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The Waterfront Campus Top Ten of 2014

As we turn the page on another year, there were lots of great things to look back on in 2014 at Algonquin College’s Waterfront Campus. Here is my top ten!

# 10: College faculty giving back to great causes like Environmental Technician Coordinator, Sarah Hall, who trained for several months for the “Big Swim” across the North Humberland Straight to raise money for a recreational facility that supports critically ill children.

#9: Honouring almost 40 years of teaching by faculty icon Vivian Schutt who decided to retire. In honour of Vivian’s great career, a new award bearing her name will be given to a deserving student in the Office Administration-Executive Program.

#8: Recognizing the great work being done by students and faculty in applied research. For example, students working with community partners to take water samples from the Muskrat Lake as the community grapples with the challenges facing the watershed.

Muskrat River Watershed Project 2

#7: Terrific community support for the Waterfront Campus such as the $50,000 donation made to the college’s capital campaign by Cogeco Communications.

#6: The revival of Pembroke’s downtown, brought on by the new campus development. The best example of new business opportunities resulting from the building of the Waterfront Campus has been a new privately owned and operated student residence.

#5: A commitment made by the Waterfront Campus to train its faculty, managers and staff in Mental Health First Aid. With one in three Canadians expected to experience a mental health condition at least once in their lifetime, this training has better prepared college employees to assist students that experience a mental health crisis.

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#4: For this first time in its history, the Pembroke Campus hosted a national conference when rural college leaders from across the country attended the Rural Campus Symposium as part of the much larger Association of Canadian Community Colleges annual conference in Ottawa.

#3: The return of the Canadian Football League to the nation’s capital resulted in a partnership between the fledgling Ottawa Red Blacks and the Algonquin College Loggersports team. The team spent all summer at Red Blacks games performing every time the club scored a touchdown.

#2: Another record enrolment of students studying at the Waterfront Campus with more than 45 % of the 900+ students re-locating to the Pembroke area. It made for a very busy orientation at the start of the school year.

#1: The extraordinary work that our graduates do in the community. Here are two alumni that had banner years in 2014. Business graduate Jason Blaine established his own charity and raised more than $50,000 for Pembroke area worthy causes by hosting a concert and golf tournament and Outdoor Adventure alumnus Pete Schmalz gained national attention by winning CTV’s Amazing Race Canada.

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You may have other thoughts on what the top ten should have been for our campus. Please share your own top ten! Happy New Year!

Posted by Jamie Bramburger, Manager of Community and Student Affairs

You’ve Graduated! Now What?

Most Convocation 2014college graduates finish their programs in the spring, but at Algonquin College’s Waterfront Campus, students in six programs are completing their studies just before the holiday season begins. What a great gift to themselves, but it won’t be long before they are making their list of New Year’s resolutions, and finding that first job in their field will be at the top of the list.

So here are a few suggestions for our new grads:

1. Take advantage of graduating several months before most college and university students are ready to join the workforce. Be aggressive in your job search in the months of January through April, because after that there will be a lot more competition as thousands of graduates from other post-secondary schools will be completing their studies and will be looking for work.

2. Access free services within your community to better prepare for your job search. For example, Employment Ontario officesprovide a large menu of free services from helping new graduates with building resumes to preparing for interviews. Some of these organizations also have access to programs that provide incentives to employers to hire new post-secondary graduates. These programs can be very helpful for grads that are looking to get their foot in the door and get their career started.

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3. Use social media wisely. You never know who is looking at your social media sites and you want to portray the best image possible. Make sure you have a LinkedIn account and that it is up-to-date. LinkedIn is a great place to join professional groups and to monitor job postings that fit with your education.

4. Don’t be afraid to move. Sometimes getting that first job requires a change in scenery. When you are looking to start your career, you need to go where the job is. Get some experience and then you can be more picky when choosing the right job and the most desirable location to work.

5. Keep in touch with your fellow graduates. Your former classmates may be the best source of information for job openings within your field. Joining the Algonquin College Waterfront Campus LinkedIn group would be a smart first step to keeping connected.
Nursing students look on as President MacDonald gives speech

Algonquin College is proud of all of its graduates and we always like hearing about their successes. Please let us know when you land that first job!

Posted by: Jamie Bramburger, Manager of Community & Student Affairs

A Business Worth Steeping

A number of our Business students are on the cusp of graduating and it’s Business alumni like Lisa Banville, co-owner of Tealee who inspire these soon-to-be grads to follow their dreams.

Tealee Logo

After graduating over two years ago, Lisa found she had the basic skills she needed to turn her passion into a business called Tealee.

As a result, the 24 year-old marked her tea business’s one-year anniversary in October. Tealee began when her boyfriend and now partner, Sami Devine, suggested that he could build a website for her own business. That was all Banville needed to run with her idea – tea. She now has created eight original tea blends that are sold at grocery stores around Ottawa.

Both Banville and Devine are continuing their studies with Algonquin College by working towards their Canadian Tea Sommeliers certification. The added certification should help to ease the pressures associated with importing teas from all over the world. Banville and Devine plan to venture into tea plantations and purchase directly from the growers.

Tealee Tea

Tealee has a lot of plans moving forward, including turning this part-time hobby into a full-time venture. They hope to open up a storefront in the Ottawa area in the next five to ten years.

It is success stories like Tealee that continue to foster and encourage innovation here at our Waterfront Campus.

Do you have an alumni success story? We want to hear about it!

Posted by: Jodi Bucholtz, Here 2 Help

The Little Things Count in Student Recruitment

Recruiting college students has become fiercely competitive as post-secondary institutes face the challenges of shifting demographics that have reduced the number of traditional age college students that are available to recruit. So, how do college’s position themselves as the right choice for a prospective student? When applicants are choosing what college to study at, they may have several offers on the table. If they are doing their research right, they will plan to visit each campus, and that’s where colleges can differentiate themselves from their competitors. The little things count when an applicant engages with a school’s campus tour guides who have a huge influence on where the student enrols. It’s all about first impressions, and it’s not only the prospective student that college representatives are trying to impress. They are often joined by family members who have significant influence on the choice they will make when choosing a college. Eat, Sleep, AC At Algonquin College’s Waterfront Campus in Pembroke, more than 45 percent of the close to 1,000 students that enroll each fall are from out of town. Many will travel several hours to visit our campus to check us out during the admissions process, and we appreciate the effort they have made to duly consider studying with us. That’s why we give each applicant that takes a personal tour of our campus a free “eat-sleep-Algonquin College” t-shirt, a small gesture of thanks for having our campus on their short list. We also ensure all of their questions are answered during their visit as we introduce them to key student services staff, faculty and if possible, students that are in the program they are interested in. Campus tours need to be thorough and by connecting applicants to students already studying at the campus, prospective students hear first hand about what another student’s experience has been at the Waterfront Campus. This interaction with current students can be very impactful and reassuring for applicants. Two female and one male college student smiling at camera Campus tours are always best taken on a weekday when there is lots of action on campus. It provides a much better perspective than a weekend tour when the campus is much quieter. Campus tours usually last about an hour. It is time really well spent and we know our guides will provide you with a great tour, because at the Waterfront Campus, we want you to study with us. Campus tours can be booked by contacting one of our Recruiters: Jodi Bucholtz: bucholj@algonquincollege.com Ellen Wong: wonge@algonquincollege.com Jessica Boldt: boldtj@algonquincollege,com Posted by: Jamie Bramburger, Manager of Community & Student Affairs

Algonquin Remembers Them

More than 113,000 Canadian soldiers were killed during the first two World Wars and close to 1,000 more have died in the Korean War, peacekeeping missions and the most recent conflict in Afghanistan. On November 11th, ceremonies will be held across the nation as Canada pauses to remember its war dead.

Lest We Forget

Algonquin College has always had a close working relationship with the Canadian military, as the Pembroke Campus each year has many students that are directly connected to Garrison Petawawa. This includes current members of the military, retired service men and women that are transitioning to a civilian career, military spouses and dependents. The College also has several staff that are members of military families.

Ron Kinsley

In recent years, the local military community has suffered some great losses. Many of the 157 Canadians that were killed in Afghanistan were based in Petawawa. Others that served in the war torn region were badly injured or left mentally scarred by their experience overseas.

Each year the College holds its own Remembrance Day service in a moving tribute to the men and women that have served their country and paid the ultimate sacrifice. Wreaths are laid by college staff and students in remembrance of soldiers, and a World War ll and Korean veteran lights a candle, a symbol of the eternal flame that glows 365 days a year at cenotaphs across the country. At the end of the service, students and staff shake the hand of the veteran, a small gesture of appreciation to an aging man who remembers the horror of war and stands as a reminder that we must never forget.

On the 11th hour, of the 11th day, of the 11th month, Algonquin College’s Waterfront Campus will go silent. On Remembrance Day, pause to remember them.

Posted by: Jamie Bramburger, Manager, Community and Student Affairs

How to Choose a College – There’s a Method

As a high school student you are more than likely experiencing a variety of emotions right now: ExcitmentStressedBewildered

  1. Excitement – you are finally getting to spread your wings and fly. You know exactly what college and which program you are applying to.
  2. Anxiety – you feel overwhelmed by the number of choices available to you. You don’t feel as though you are in a place to know “what you want to be when you grow up.”
  3. Bewildered – Grade 12 snuck up on you and you aren’t in a position to apply to the program of your choice.

If you are getting ready to apply to college and don’t know how to choose between all your different options, you may wish to read the advice below. We’ll walk you through the things you will need to consider when choosing a school to attend!

  • Consider what you want to study. This is the most difficult part. This is essentially deciding what you want to do with your life. You can always change your mind, of course, but you will want to try to choose a school which offers the program(s) you would like to study. You can choose something you’ve always wanted to do or you start in a more flexible program like our General Arts and Science, which offers flexibility and the chance to explore of a variety of areas.
  • Consider the location – book a tour! Consider where you would like to go to school. This is a place you will be living for anywhere from 1 to 4 years! It is important to choose a location which you will be happy with. This may be a big city, or a smaller more connected campus like our Waterfront Campus. Choose a campus where you will be comfortable.
  • Find out about facilities and available resources. You will want to decide what kind of facilities and resources are important to you. Some schools provide assistive services through their Centre for Students with Disabilities, different schools have different housing options, some schools will have a gym/fitness facility, some might have health services, or any number of other services.
  • Meet with instructors. With the programs you consider, talk to the coordinator of the program which you plan on studying with. Make a list of questions. This will help you get a better view of the kinds of things you will be studying.
  • Be realistic. Understand that some programs are difficult to get into and, though it may be your dream to attend, you might not be able to get in. You can have excellent grades, but perhaps you aren’t prepared for additional admissions testing. Don’t panic. Study and prepare for additional testing, but also have a Plan B in place, perhaps you should also apply to a prep course like General Arts and Science – Pre-Health Science or make sure your have a second or third choice as part of your application.

Preparation Don’t stress too much, just put yourself in the best situation to make an informed decision. Is there a piece of advice that you wish you had been given when you were choosing your college or program? Share you thoughts. Posted by: Jodi Bucholtz, Here 2 Help

Iconic Teacher Retires After 39 Years with Algonquin College

After almost four decades of teaching at Algonquin College’s Pembroke Campus, Vivian Schutt is calling it a day. The beloved and well respected long-time coordinator of the Office Administration-Executive program was recently celebrated by her colleagues for her many contributions to the college community, including her teaching of more than 1,000 students.

Vivian Schutt Retirement Slide

Schutt got her start at the college after performing well as a student in a Business and Commerce 9-month program. She was asked to teach part-time in the program, and a few years later secured an opportunity to teach full-time at the college.

Over the years, technological advancements forced her to change the curriculum she was teaching often. From manual typewriters to the introduction of the internet and the widespread use of personal computers and mobile devices, Schutt was constantly testing new software programs and computer applications, and passing on her knowledge to the students she was teaching.

Through all of these changes, she relied on a simple motto, spurred by her Mother’s British heritage, to “stay calm and carry on.”

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In recognition of her incredible contribution to the college, a new award has been named after her. The Vivian Schutt Office Administration-Executive Award will be handed out annually to a high performing student in the program.

Last June, the entire Pembroke Campus community of faculty, staff and administrators nominated Schutt for a college Lifetime Achievement Award, a ringing endorsement of how much she is liked by her colleagues and also an indication of how much her presence will be missed at Algonquin.

Vivian

If you were taught by Vivian and would like to pass on good wishes on her retirement, please post your comments. We know Vivian will appreciate it.

Posted by: Jamie Bramburger, Manager of Community and Student Affairs at Algonquin College’s Waterfront Campus

Outdoor Adventure Grad Wins Amazing Race Canada

After never winning a leg on ‘The Amazing Race Canada,’ Pete Schmalz, Outdoor Adventure grad 2010 and Mickey Henry pulled off the only one that mattered, taking home the Amazing Race Canada grand prize. These two best buds from the Muskokas were the perfect pairing for this extraordinary adventure that saw them explore Canada and the world. 600x338_Mickey-and-Pete-at-final-challenge-(2)_1 Mickey and Pete took an early lead on the final leg during a rafting challenge that required them to paddle across the Ottawa River. Thanks to Pete’s expertise as a river raft guide with our outdoor training partner, Wilderness Tours, and the skills he learned during his time at Algonquin College, Pembroke Campus this challenge wasn’t an obstacle.

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“The entire thing feels like one crazy, big dream. I didn’t think in a million years we were going to win. The Olympians (Natalie and Meaghan) beat us on every leg. I can’t believe we won,” says Pete.

But the two friends finished the challenge first and headed to the finish line at Rideau Hall, in Ottawa, ON. After host Jon Montgomery confirmed they were the first team to arrive and had won $250,000, along with the chance to fly free for a year on Air Canada, two Chevrolet trucks and “gas for life” from Petro-Canada, Mickey and Pete were so ecstatic they took off their pants. That’s right, on national television, these champs took off their pants! This is a perfect example of the free spirited nature of students who take part in our outdoor training programs and a major reason why never finishing first didn’t phase this long-haired, carpe diem duo.

John Montgomery with Amazing Race Canada, season 2 winnners Pete and Mickey give John a hug.

“The whole way through we kept saying next time, we’re going to win the next one and we never got to take our pants off the whole time so the last one was like screw it we’re doing it,” says Pete. “We’d been wearing our good luck Speedos for like three legs,” says Mickey with a laugh.

So, what do the two plan to do with their winnings? Pay back student loans of course. After completing the two-year Outdoor Adventure program here at our Pembroke Campus, Pete took advantage of one of our articulation agreements or degree pathways with Thompson Rivers University, B.C. Not only did Pete earn 20 certification and some business fundamentals with the Outdoor Adventure program, but he leveraged his Algonquin education and enter directly into the 3rd year of the Bachelor of Tourism Management at Thompson Rivers. In a total of four years, Pete earned an absolutely unique diploma and a degree! Based on Pete and Mickey’s outstanding accomplishment, I feel there could very well be a large number of Outdoor Adventure and Outdoor Adventure Naturalist grads auditioning to be part of The Amazing Race Canada – because they have what it takes to win! Do you have what it takes to win The Amazing Race Canada? Do you have a “Pete” or “Mickey” in your life that would be the perfect partner for this race? Check out other great articles featuring our “amazing” grad, the Huffington Post and The Globe and Mail Posted by: Jodi Bucholtz, Here 2 Help Guru Photos source: The Amazing Race Canada website

4 Tips for New College Students: What I Wish I Knew

It’s that time again! The first week of the new academic year is in full swing. As a former student, I thought I might impart some useful tips that I wish I knew when I started out in school. New Life straight ahead. 1. Do the best you can. Not everyone is destined to graduate college with a perfect 4.0 GPA. So what? The best advice I can give is to truly do your best and have no regrets after. Albert Einstein said “Everybody is a genius. But if you judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree, it will live its whole life believing that it is stupid.” Don’t be too hard on yourself. Just do your best and trust that the dots will connect. We also have many Student Support Services here on campus to help you out. 2. Roll with the right crew. You’re going to meet a wide variety of people in college. It can be quite a shock at first, but I think that surrounding yourself with the right people is key to enjoying your life at college. Try to associate yourself with people of similar values and interests, people who want to see you succeed. You’ll never meet them unless you go out and talk to people. Our Pembroke Student Association has a number of clubs, teams and activities to take advantage of. Join a club that interests you, try out as many things as you can to find out what excites you both personally and professionally. New friends 3. Get the most of college. In college, you will have the opportunity to have experiences you wouldn’t have otherwise. These experiences, good and bad, will shape your character and if you’re really lucky, you’ll find your purpose in life or what makes you truly happy. So go ahead find your passion, fall in love, start a company, learn who you are – this College is your oyster! 4. Don’t ever give up. Realize and accept the fact that there are going to be times in your college life where you will be stressed out. Push through and you’ll see that it gets better quickly. As my main man Rocky Balboa once said, “It ain’t about how hard you can hit, it’s about how hard you can get hit and keep movin’ forward, how much you can take…and keep movin’ forward. That’s how winning is done!” Rocky - The Movie College can be as good or bad as you make it. This is one of the best times of anyone’s life- a time where you mould your character and become the person you’re going to be for the rest of your life. No regrets!

“You can’t connect the dots looking forward; you can only connect them looking backwards. So you have to trust that the dots will somehow connect in your future. You have to trust in something – your gut, destiny, life, karma, whatever. This approach has never let me down, and it has made all the difference in my life.” –Steve Jobs

What are some of the things you wish you knew while in school? Or what tips do you have? Posted by: Jodi Bucholtz, Here 2 Help team member!

Orientation-Getting Off to a Good Start

Track athletes are trained to be ready when the starter’s pistol sounds. They know the importance of a good start! Attending College for the first time is like getting set for a race. You are excited, but apprehensive; Confident, but yet unsure; Eager, but controlled. Above all, you are looking to find your place so the journey to the finish line will begin with a strong start.

For thousands of college and university students, orientation is an opportunity to take control of those butterflies in your stomach by making connections with other students, as well as faculty and staff on campus. Those early days on campus can be so meaningful to students, and can set a foundation for academic and social success. On the other hand, not taking part in orientation activities can leave some students isolated, making it more difficult for them to develop relationships which often create the support network students need to manage their college experience.

Web Banner Orientation - Pembroke Campus

At Algonquin College in the Ottawa Valley, a week of orientation activities have been planned for this coming school year, running from August 23rd to September 1st. In addition to an academic orientation when students meet with their faculty and fellow students to learn more about the expectations of the program they are enrolled in, there are also plenty of fun activities and events to attend.

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Things like scavenger hunts, pubs and sporting events can be great ways to meet new people, but structured workshops that are geared to specific student populations, such as mature students, can also take away a lot of the anxiety students feel when they first step on campus. So, let’s plan a typical student’s orientation week, by giving you an example of what it might look like.

We’ll call our student John. He is 19 years old, new to Pembroke, and studying in the Forestry Technician program. Not surprisingly John loves the outdoors and likes sports. He’s decided to come to Pembroke a week before classes start so he can take part in orientation.

John signs up for the alumni association golf tournament on August 23rd. It only cost him $30 for nine holes of golf, a streak dinner and he won a signed Ottawa RedBlacks jersey by hitting the longest drive at the tournament. More importantly he met a lot of new people including graduates from the Forestry program and some students that will be in his class.

John takes the next day off to get his apartment set up, but on Monday, August 25th he visits the campus to purchase his textbooks and parking pass. He also takes advantage of the free fitness zone passes that are available to students during orientation. After pumping weights and running on the treadmill, he shoots some basketballs in the gym. He returns the following day to the fitness centre, and walks through Pembroke’s downtown to get familiar with the area.

On Wednesday, August 27th, John checks out the Loggersports demonstrations and engages in some of the activities like cross-cut sawing. He has already planned to try out for the varsity team, and gets to know the coach of the team and some of the other graduating students who are helping out with the demos. While at the campus, he purchases his $15 ticket to the Ottawa REDBLACKS-B.C. Lions football game on September 5th in Ottawa. The ticket price includes bus transportation to and from the game, and with his new jersey he won at the golf tournament, John is really looking forward to the game.

The following day, John connects with some Police Foundations students and has a blast taking part in the college scavenger hunt. Earlier in the day, he checked in with the Information Technology staff to get his laptop computer configured to the college wireless network and to log on to his college email account. He also met with the financial aid office to go over some of the documents concerning his student loan. In the evening he attends the Tight and Bright dance put on by the Algonquin Students’ Association.

Financial Aid Banner

On Friday, August 29th, John attends his program orientation for the Forestry Technician program. He meets his faculty and the more than 40 other students that are in his program. Like him, most of them are from out of town. They decide they will be attending the “country” night at the college, and are all looking forward to riding the mechanical bull that will be there.

Saturday morning comes early after a great night at the college, and John and his new buddies attend a free brunch at the college. The rest of the day, they head over to nearby Riverside Park to check out one of Canada’s largest fiddling festivals, an event that attracts hundreds of campers and fiddling enthusiasts to Pembroke every Labour Day weekend.

On Sunday evening, John and some of his Forestry classmates take advantage of the free movie tickets made available at the Algonquin Cinemas in the Pembroke Mall, by the Algonquin Students’ Association. The next night, they cram into one of the student’s cars and attend the retro movie night at the Skylight Drive In, one of only a handful of Drive Ins that still exist in the province. It’s a new experience for John and he loves it, and so do his new friends. It’s a great way to end a week of fun!

Classes begin the next morning at 8 a.m. Thanks to orientation, John is feeling pretty good about attending Algonquin College!

Please share your thoughts on orientation.

Posted by: Jamie Bramburger, Manager of Community and Student Affairs at Algonquin College’s Pembroke Waterfront Campus

Click here for full Orientation Schedule for Pembroke Campus: Advantage Week Orientation