Red 2015 (Pdf)
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News. Ideas. People. 2015 Excelling in a second career Alumna and former Olympian Perdita Felicien shares her secrets for success when embarking on a new career. Mechatronics certification Partnership with Siemens Canada leads to internationally-recognized A Publication for the Seneca College Community electronics engineering credential. Fostering healthy innovation HELIX, a new on-campus incubator, is helping Seneca entrepreneurs build business ventures related to health and wellness. 2015 PLANNING YOUR NEXT MOVE? MAKE ONTransfer.ca YOUR NEXT STOP. LEARN HOW TO TRANSFER YOUR CREDITS AMONG ONTARIO’S COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES t@ONTransfer ONTARIO 2015 Contents 28 Cover story I wanted to give back Introducing HELIX, Seneca’s because I enjoyed new business incubator, which is my Seneca experience providing a home for innovative, immensely. aspiring entrepreneurs, with a focus 19 on health and wellness. AJCZAK On-air charisma in the morning T RA E Alumna Pooja Handa is the face of CP24 ANN O Fazal Khan, alumnus Registrar and CEO, College of Breakfast. Her combination of talent and COVER PHOTOGRAPHY: PHOTO: J PHOTO: Opticians of Ontario, page 22 dedication led to a dream job. LUIS ALBUQUERQUE RED Featuring President’s message ...................................................... 3 Alumni stories ................................................................16 SSF President’s message ............................................. 4 Donors ............................................................................ 33 Beyond the classroom .................................................. 7 Personnel .......................................................................42 Campus news ................................................................. 11 Back in the day ..............................................................44 News. Ideas. People. Published by Seneca College Advancement and Alumni Ana White, Vice President, External 8 The Seneca Way, Markham Ontario L3R 5Y1 (416) 491-5050 x77941 Toll free: 1-888-ALUMNUS senecacollege.ca/alumni [email protected] Facebook: Seneca Alum Twitter: @senecaalumni Project Manager Barry Naymark, Manager, Seneca Alumni Managing Editor Corey Long, Senior Manager, Advancement Special Projects Contributors David Agnew Aida Bakhtyieva (RTVT) 7 Tom Bartsiokas Katie Colvin King Campus fundraising cabinet Mary Del Bianco Renata Dinnocenzo A group of volunteers, including alumnus Alison Gibson (SSW, LCKA) Greg Twinney, is leading the community Joy Gooding (RTV) Danielle Lemieux (CCMC) fundraising appeal for King Campus. Aaron Mark (CCM) Dale Peers (CRM) Ryan Phipps Martha Riddell Tan-Ling Yeung Photography Martin Bazyl Ricardo Bernardino (IDP) Roy Cox Steve Frost Joanne Klimaszewski Joanne Ratajczak Lisa Sakulensky Garbis Yaghdjian Cover photography Luis Albuquerque Art direction and design Underline Studio Printing and distribution Andora Graphics Inc. RED magazine is published annually by Seneca College Advancement and Alumni. All material is ©2015 and may be reprinted with the permission of Seneca College. Seneca alumni receive RED free of charge, and it is available at: senecacollege.ca/alumni. Seneca College respects your privacy. We do not sell or trade mailing lists. Contact 11 33 Advancement and Alumni at Seneca if you would like to receive RED electronically or to Retiring Felix’s number six Honorary degree recipients update your mailing address. Seneca basketball great Felix Adjei had At convocation, Seneca celebrated the Seneca’s charitable registration number is his number raised to the rafters – a fitting enduring legacy of student support 107967168RR0001. tribute to a record-setting varsity career. established by Rita and Rudy Koehler. President’s message In June I had the privilege to address more Seneca continues to forge ties with a wide range than 7,000 Seneca graduates, as they celebrated of partners from around the world. Recent the successful completion of their programs. collaborations with Siemens, York University Our convocation ceremonies are the high point and academic institutions in India and Central of the year for all of us at Seneca, and they are Asia are clear examples of this priority. truly joyful occasions with family and friends. As well, our project to expand infrastructure I have no doubt these newest members of and programming at the beautiful King Campus the robust Seneca alumni community will find is gaining steam. This $100+ million expansion success in their next endeavours, whether that includes a significant community fundraising is launching or resuming a career, or continuing appeal, to be led by a volunteer group of alumni, their education. Like you who have come before, business leaders and government representa- they are well-equipped with the academic and tives, who we introduce in this edition. career foundations to excel. As King’s expansion moves closer to real- One of the messages I emphasize to all new ity, it’s appropriate to reflect on the imminent graduates is the difference between making a liv- 50th anniversary at Seneca. The work that ing and making a life. As important as it is to find began in 1967 continues, with the same goal David Agnew fulfillment in your work and family, it is just as of ensuring every Seneca graduate has all the critical to become leaders in your communities. skills and knowledge to, as founding President The strength and health of our country rely Dr.Newnham put it, “make good lives” for on our active participation in the public realm, themselves and those around them. engaging as volunteers, advocates and support- Our many outstanding alumni (some of ers of our communities. I am delighted to see our whom you’ll meet in these pages) are living proof students take on these roles each day, and I am that together, we are succeeding in meeting that The strength and health confident they will continue to do so as proud lofty goal. of our country rely on Seneca alumni. our active participation There is no shortage of role models within the in the public realm. Seneca community who inspire us. This year, the Board of Governors bestowed honorary degrees on Rita and Rudy Koehler, the College’s most generous benefactors. Thanks to this extraordi- David Agnew nary couple, hundreds of Seneca students have President received vital and welcome financial support. And there is recent graduate Fatema Somji, the recipient of the Seneca Cup, and the past student representative on the Board of Gover- nors. She has set an example with her on-campus volunteer work and exceptional academic accomplishments—and she’s already a donor to the College. The cover story in this edition of RED focuses on HELIX, the newly established business incubator on campus, where talented, young, community-minded entrepreneurs are develop- ost ing products and services to improve our health /Fr Y K and wellness. HELIX provides them the mentor- S N ship and knowledge to build their concepts into ULE marketable business ventures. : SAK : One of the key ingredients for any successful photo business or academic venture is partnership. RED 2015 3 AGENDA A full slate of success and innovation 26,500+ Number of full-time students represented by the Seneca Student Federation. SSF PRESident’S MESSAGE Finding inspiration in our collective accomplishments The SSF supports many initiatives like the popular intra- campus shuttle service. ON BEHALF OF THE Seneca Student Federation Our alumni serve as a bridge between their studies because of a lack of funds. (SSF), welcome to the 2015 edition of RED. students and industry. Networking events, Resources like the SSF Student Develop- As a recent Seneca graduate, I am hon- job shadowing and mentorship offer tre- ment Grant, SSF bursaries and awards can oured to be entering my first term as the mendous insight into future career paths. assist students when times are tough. We SSF President and am excited to share the Alumni have also played a significant all need to do our part to help those in need many stories of our exceptional students role in transferring institutional know- build better futures for themselves and and alumni in this year’s magazine. ledge, particularly in the area of student their families. In many ways, college presents a rare leadership. This advice is not only valuable The diversity of Seneca’s programs opportunity to create lasting memories and to the SSF, but proof that your connection and of those who make up our student and OLLEGE connect with new people in an academic to the College does not end after convoca- alumni populations is remarkable. I feel C A A C E setting. It is an environment for individuals tion. To all who give their time and exper- fortunate to have met – and continue to N to grow together, become professionals and tise for our benefit, a heartfelt thank you. work with – so many talented and innova- build networks for the future. This year, the SSF will focus our atten- tive people from all walks of life. So much of our students’ professional tion on communication with our members Together, we can inspire our students and personal growth comes from participa- and provide more information about our to achieve success in the classroom and SE PHOTO: RIGHT K; A tion in the clubs, associations, mentorship operations, programming and achieve- beyond. Keep in touch. CZ AJ programs and athletic activities Seneca ments. We are also introducing SSF ambas- at R offers. The Alumni Association also sadors, who will connect directly with Aida Bakhtyieva E NN facilitates many