December marks the end of the Fall term, and Loyalist College students, faculty and staff have completed various projects, exams and initiatives – and are preparing for the first semester of 2017. As the College community reflects on what it has accomplished together in the last year, the most significant highlights are the progress and personal growth of Loyalist students, facilitated through the learning-centred focus, which is the core of the Loyalist academic experience.
Loyalist President & CEO Ann Marie Vaughan, who joined the College on November 7, noted that Loyalist College and the Ontario college system will celebrate the 50th anniversary year in 2017. “We are looking forward to celebrating ‘The Start of Something Amazing,’” she said. “For Loyalist, this landmark anniversary represents the success of more than 40,000 graduates who contribute to their communities each and every day, delivering much-needed services in health and policing, in human studies, engineering technologies, media arts and applied sciences. We encourage Loyalist alumni and friends to check out loyalistconnections.com to reconnect, post and read yearbook messages, discover events, and learn about the College’s history.”
Loyalist continues to accept applications for more than 30 diploma and certificate programs starting this January. Rather than having to wait until September, January intakes offer students the opportunity to build on their credentials immediately in order to change or advance their careers. With many January Start programs, students have the option to study through the Summer, Fall and Winter semesters, completing a two-year diploma in approximately 16 months.
“With the flexibility to accommodate students’ schedules and meet employer demands for graduates throughout the year, January intakes are just one reason why College is the post-secondary education of choice,” said President Vaughan.
In September 2017, two new Ontario College certificate programs will begin at Loyalist:
- Two-semester Radiation Safety, designed to prepare learners to effectively monitor and control radiation exposure and to implement safety measures in the nuclear sector as well as in various work, health care and natural environments.
- Two-year Community Integration through Co-operative Education (CICE), designed to empower students with intellectual or developmental disabilities and other significant learning challenges through opportunities to develop skills that prepare them for the workplace and increased independence in the community.
Key 2017 dates include:
o January Start registration until January 20
o 20th Annual Career Fair – February 1
o Open House – April 8
o 50th Anniversary Convocation – June 8 & 9
Other 2016 highlights:
- Loyalist graduates honoured with prestigious awards
As part of the Higher Education Summit on November 21, Farzana Wahidy (2009, Photojournalism) received the 2016 Premier’s Award for Creative Arts and Design. Loyalist alumna Maureen Piercy, who retired as the College’s President & CEO at the end of August, received the Minister’s Lifetime Achievement Award for demonstrating exceptional leadership and promoting excellence in Ontario’s college system.
- Canada and Ontario invest to renew infrastructure at Loyalist
Through the Post-Secondary Institutions Strategic Investment Fund, the Government of Canada contributed $1.6M to renovate the third floor of the Northumberland Wing in the Kente Building. This funding, announced in October, will provide the foundation for developing facilities for studies in Health and Wellness, where students and faculty from Health Sciences, Human Studies and other disciplines will collaborate on innovative programming, projects and applied research. The concept was included in Loyalist 2020, the College’s Strategic Plan for 2015-2020. Its focus is on creating important synergies to help people of all ages live healthy, fulfilling lifestyles in their homes and communities. In addition to federal funding, the Government of Ontario contributed $0.8M and the College $0.8M for a total investment of $3.2M to enhance and modernize the third floor of the Kente Building.
- Loyalist awarded NSERC Innovation Enhancement Grant
Research and innovation is playing an important role at Loyalist. In September, Loyalist received $200,000 from the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC) to enhance the College’s applied research capacity within its state-of-the-art Supercritical CO2 Extraction Applied Research Laboratory. Awarded over two years, this funding will help to increase Loyalist’s community and industry collaborations, and facilitate knowledge transfer, adaptation and adoption of new technologies and processes.
- Applied Research: Entomo Farms
Under the lead of Loyalist Biosciences Professor Dr. Kari Kramp, this research project aims to validate Entomo Farms’ scientific methods, illustrating the tremendous environmental, social and nutritional benefits of insect farming and the adoption of insect protein as an integral part of human, pet and livestock diets. This project is made possible by the Government of Ontario through Ontario Centres of Excellence (OCE), as well as the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC).
- Naming of ‘The Bay of Quinte Skills Centre’
In August, the Board of Governors of Loyalist College announced the naming of ‘The Bay of Quinte Skills Centre’ in recognition of the support provided by the citizens of Belleville, Quinte West, Hastings County and Prince Edward County during the Campaign for Loyalist College. The Capital Campaign was designed to complete and equip the Sustainable Skills, Technology and Life Sciences Centre, and to establish much-needed awards and student financial assistance. Thanks to the generosity of many, including the municipalities, the Skills Centre is a state-of-the-art facility that provides Skills programs, development and training for the region.
- Award-winning students, graduates and programs
The College is always proud of our award-winning students, graduates and programs, and their achievements which reinforce the value and quality of their education. For example, in May and June, Practical Nursing graduates who wrote the Canadian Practical Nurse Registration Exam (CPNRE) were 100 percent successful.
In October, Environmental Technician student Liz Brant received the 2016 Environmental Scholarship for Indigenous Students courtesy of the Ontario Clean Water Agency (OCWA). This $2,500 tuition scholarship is given to one student each year and is accompanied with an OCWA co-op placement.
- Indigenous Education Protocol Presented
Loyalist presented a signed copy of the Indigenous Education Protocol at a meeting of the Aboriginal Circle on Education held in the College’s Aboriginal Resource Centre. Signatory institutions recognize that Indigenous education emanates from the intellectual and cultural traditions of Indigenous peoples in Canada. They also believe that Indigenous education will strengthen colleges’ and institutes’ contribution to improving the lives of learners and communities.
- New transfer agreements
The College signed an articulation agreement with Trent University that will give eligible Social Service Worker diploma graduates the opportunity to enter Trent’s four-year Bachelor of Social Work (B.S.W.) program through advanced standing. With this pathway, students will be able to earn a diploma and degree in five years. In addition, an articulation agreement with Cape Breton University, Loyalist Civil, Chemical and Environmental Engineering Technology diploma graduates have the opportunity to complete a Bachelor of Engineering Technology degree in one academic year.
- In partnership with the Trenton Military Family Resource Centre (MFRC), Loyalist is assisting with the facilitation of quality and relevant programming through the Prior Learning Assessment and Recognition (PLAR) Portfolio Development program. This initiative will enhance educational opportunities for military members and their families.
About Loyalist College
We put you to work™. When it comes to grads getting jobs, 87.4 percent of the College’s most recent graduates found employment within six months of graduation compared to the provincial average of 83.6 percent, according to Provincial Key Performance Indicator (KPI) results released in April 2016. Located on more than 200 acres in the beautiful Bay of Quinte region, Loyalist College is a close-knit community where students and their success come first. Loyalist provides personalized attention in small classes, rewarding field placements and superior student services. To prepare students for in-demand careers, Loyalist offers more than 60 full-time programs; apprenticeships; and hundreds of online, distance and in-class courses, as well as opportunities for continuing education through more than 70 university transfer agreements. The College’s wide selection of advanced diplomas, diplomas and certificates aligns with market-driven disciplines including applied sciences, biosciences, building sciences, business and management studies, health sciences, human studies, justice studies, media, arts and design, and skills and technology. In Ontario, the College’s new Digital Media Centre and The Bay of Quinte Skills Centre, which is LEED® Silver certified, are training centres of choice for students, as well as College business and industry partners. The College is a key driver of the social and economic health and prosperity of the area and contributes 5.4 percent to the Gross Regional Product. This represents an overall effect on the regional economy of $530 million – based on a 2014 Report by Economic Modeling Specialists International (EMSI). For more information on the College’s Belleville and Bancroft campuses, visit loyalistcollege.com.
– 30 –
Contact: Kerry Lorimer, Director, Marketing and Communications,
Loyalist College, klorimer@loyalistc.on.ca, 613-969-1913 ext. 2536