Advanced Manufacturing Innovation (SONAMI).

First, the College research team capitalized on its mechanical design software and rapid prototyping technologies to create an initial prototype that would be ready for real-world testing, while Bisep put it into use in a medical research environment. Bisep conducted successful clinical trials through a collaborative research project with the Niagara Region and Brock University.

In addition to having a NC Occupational Therapist Assistant and Physiotherapist Assistant student assist Bisep on a co-op placement, professor Jodi Steele, from the College’s School of Justice and Fitness, leveraged her contacts to help the company secure live focus groups with therapists. Bordenave brought the ARMM to hospitals and long-term care facilities for focus groups with more than 100 therapists.

Bisep returned to NC for design modifications to produce a product that was universal to most wheelchairs and walkers, and adjustable to accommodate varying heights of users. The team replaced welded parts with 3D-printed components to increase the degree of variability in adjusting the device. Another major modification to the design was an exercise mode function – which involves standing from a seated position, a critical ability for mobility and fall prevention.

NC Mechanical Engineering Technology student Avery Edge valued the opportunity to work on the second phase of the project as a research assistant with WAMIC. “I have learned a lot about material strengths and properties, and how they affect the strength and performance of a device,” said Edge. “Being able to work with all technologies on this project also made it so enjoyable … going from computer CAD software to 3D printing to manual metal working for prototypes allowed me to experience what it takes all around to make a great device.”

Bisep has received several accolades for its new device. During the summer of 2019, Bisep placed first in a competition for start-up companies whose innovation in technologies or services can benefit older adults and caregivers. Bordenave was crowned the winner for Ontario in a National Impact Challenge: Startup Edition, AGE-WELL (Aging Gracefully across Environments using Technology to Support Wellness, Engagement and Long Life NCE Inc.). He was among five finalists to pitch their technology-based solution in one of three regional events in Canada. Bisep was also selected to work with XLerate Health, the largest health-care accelerator in the United States, to help them tap into the U.S. market, doing demonstrations at various health-care facilities.

Bordenave credited student and staff expertise at NC with helping to bring his concept to fruition. “I wouldn’t have been able to do any of this without the help of Niagara College’s Research & Innovation department,” says Bordenave. “If it weren’t for them, I probably would not have the company now or would not have done anything. Having access to funding and the research expertise was beyond amazing.”

Named Canada’s number one Research College by Research Infosource Inc, (view Nov. 12, 2019 news release here) Niagara College’s Research & Innovation division conducts research projects with industry partners through its Agriculture & Environment Innovation Centre, and the Canadian Food & Wine Institute Innovation Centre and the Walker Advanced Manufacturing Innovation Centre. The division also offers support in the areas of digital media and web solutions and business and commercialization solutions. Visit ncinnovation.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:

Julie Greco

Communications Consultant

Office: 905 641-2252 ext. 7368

Cell: 905 328-2532

[email protected]

Michael Wales

Communications Manager

Office: 905 641-2252 ext. 7773

Cell: 905 328-4101

[email protected]