We Saved You A Seat

Fletcher Foundation $15,000 Donation Leads Support for STEM Role Model Video Series

Thanks to generous grants from the Fletcher, MATT, and Leacross foundations, Algonquin College will be producing a series of marketing videos and establishing a new mentorship program to help recruit more women into Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) programs.

The College is actively seeking role models in STEM fields to come forward and lend their voices to the video series, which will feature them working in their area of expertise and encouraging students to follow their career dreams. Algonquin will consult with The Ontario Association of Certified Engineering Technicians and Technologists (OACETT) and the broader technical community to attract the role models and produce the video series.

“Algonquin College is grateful to the Fletcher Foundation, the Leacross Foundation, and The MATT Foundation for providing these donations, as they will help with our goal of reserving up to 30 per cent of program seats for women applicants in STEM programs,” said Claude Brulé, Algonquin College President and CEO. “STEM-related employment continues to see rapid growth, and these videos will serve as an inspiration for more women to develop the skills they need to meet this rising market demand and pursue rewarding professions.”

The Fletcher Foundation donated the initial $15,000 toward creating the video series; this was the catalyst for $10,000 donations from the MATT and Leacross foundations.

Algonquin has been pursuing its goal of increasing women’s enrolment in STEM programs through the We Saved You a Seat (WSYAS) program. Since 2019, 363 women have been enrolled through the College’s initiative. The We Saved You a Seat mandate aligns with the Fletcher Foundation’s ongoing support of innovative initiatives designed to enhance the education experience for students in OACETT-eligible programs in Ontario’s colleges.

The role model videos will also assist in the development of a unique network of alumni who graduate through the WSYAS program and become future mentors for female students. The mentors will enhance the student experience, provide much-needed support, and help student retention. Algonquin College will work with local OACETT chapters to help build the mentoring program.

“The Fletcher Foundation is thrilled to support Algonquin College’s We Saved You a Seat program and play a significant role in breaking barriers for women in STEM careers,” said Bob Jameson, C.E.T., Fellow OACETT, chair of the Fletcher Foundation. “Women have a place in the engineering technology profession, and this program gives them access to advisory support, mentorship and networking opportunities they need to help them reach their full potential.”
Leacross Foundation President Roslyn Bern says she and the foundation have supported women and girls in STEM and trade fields by providing tools that ease transitions and allow them to participate in careers which were discouraged.

“Women are bombarded by images from social media which do not promote female role models in STEM and, as such, few women attempt to break the boundaries of doing the extraordinary,” she said. “By providing funds to Algonquin, we allowed for women to enter into the underrepresented professions of engineering technology. As more women continue to succeed, they set up the new parameters of what is accepted and encouraged.”

Anyone who is interested in being a mentor or featured as a role model in one of Algonquin’s videos should contact Kathryn Reilander at reilank@algonquincollege.com

Leacross Foundation Donates $60,000 for Women in STEM Initiatives

On this day celebrating International Day of Women and girls in Science, Algonquin College is pleased to announce that the Leacross Foundation has donated $60,000 to support women in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) programs at Algonquin College. In total, Leacross has donated over $600,000 to Algonquin College over the past 16 years.

“The Leacross Foundation continues to be a strong supporter of promoting and enhancing opportunities for women in STEM-related fields,” said Mark Savenkoff, Vice President, Advancement. “Through their generosity and support, they are ensuring women have the tools they need to succeed in their chosen fields here at Algonquin, and we are thrilled they are leading the way to ensure female learners are set up to succeed.”

Students are grateful and appreciative of the donation. “The Leacross Foundation Bursary provided not only financial relief, but also mental relief, which directly affected my success in the career path I had ahead of me,” said Meredith Kucey, a 2014 recipient of the bursary. “I will be forever grateful for the generosity of the Foundation.” Kucey is a graduate of the Welding and Fabrication Techniques program. She merged her welding skills and creativity as a jeweler, with her Meredith Kucey Jewelry Design line.

These funds will support two goals; providing bursaries for women in the We Saved You a Seat program in financial need and purchasing take-home kits for female learners to support their remote learning activities.
The kits reduce the reliance of hands-on lab activities traditionally performed on campus and complements remote learning activities. Each kit includes essential tools for our learners to conduct their electrical experiments from home: a PC-based oscilloscope, a multi-meter, electronic parts, tools, a power supply, and circuit prototyping supplies.

We Saved You a Seat (WSYAS) is a program at Algonquin College that actively recruits and supports women pursuing education in STEM.

WSYAS aims to create an environment where women feel a sense of true belonging. WSYAS achieves this through active and intentional recruiting, building awareness with women about the value of STEM programs, connecting students to female mentors and equipping instructors to teach in gender inclusive classrooms.
The program serves to allocate 30 percent of available seats in Algonquin’s Electrical Engineering Technician, Mechanical Engineering Technology, Electro-Mechanical Engineering Technician, Computer Systems Technician, and Powerline Technician programs for women who meet admission standards.

To learn more visit: https://www.algonquincollege.com/future-students/we-saved-you-a-seat/

To read coverage about the donation in the Ottawa Business Journal click here.

First ADGA Women in Tech Award presented to Algonquin College Student

On December 6, 2019, Ndona Wansaula, a Computer System Technician student at Algonquin College, received the very first ADGA Women in Tech Award as part of the We Saved You A Seat program.

With similar goals to the College, ADGA, a leading national defence, security and IM/IT company, became a proud donor to the We Saved You a Seat program. This three-year pilot project at Algonquin College was created to deliver a diverse learning environment all while increasing the number of women in the technology industry.

The ADGA Women in Tech Award awards $5,000 over two semesters to up to two full-time female students enrolled in the Computer Systems Technician (Co-op) program in the School of Advanced Technology.

During the presentation, Françoise Gagnon, Chief Executive Officer of the ADGA Group, spoke of her experiences as one of only a few female executives within the Defence, Security and Enterprise Computing sector.

“The times are changing and this is your time,” said Françoise Gagnon. “You are that generation of women who will shatter the glass ceiling. There is a vast market out there looking for your skills, I am looking for your skills.”

Earlier this year, Françoise received an Honourary Degree from the College in recognition of her incredible commitment to the technology sector and community.

During this intimate event, students enrolled in STEM-focused programs had a chance to connect with leading women in technology and share their experiences in a collaborative and supportive environment.

“There is a need for a program like ‘We Saved You A Seat,’” said Laura Stanbra, Vice President, Student Services. “The industry is growing and diversifying, and we want to be part of training the next generation of skilled female workers in the technology sector.”

From a young age, award recipient Ndona found information technology so fascinating that she decided to pursue a career in the sector. In 2013, she graduated from the Kigali institute of Science and Technology (KIST) in Rwanda, and six years later, she enrolled in the Computer System Technician Program at Algonquin College.

“What drew me to the program is the balance of hands-on experience and theory,” said Ndona. “Because of this award, I am closer to reaching my goals.”

After graduation, Ndona aspires to return to Burundi or Rwanda to start her own company that would provide technical services to humanitarian organizations and educate youth with IT and programming.

In closing, Francoise offered this encouragement: “Welcome, we’ve been waiting for you.”