Dr. Phyllis Webstad returns to Niagara to meet scholarship recipients

On June 5, Niagara College hosted its first-ever Indigenous Student Awards Banquet to celebrate the outstanding achievements of Indigenous students at the College.

January Rogers, a Mohawk/Tuscarora poet, media producer, performance and sound artist and owner of Ojistoh Publishing and Productions, emceed the banquet, themed “Inspiring Futures,” which was held at Club Roma in St. Catharines.

In addition to recognizing award-winning students, NC’s Indigenous Education department established the event to foster a sense of belonging, empowerment, and encouragement among the students, reinforcing the value of their contributions to both academia and society.

NC President Sean Kennedy attended the event, along with other members from the College’s Executive Team, to honour the student award recipients and thank their supporters. “Tonight is a celebration of courage, triumph and community, recognizing the resilience and talents of our Indigenous students,” said Kennedy. “Congratulations to our award recipients, you make us proud.”

The evening’s guest of honour was Dr. Phyllis Webstad, founder of the Orange Shirt Society and a third-generation residential school survivor, who travelled to Niagara from Williams Lake, B.C. to attend the banquet.

Webstad spoke to guests about her family’s history in the residential school system, specifically at St. Joseph’s Mission Residential School in Williams Lake, and shared upcoming projects from the Orange Shirt Society to advance the organization’s pursuit of truth and reconciliation for the Indigenous peoples of Canada.

“The oppression is lifting,” Webstad said at the event. “I believe that, seeing all of the [Indigenous] graduates across Canada from high schools, colleges and universities.”

Webstad visited NC in September 2022 as part of Orange Shirt Day activities in the Niagara region. During the visit, NC presented Webstad with a new scholarship in her honour. The Dr. Phyllis Webstad Indigenous Scholarship was initially established with $40,000 in contributions from generous community donors and organizations who were inspired by Webstad’s story and advocacy work.

At the banquet, she met the inaugural recipients of the scholarship, each of whom received $1,000 during the 2023-24 academic year to help alleviate some of the financial burden that comes with a postsecondary education.

“When we created the Dr. Phyllis Webstad Scholarship to honour Phyllis, she made it clear that she was committed to meeting the award recipients in person whenever possible, to share in celebrating their perseverance and beautiful stories,” said Leah Hogan, NC’s Director of Indigenous Education.

Award-winning students

NC’s first group of Dr. Phyllis Webstad Indigenous Scholarship recipients are:

Stephanie Buck is a proud Onondaga and Cayuga from Six Nations of the Grand River and a mom to four young children. Buck completed her ACE certification through the Academic Upgrading program and enrolled in the Culinary Management program at the age of 38. She will graduate this June after persevering through many hurdles.

Tonya Burnham is of Lower Mohawk and Cree descent. After experiencing health issues and with experience as a Pharmacy Technician, Burnham enrolled in NC’s Office Administration – Health Services program. The first year-student enjoys learning and getting involved in community, including at the Fort Erie Friendship Centre and through the Niagara Chapter – Native Women Inc.

Randi Comrie is a First Nations woman who often felt disconnected from the traditional education system growing up. When she discovered the Early Childhood Education program, in partnership with Six Nations Polytechnic, she found her true calling. Through the program, which she will graduate from this month, she deepened her understanding of child development while learning how to create inclusive and culturally responsive learning environments.

“Congratulations to the first three recipients and I look forward to the many, many more in the years to come,” said Webstad after connecting with each student on stage.

NC’s Advancement team continues to welcome donations for this scholarship fund. The goal is to grow the fund to eventually support every Indigenous student who attends Niagara College.

Four additional students were also recognized at the event for receiving other financial awards to support the cost of their education.

Karina Courville from Welland is a part of the Métis Community. Karina is graduating from the Hairstyling – Barbering program this June and aspires to open her own salon to help people feel confident and connected, while sharing her Métis heritage through hairstyling.

Jaci Tekanoweraa Green completed her first year in the Protection Security and Investigation (Customs Border Services) program this year. Jaci is from the Mohawk Nation and is a dedicated and hard-working student who looks forward to continuing her studies at NC.

Kelsey Harley from Milton is a member of the Wabaseemoong First Nation community. Harley just completed her first year in the Acting for Film and Digital Media program and aspires to work in the film industry in Toronto one day.

Logan Ritchie is a proud Anishnaabe and member of Chimnissing First Nation, located on Christian Island. Logan is graduating from the Broadcasting – Radio, Television and Film (Film Production) advanced diploma program this June and looks forward to pursuing a career in postproduction video editing.

A surprise mention was given to Social Service Worker student Sheena Maracle, who is Mohawk and Onieda. Maracle was recognized for her ability to connect with fellow students through her role as Indigenous Education Student Mentor with NC’s Indigenous Education team.

Along with employees, students and their families, many community partners joined the celebration, including members from NC’s Indigenous Education Management Circle (IEMC) and representatives from the Embark Student Foundation.

Earlier this year, Embark generously donated $500,000 to NC through its Embark Student Foundation Major Grant Program. The funds will help launch the Indigenous Student Success Pathways Project, which will directly support Indigenous learners at the College.

Niagara College has a full-time enrolment of more than 11,000 students from over 95 countries, who study in 130 diploma, certificate and bachelor degree programs at specialized campuses in Welland and Niagara-on-the-Lake. Niagara College is also involved in educational projects and partnerships around the world and is consistently ranked among Canada’s top 10 colleges for research funding. Learn more at niagaracollege.ca.

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Media inquiries, please contact:

Elyse Howarth
Communications Consultant
Cell: 905-329-4910
[email protected]

Niagara College’s Director of Athletics and Student Engagement presented with silver award

For the second time in two years, a member of the Niagara College community has earned a prestigious national award recognizing exceptional leadership and significant contributions to student success.

Michele O’Keefe, Director, Athletics and Student Engagement, was presented with a silver Leadership Excellence Award for Managerial Staff from Colleges and Institutes Canada (CICan) on April 30 during its 2024 CICan Connection Conference in Calgary.

Honourable Mentions also went to Niagara College for the Excellence in Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Award, and to Reginald (Reggie) Williams for the Leadership Excellence Award for Students.

O’Keefe, formerly the CEO and president of Canada Basketball, joined Niagara College in 2018—the same year she was awarded the Leadership in Sport Award at the Canadian Sport Awards, Canada’s premier event for national sport achievement and leadership recognition.

In the years since, O’Keefe’s commitment to promoting sport as a tool of empowerment—especially for women—has remained steadfast. At Niagara College, she’s been a constant source of encouragement for students, athletes, coaches and employees who are motivated by her genuine and inspiring leadership style.

O’Keefe, however, credits the college for creating an environment where she can help student and staff flourish.

“I feel very fortunate to work at Niagara College,” she said. “The special environment we have allows me to have influence in building an atmosphere where our students and staff can participate in programs, events and teams that will help them for life. The collaborative nature of Niagara College—combined with the staff we have in Athletics and Student Engagement—naturally builds programs that put our students in the spotlight.

“I’m very grateful to Niagara College for nominating me for this prestigious award,” she added. “To know that the Knights family feels that my leadership is valuable is a tremendous feeling.”

Highly respected in the field of sport, O’Keefe has received numerous accolades and awards for her visionary leadership, including the City of Welland’s esteemed H.L. Cudney Memorial Award for her contributions to basketball, and an Executive Award of Merit in 2020 for her role formalizing a structure for the development of basketball officials. In 2020, she was also a runner-up for the International Olympic Committee Women and Sport Awards.

O’Keefe is the past Board Chair of the Ontario Sport Network (OSN) and is among a small group of Canadian athletic leaders to sit on world sports boards. From 2014-2023, she served on the International Basketball Federation (FIBA) Americas Board and the FIBA Central Board, making her a top female policymaker in international sport.

Throughout her career she has played an integral role in shaping sport policy and continues to build capacity for sport excellence at the local, provincial, national and international levels through her volunteer work.

Among O’Keefe’s recent accomplishments is a partnership with the City of Welland to launch the first-ever Girls Sport Day in 2022, which provides girls between the ages of six and 12 the opportunity to try a variety of sports to build confidence and instill a sense of belonging in sport.

She also held a spot on the board of directors and served as Chair of the Legacy Committee for the Niagara 2022 Summer Games.

Niagara College President Sean Kennedy said O’Keefe’s leadership at the College is shaping a legacy of excellence in sport and a passion for community building.

“Michele’s unique ability to bring people together and drive collaboration in support of students is infectious,” Kennedy said. “Like any great coach, she leads by example, nurturing talent and leveraging connections to build people up and bring out their best. Michele embodies Niagara College’s welcoming, passionate and trailblazing characteristics. She is warm, approachable and pragmatic, and her leadership inspires trust and serves as a magnet for new partnerships and connections.”

The CICan Awards of Excellence recognize and promote excellence within Canadian colleges and institutes, while showcasing the extraordinary contributions of individuals to their college/institute communities.

“The impact of the college and institute sector is felt in the success of our students and the partnerships we build across our communities,” said CICan President and CEO Pari Johnston. “The exceptional leaders within our institutions are the key drivers of that impact. Congratulations, Michele, on your Leadership Excellence Award for Managerial Staff.”

CICan’s Leadership Excellence Award for Managerial Staff recognizes an individual or team who has made an exceptional contribution within their institution and within the community it serves.

O’Keefe was presented with the award at the silver level on April 30 at CICan’s Awards of Excellence Luncheon.

Niagara College has a full-time enrolment of more than 10,000 students from over 95 countries, who study in 130 diploma, certificate and bachelor degree programs at specialized campuses in Welland and Niagara-on-the-Lake. Niagara College is also involved in educational projects and partnerships around the world and is consistently ranked among Canada’s top 10 colleges for research funding. Learn more at niagaracollege.ca.

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Media inquiries, please contact:

Elyse Howarth
Communications Consultant
Cell: 905-329-4910
[email protected]

Unique experience demonstrates life-long learning in action

A one-of-a-kind trailblazing project from Niagara College’s School of Community Services and Heidehof – a well-known seniors care community home in St. Catharines – has been recognized with a provincial industry award for its innovative approach to intergenerational learning and social connection.

The project – “A Senior’s Freshman Year: The Intergenerational College Experience” – involved 29 first-year students from NC’s Recreation Therapy program and 10 seniors living at the home in Long-term Care, Supportive Housing and Life Lease units.

The unique experience was delivered during NC’s 2024 winter term from January to April through the Recreation Therapy program’s Applied Positive Strategies in Therapeutic Recreation course, which focuses on strategies for increasing wellbeing through positive psychology.

“The course content lent itself well to the project,” said Heather Vokey, part-time NC Professor and Manager of Life Enrichment at Heidehof who taught the course. “It was applicable to the NC students preparing for their future careers as Recreation Therapists and for the seniors who could take a lot of the strategies and apply them to their own lives, increasing their wellbeing.”

The outcome of the project included three main focuses: foster and sustain relationships between students and the senior participants; learn and engage in self-directed meaningful activities that promote well-being; and instill a sense of meaning and purpose in the seniors through mentoring students.

To accomplish these goals, both the NC students and the seniors – the “Heidehof students” – attended class together at the home on Tuesday mornings for 14 weeks. Each class consisted of a two-hour lecture, a one-hour hands-on activity and “mentor moments” – intentional learning exercises where the seniors shared their life experiences with the NC students.

Through the opportunity, the NC students gained a practical understanding and application of the course theory in a real-world setting, earning a credit towards their diploma in the process, while all participants discovered the value of belonging to a healthy, inclusive, life-long learning community.

“This course really proves that you can never be too old to learn,” said one Heidehof senior student.

“Back when I was in school, mental health was not thought of in a positive way, however by taking this course it provides education on better outlooks that they did not have then,” said another Heidehof senior student.

Meaningful relationships also blossomed between participants, demonstrating that social connection has no age boundary.

“This experience opened my eyes when it came to long-term care because when I first enrolled in the Recreation Therapy program, I wanted to work with children. After genuinely bonding with my Heidehof student, my outlook on my original target population to work with changed and long-term care was my ideal setting,” said NC student Cassidy King.

“This course is something I will never forget and I am lucky that I had the opportunity to meet my resident because she is someone who, even though the positive psychology course is done, I will continue to visit and hold very close to my heart,” King added.

The project was funded through a New Horizons Grant from the federal government, which provided the necessary course materials and iPads for the seniors to learn on. The funding also enabled the team to hire an assistant, Lauren Cooke, who worked closely with Vokey to support the project. Cooke gathered regular participant feedback and helped plan the activities that correlated to the class topic each week. Activities included balloon tennis, exercise classes, bowling, gratitude jars and more.

“The weekly activities fostered a sense of inclusion and belonging, teamwork, respect, and appreciation for one another among the participants,” said Cooke, who completed NC’s Recreation Therapy program in December 2023 and will graduate this June. “The connections made, the relationships they formed, while also learning something new that they can apply to their positive well-being, has been an endearing privilege to watch.”

Cooke also completed her field placement at Heidehof as an NC student, which helped her in her role supporting the intergenerational project.

The initiative exceeded the expectations of Jackie Frail, NC’s Associate Dean, School of Community Services, who worked with Vokey on the funding application and project framework back in 2022.

“I am immensely proud of the collaboration between Niagara College and Heidehof,” said Frail. “This project stands as a shining example of our organizations’ shared commitment to making a significant impact in the lives of those we serve and is a hallmark for meaningful applied learning opportunities for students. I extend my heartfelt gratitude to the students from both NC and Heidehof for their unwavering dedication to this experience.”

In addition to learning practical skills through the experience, the NC students gained many valuable soft skills that will help them become compassionate recreation therapists.

“I have learned a lot beyond the class material itself. I have learned patience, I have learned how to better communicate and listen to people when they have things to share, and I have also learned how to be a better friend,” said NC student Annabelle Stephens-Beaudoin.

Participants celebrated their final class together on April 9, which was followed by a surprise luncheon organized by Vokey and Cooke.

Industry recognition

On April 17, Heidehof and NC were recognized for the project by AdvantAge Ontario, the voice of not-for-profit seniors’ care in Ontario for more than 100 years.

The project received the Innovation and Excellence Community Connections Award, which honours initiatives that build strong, positive relationships to better serve the local community and that profile the organization and its services. Award winners may be distinguished through partnerships with other organizations, program expansion, public relations, community development activities, volunteer programs, or other outstanding community initiatives.

The award was presented on day one of the AdvantAge Ontario Advancing Senior Care Convention in Toronto. The three-day convention is attended by over 1,100 guests from across Canada including healthcare administrators, professionals and executives; government representatives; and sector stakeholders, who come together to connect, network and learn about the latest in seniors’ care.

Niagara College has a full-time enrolment of more than 11,000 students from over 95 countries, who study in 130 diploma, certificate and bachelor’s degree programs at specialized campuses in Welland and Niagara-on-the-Lake. Niagara College is also involved in educational projects and partnerships around the world and is consistently ranked among Canada’s top 10 colleges for research funding. Learn more at niagaracollege.ca.

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Media inquiries, please contact:

Elyse Howarth
Communications Consultant
905-329-4910
[email protected]

 

Award-winning winemaker and Niagara College alumnus Paul Pender, who passed away suddenly in February 2022 at the age of 54, is being honoured through a scholarship that will help the next generation of diverse winemakers.

Moray Tawse, founder of Tawse Winery in Vineland where Pender was the Director of Viticulture and Winemaking at the time of his passing, has made an endowed gift of close to $200,000 to create “The Tawse Winery Paul Pender Memorial BIPOC Student Award.”

The donation will fund annual $10,000 scholarships for BIPOC students in NC’s Winery and Viticulture Technician program, which Pender graduated from in 2006.

“Paul’s passion for winemaking was unmatched and his talents directly contributed to our winery’s success early on,” said Tawse. “We will be forever indebted to Paul for his dedication and friendship, and we look forward to supporting Niagara College students in his honour.”

“Niagara College is grateful to Moray Tawse for his generous donation in memory of our inspirational alumnus Paul Pender,” said NC President Sean Kennedy. “Paul was a role model for so many students and a shining example of the trailblazing professionals coming out of our wine programs.”

Pender was known for his easy going and positive nature. The respected organic winemaker gave generously of his time and expertise to mentor aspiring professionals in the industry and was welcoming to everyone.

Through The Tawse Winery Paul Pender Memorial BIPOC Student Award, Tawse hopes to help expand access into the Winery and Viticulture Technician program, especially for people who are underrepresented in the beverage alcohol industry, including Black, Indigenous, People of Colour, people with disabilities, first generation Canadians, LGBTQ2S+ and non-binary gender diverse people.

Inspirational NC alumnus Paul Pender

Pender was part of the second graduating class of the College’s trailblazing Winery and Viticulture Technician program. After completing his studies, his career quickly blossomed within the heart of Niagara’s booming wine industry, and he became one of the most celebrated winemakers in Canada.

He joined Tawse Winery in 2005 and became head winemaker in 2006. Under his leadership, Tawse achieved EcoCert Organic and Demeter Biodynamic certification and was named Canadian Winery of the Year in 2010, 2011, 2012 and 2016 – repeat wins that were unprecedented.

Pender was awarded the prestigious title of Winemaker of the Year at the Ontario Wine Awards in 2011 and 2022. Also in 2022, the Ontario Wine Awards introduced a special trophy in recognition of Pender’s legacy called the Paul Pender Memorial ‘Rising Star’ Award, given to recipients who demonstrate the qualities that made Pender a winemaker’s winemaker – talent, selfless generosity, mentorship, and innovation. NC alumni from the Winery and Viticulture Technician program received the award in 2022 and 2023. The inaugural recipient was alumnus Alex Baines (2015), head winemaker at Hidden Bench Estate Winery in Beamsville who spent time working with Pender at Tawse Winery. In 2023, the award went to alumna Brooke Husband (2018), Assistant Winemaker at Domaine Queylus in St. Ann’s.

Through the years, Pender kept close ties with his alma mater, returning to the College on several occasions to speak to students and share his expertise. He also participated in two advisory committees for the Winery and Viticulture Technician program and consulted with the College regarding its Artisan Distilling program.

“Paul was one of our brightest alumni who always had his door open for mentoring the next generation,” said Gord Arbeau, NC’s Vice President Advancement. “It’s fitting that a scholarship in his name will support future professionals in the wine industry.”

Niagara College has a full-time enrolment of more than 10,000 students from over 95 countries, who study in 130 diploma, certificate and bachelor degree programs at specialized campuses in Welland and Niagara-on-the-Lake. Niagara College is also involved in educational projects and partnerships around the world and is consistently ranked among Canada’s top 10 colleges for research funding. Learn more at niagaracollege.ca.

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Photos:

Top photo: Moray and Paul: Moray Tawse (left), founder of Tawse Winery in Vineland, with NC alumnus and winemaker Paul Pender. Tawse has donated to NC to create a memorial scholarship in Pender’s name that will support diverse students in the Winery and Viticulture Technician program.

Media inquiries, please contact:

Michael Wales
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905-328-4101
[email protected]