Community Report20162016 LEARNING thethe famfamilymilymily way GOING GLOBAL NorQuest College goes to Peru COMMUNITY REPORT BOARD OF GOVERNORS EXECUTIVE TEAM Contents Produced by NorQuest College, Chair President and CEO Brand & Market Development Alan Skoreyko Dr. Jodi L. Abbott, ICD.D 2 Pursuing excellence: from Jamaica CONTACT US NorQuest College Vice President, Teaching to Canada & Learning and Chief NorQuest College President and CEO 5 Best in her class 10215 – 108 Street NW Dr. Jodi L. Abbott, ICD.D Academic Officer Norma Schneider, M.Ed Edmonton, AB T5J 1L6 Public Members 8 Seeing through barriers Vice President, External Phone: 780.644.6000 Melissa Bourgeois 11 Education saves lives Fax: 780.644.6013 Dave Dominy (Vice Chair) Affairs & Corporate Email: [email protected] Brian Hjlesvold Counsel 12 Honouring a NorQuest champion Carla Madra Joan Hertz, QC, ICD.D Eduardo Rodriguez 13 Among Canada’s most powerful women PUBLISHER: Dallas Stoesz Vice President, College Lillian Ruptash EDITOR: Michael Edge Services and Chief 14 50 reasons to celebrate Todd Walker Financial Officer ART DIRECTOR: Debra Bachman Jill Matthew, CPA, CA, CMC 20 Building the future one investment at a time WRITERS: Richard Wright, Academic Staff Member Sherry Greenbank Nida Farooqui, Andrew Whitson Acting Executive Director 24 Garden of hope for NorQuest College families DESIGNER: Helen Ma Non-Academic Workforce Development & Human Resources 25 1000 Women donors PHOTOGRAPHY: Laughing Dog Staff Member Laurel D. Evans, B.Ed, CHRP Photography, Helen Ma, Khalid Hashi 29 Watching NorQuest grow Jeff Jenkins Student Member Megan Wenmann (term ending May 2016) Education is the pathway to success NORQUEST COLLEGE, we defi ne success as AT providing a vibrant, inclusive, and relevant education to each student. Whether students are studying in a diploma program or developing a specifi c set of skills, we recognize that each one will embark on a diff erent journey. From those looking to upgrade their education to those who want to start a new career, our students can depend on us to support them along the way. Our practical, hands-on approach to learning reinforces our mandate to provide in-demand programs that equip students with the skills employers want and need. And We are proud to wear we’ve seen the results with more students than ever the title of Edmonton’s walking through our doors and across the convocation community college, but ceremony stage. that title comes with high With an 8.9 per cent growth in students we recognize that in order to help students succeed we need to grow expectations to continue as well. The construction of our exciting Singhmar Centre fi nding and maximizing unique for Learning represents our commitment to expand and opportunities in an ever- meet the needs of our increasing number of students. The changing economy. centre will use green technology, and feature state-of- the-art labs, an Indigenous student centre, a teaching child care centre, a new library, plenty of accessible student space, and more. Construction is well underway with the Singhmar Centre for Learning slated to open in fall 2017. We are proud to wear the title of Edmonton’s community college, but that title comes with high expectations to continue fi nding and maximizing unique opportunities in an ever-changing economy. With that being said, we’re excited to announce a new Business Administration diploma in Accounting, Human Resources, and Management starting in September 2016. Combining theory simulations, relevant case studies, and co-operative opportunities, I have no doubt we’ll once again be pushing the boundaries to provide excellent education. We’re building a bright and exciting future at NorQuest College and we want you to join us on this journey, as we continue to lay the foundation for student success. INSIDE COVER: A sneak peek at the proposed lobby space inside the new Singhmar Centre for Learning. The centre is part of the greater Dr. Jodi L. Abbott, ICD.D NorQuest College downtown campus President & CEO, NorQuest College redevelopment, which includes a retrofi t of the existing downtown main building and additional green space. NORQUEST COLLEGE 1 Pursuing excellence: from Jamaica to Canada 2 COMMUNITY REPORT 2016 NorQuest College 2016 President’s Medal winner This year’s President’s Medal winner, Sophia Aarons, Aarons plans to continue her accounting studies and knows more than a thing or two about perseverance. will work towards getting her Chartered Professional Stepping foot for the fi rst time in Canada just over two Accountant designation. But the proud new alumna won’t years ago, she took one of the biggest gambles of her life. forget where she began in Edmonton two years ago. And it paid off . “I feel so ready for the next step in my journey, and I owe “I left everything behind to come here and study at that to NorQuest College.” NorQuest College. I wanted to give myself a competitive advantage, and I wouldn’t change this experience for anything,” she said. “ I left everything behind to come It was a journey of 5,010 kilometres from Jamaica that here and study at NorQuest brought this year’s President’s Medal winner to NorQuest College. I wanted to give myself to get her Business Administration diploma in accounting. a competitive advantage.” But she received more than that, taking home the highest student distinction off ered by the college. – Sophia Aarons, Business Administration diploma alumna “I’m in awe. But to be perfectly honest, I can’t take the credit for this. NorQuest has been there to help me every step of the way, from the instructors to the people in the international offi ce, they made me feel like part of the family from the fi rst day I got here,” she said. Aarons certainly made the most of her time during her two years here. Her list of extracurricular activities is extensive, from being an RBC Student Ambassador to volunteering with the Students’ Association of NorQuest College, to representing NorQuest at the Deans of Business Case Competition in Calgary. “I found out really quickly that you need to immerse yourself in this place and get involved,” she said. “There is such a rich culture here and to get the most out of your education I absolutely recommend becoming part of the experience in any way you can.” She was featured in a recent advertising campaign, essentially becoming the face of the college throughout the city of Edmonton. “I’ve had countless people come up to me on the street and tell me they’ve seen my face on billboards or buses. It’s actually really neat because it’s a great opportunity to talk to people about my experience,” said Aarons. The President’s Medal is given to a student with the best combination of strong academic standing, involvement in the college community, leadership, and student citizenship. It was abundantly clear in the interview panel that Aarons was an excellent candidate in all of these categories. NORQUEST COLLEGE 3 ‘ Master artist’ wins top teaching award MAY NOT BE their fi rst tongue, but NorQuest College English Therapeutic as a Second Language (ESL) students have no trouble fi nding the Recreation IT program student words to describe instructor Amy Abe. McKenzie Kuzio “I loved everything about Amy Abe,” said former student Ismail Warfa is a standout in her field in a Facebook post upon learning of her honour. “What a wonderful of study. instructor. She is one of a kind, an absolute professional, and mentor. I really miss ESL.” Abe, a language training expert from the Faculty of Foundational, Career, and Intercultural Studies, was awarded the Jaye Fredrickson Award for Teaching Excellence—the college’s highest teaching “ McKenzie is a student who honour—in November 2015, living up to the reputation given to her by saw the positive in every her students. situation, absorbed every “Sometimes the only way you know you’re doing a good job is when tidbit of information like a you see the students right there working with you, and the only way they know how to thank you for that is by putting your name on a thirsty sponge, and could nomination form. This award isn’t just my achievement, it’s ours, and communicate with anyone it’s theirs.” and everyone without ever “Albert Einstein is quoted as stating that ‘it is the supreme art of the saying the wrong thing.” teacher to awaken joy in creative expression and knowledge.’ If teaching is viewed as art then teachers like Amy Abe are master artists,” says – Carolyn Rein, recreation therapist Maroro Zinyemba, program chair in the language training department. 4 COMMUNITY REPORT 2016 BEST in her class ONGRATULATIONS TO SECOND The 20-year-old from Warburg, Alberta was “McKenzie is a student who saw the positive C year NorQuest College student nominated by faculty and administrators in every situation, absorbed every tidbit of McKenzie Kuzio who took home the of the college’s Allied Health program information like a thirsty sponge, and could prestigious Alberta Therapeutic Recreation and recreation therapist Carolyn Rein of communicate with anyone and everyone Association (ATRA) Student Award in 2015. St. Joseph’s Auxiliary Hospital. St. Joseph’s without ever saying the wrong thing.” is where Kuzio completed her fi rst clinical It is the fi rst time a NorQuest student has Kuzio plans on attending the University placement. received the coveted award, demonstrating of Lethbridge in the fall of 2016 to pursue the positive evolution of the program and “McKenzie is a purposeful learner who a degree in therapeutic recreation. the value of its graduates. Winners are challenges her fellow students, her NorQuest College has a transfer recognized for demonstrating academic instructors, and herself to develop a agreement, allowing its graduates to ability, a promise of a contribution to the high degree of therapeutic recreation enter directly into the third year of the fi eld, and for having worked in recreational knowledge, skills, and abilities,” says university’s program.