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]

Students browse through racks of tops at Dress to Impress (file photo, 2019).

Niagara College staff members are rolling up their sleeves to ensure students are ‘well suited’ for career opportunities.

From shirts, pants and blazers, to dresses and accessories – professional attire will be available to students free of charge at the College’s Dress to Impress business clothing giveaway. Hosted by Student Services, the event will be held on January 28 at the Welland Campus and on January 29 at the Daniel J. Patterson Campus in Niagara-on-the-Lake, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

This will be the fourth annual event of its kind at NC. The initiative was launched to help alleviate some of the financial challenges students may face when it comes to investing in professional clothing to wear for job interviews, networking events or work.

College career consultant Marsha Fiorino has witnessed how much students appreciate the event and the on-site assistance they receive to help them make a positive impression on employers.

“There are always students who have sacrificed so much to come to school and they aren’t able to afford a pair of nice pants for an interview or for work,” said Fiorino. “It’s nice to be able to help them prepare for their job search and for the world of work, and to do what we can to take some of the financial stress from them.”

The initiative has racked up increasing support from College employees, who have been donating  gently-used business attire for weeks leading up to the event, as well as from the public.

Dress to Impress is among a roster of initiatives at NC to prepare students for employment opportunities. While assistance and resources are always available from Career Services, the month of January is dubbed ‘Career Month’ at Niagara College, with a series of additional drop-in events available to students including resume clinics, speed interviewing, photo headshot sessions, LinkedIn clinics, and more.

Career Month events lead up to the highly-anticipated College Career Fair in early February when employers from Niagara and across Canada will be on campus to recruit students for full-time, part-time, seasonal and co-op positions. The 2020 Career Fair at Niagara College will be its largest to date, to run at the Welland Campus on Feb. 4 and in Niagara-on-the-Lake February 5, 6 and 7 – with about 50 employers on campus each day.  Visit careerfair.niagaracollege.ca/careermonth/ for details.

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 Advisory

Dress to Impress free clothing and accessory giveaway

Event media availability:

Media is welcome to attend for event coverage during times specified below.

Welland Campus: Tuesday, January 28, 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. (Cafeteria/ Student Commons, glass room

Daniel J. Patterson Campus (NOTL): Wednesday,  January 29, 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. (Cafeteria/ Student Commons, glass room)

Media RSVP: Please contact Julie Greco at [email protected] to pre-arrange interviews.

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]

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]

The Niagara College Board of Governors announced today that it has selected Sean Kennedy, an experienced postsecondary leader with 20 years of experience leading teams in several areas of higher education, as Niagara College’s sixth president.

Currently Niagara College’s senior vice president, International, Kennedy has been a part of the College’s senior leadership team since 2006.

“Sean is student-focused, and embodies the Niagara College DNA – the welcoming, passionate and trailblazing qualities that set Niagara College apart and form the foundation of its success,” said John F.T. Scott, chair of the Niagara College Board of Governors.

Kennedy succeeds Dan Patterson, who announced in spring, 2019 that he would conclude his 25-year tenure as president. In July 2019, the Niagara College Board of Governors began its process to select a new president.

“Our recruitment process attracted exceptional candidates from across the country,” said Scott. “In the end it became very clear that Sean brings the ideal combination of energy, experience, vision and community connections that will help him lead Niagara College into the next chapter of its remarkable history.”

Kennedy joined Niagara College in 2006 as vice president, Student and External Relations and CEO of the Niagara College Foundation, a role in which he oversaw the College’s re-branding and implemented strategies to strengthen the College’s marketing, fundraising, enrolment, community engagement and government relations.

For the 2011-2012 academic year, Kennedy served as interim vice president, Academic, with responsibility for all academic operations of the College, including program quality, pathways and educational development.

Kennedy assumed his current role in 2014, overseeing the College’s global engagement and rapidly growing international activities, including international partnerships and student mobility, student recruitment and services, English Language programs, and overseas projects, campuses and training. In this role, Kennedy has led a multi-national team of more than 500 employees who have significantly extended the College’s profile and enriched the lives of students around the world.

Kennedy has also been a member of boards and agencies at the national, provincial and community levels.

Prior to joining Niagara College, Kennedy held leadership positions in student services, academic and International education at the University of Alberta and Red Deer College.

“It is an absolute privilege to be given the opportunity to lead Canada’s most dynamic college,” said Kennedy.  “Niagara College is successful because we dream big, we dare to lead, and we have an exceptionally dedicated team of faculty and staff, who share a commitment to the success of our students and our communities. Looking ahead to a period of significant opportunities and challenges, I will work tirelessly as president to nurture, encourage and leverage our shared values, and the defining characteristics that set Niagara College apart.”

Kennedy and his wife, Kerry, live in Fonthill and are the proud parents of two sons, Aidan and Neil.

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Note to editors: For interviews, please contact Michael Wales, manager, Corporate Communications at 905 328-4101 or [email protected].

Media inquiries, contact:

Michael Wales
Manager, Corporate Communications
905 735-2211 ext. 7773
905 328-4101 (cell)
[email protected]

About Sean T. Kennedy

A strong advocate for the value of applied education – in Ontario, Canada and around the world – Sean Kennedy is an experienced postsecondary leader with 20 years of experience leading teams in all areas of higher education.

Appointed Niagara College’s sixth president in January, 2020, Sean has been a member of the College’s senior leadership team since 2006, when he joined NC as vice president of Student and External Relations, a role in which he oversaw the development of the College’s new branding and community engagement strategies and was responsible for Enrolment & Registration, Student Services, Alumni Services, Athletics, Marketing and Recruitment, and International.  In addition, he was the CEO of the Niagara College Foundation, responsible for leading the College’s fundraising efforts.

From September 2011 to June 2012, Sean served as Niagara College’s interim vice president, Academic, with responsibility for all academic operations of the College, including programs, pathways and educational development, research and innovation, and the College’s learning enterprises.

Since 2014, Sean has served as vice president, and currently senior vice president, International, leading the College’s global engagement and rapidly growing international activities, including international partnerships and student mobility, student recruitment and services, English Language programs, and overseas projects, campuses and training.

Prior to joining Niagara College, Sean was dean of students, and then associate vice president, Student Services and International Education at Red Deer College in Alberta. After serving as a student leader with the Students’ Union, Sean held various roles at the University of Alberta from 1990 to 2000, including director of the Student Ombudservice and director, Undergraduate Student Services in the Faculty of Education.

Recognized as a leader in international education and student services in Canada, Sean has served on the board of directors of the Canadian Bureau for International Education (CBIE) and a number of international advisory committees. He has also served as chair of the Colleges Ontario Student Access and Success Coordinating Committee, and as co-moderator of the Ontario Ministry of Training, Colleges and Universities Summit on Mental Health and Addictions.

Active in the community, Sean has served on the boards of the Business Education Council of Niagara, Niagara Sport Commission, Greater Niagara Chamber of Commerce, St. Catharines-Thorold Chamber of Commerce and Leadership Niagara.

Sean holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Alberta and a Master of Public Administration from Queen’s University, and is currently completing his Doctoral studies in leadership in higher and adult education and comparative, international and development education at the University of Toronto.

A sports and outdoors enthusiast, Sean holds a Level III National Coaching Certification in cross-country skiing. He and his wife, Kerry, live in Fonthill and are the proud parents of two sons, Aidan and Neil.

A corporate gift to Niagara College’s School of Business will enhance opportunities for students while helping small- and medium-sized enterprises increase productivity.

RBC Foundation has announced $150,000 – pledged over a three-year period – to support NC’s Productivity Innovation Lab (PiLab). The gift was funded through RBC’s Future Launch, a 10-year $500-million commitment to help Canadian youth prepare for the jobs of tomorrow.

“We’re excited to be working with Niagara College to help bring RBC Future Launch to life,” said Steve Nixon, regional vice president, Niagara Market, RBC. “We have a responsibility to prepare young people for the opportunities and ambiguities of the future. RBC Future Launch is a decade-long commitment to helping Canadian youth prepare for the jobs of tomorrow.”

“The ability to grow and adapt has improved here in the Niagara region thanks to the RBC Foundation’s significant investment in Niagara College,” said Steve Hudson, senior vice-president, Academic and Learner Services, Niagara College. “RBC’s support is a testament to the unparalleled experiential learning we offer our students, and will open the door to even more opportunities for them to assist SMEs seeking to enhance productivity and innovation.”

Launched in 2013, PiLab offers a framework to help small- and medium-sized businesses achieve sustainable productivity gains while providing valuable experiential opportunities for students within NC’s School of Business and Management Studies. Through PiLab, students assist SMEs with industry research, technology adoption and idea testing to support productivity challenges, business strategy, branding, and innovation.

“Working at PiLab offers students a whole different level of experience,” said Dawit Eshetu, associate dean, School of Business. “While our students have done course-based research before, at PiLab they are elevated to a consultant role as industry solution-seekers.”

Since PiLab was launched in 2013, it has assisted 10 small businesses while it has provided 15 students with work experience, and engaged 75 students from the School of Business and Management Studies.

Eshetu noted that RBC’s gift will boost PiLab’s outreach significantly during the next three years. It is expected to create up to 30 part-time paid positions for students, who will gain experience working directly with clients, and help to create new course curriculum and workshops to expand opportunities for other Business students. About 300 Business students are expected to work on PiLab projects during the next three years, thanks to RBC Foundation’s gift.

Funds will also support students working on PiLab projects through mentorship and seminars focused on research, communication, problem solving, and data analytics, specific to the projects at hand; and will  ensure that faculty are trained in the latest technological advances. Local RBC employees will also participate as guest speakers and mentors for students.

“The partnership with RBC allows us to create more practical learning and networking opportunities that create much-needed workplace skills such as critical thinking, problem solving, digital competencies and teamwork,” said Eshetu. “It also helps us build our capacity to provide additional quality experiential opportunities through projects which involve students directly with industry partners.”

News of RBC Foundation’s gift was applauded by students Adam Sheridan and Stephen Moss who work as student consultants for PiLab while studying in Bachelor of Business Administration (International Commerce and Global Development) program. Currently working on a project for a Toronto-based startup company, Sheridan and Moss are developing a plan to incorporate the project work for their client into a classroom project for second-term students in the International Business Management graduate certificate program. The pilot project will kick off in January and the results will be presented to the client in April.

“Working with PiLab has truly been enriching. It has provided me with hands-on experience working with clients, as well as mentoring, working with other students on projects in almost a managing role, as we liaise with them and our clients,” said Sheridan. “I’m excited that even more students in our program will benefit from this experience through RBC Foundation’s gift.”

“For me, working at PiLab has really opened my eyes to future opportunities,” said Moss, a lifelong Niagara resident. “I have a two-year-old daughter at home now and I want to make her proud.”

Recent industry partner Borgo Contract Seating applauded the assistance it has received through NC’s PiLab. PiLab assisted Borgo with implementing 5S and setting the building blocks for its lean management system. More recently, from 2015-2018, the company also worked with PiLab on a project which focused on researching and understanding the landscape of classrooms of the future.

“Being able to work with young bright minds along with well-informed professionals was the perfect fit,” said Lucas Spassiani, vice-president of Borgo. “Their hands-on approach helped us put in a system that works to meet our specific needs and they have left us with the tools to train future employees, effectively and easily.

“We couldn’t be happier with the outcome and look forwarded to our future projects.”

Niagara College’s School of Business and Management, prepares students for a wide variety of industries spanning from accounting to marketing, human resources, international business, and more. Diploma, certificate and two four-year degree programs are taught by professors with significant expertise in their field and reflect NC’s commitment to providing students with hands-on learning opportunities through internships and placements. Visit niagaracollege.ca/business/.

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.

PHOTO ABOVE:

Representatives from RBC joined representatives from Niagara College on December 12 to announce RBC’s gift. Pictured from left: David Day, VP, Commercial Financial Services, Niagara Market, RBC; Mark Parker, professor, Niagara College; Adam McInnis, VP, RBC Dominion Securities, Niagara Market; Fiona Allan, associate VP Academic Services, Niagara College; Steve Hudson, senior VP, Academic and Learner Services, Niagara College; Steve Nixon, regional VP, Niagara Market, RBC; Adam Sheridan, Niagara College student and PiLab consultant; Stephen Moss, Niagara College student and PiLab Consultant; and Dawit Eshetu, associate dean, School of Business, Niagara College.

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Media inquiries, please contact:

Julie Greco

Communications Consultant

Office: 905 641-2252 ext. 7368

Cell: 905 328 2532

[email protected]