Algonquin College in the Ottawa Valley

How Being Mentored Changed My Life and Could Change Yours

Chris Dore with arms crossed and smiling at cameraI remember the first time I asked my mentor to mentor me. I was quite nervous and afraid she would say no. I didn’t realize at the time that I was being silly. Why would she say no to my request – she was one of the most engaging, encouraging and respectful people I had ever met and these were the traits that inspired me to ask that awkward question, “would you mentor me?”

A silhouette of a person on a cliff reaching for another person on the top of the cliff - mentorshipI came into formalized mentoring later in life, and only after an abundance of work experiences and mistakes. I have to admit when I think back, there were mentors but they often took on the guise of teachers and coaches, picked not by me but by the activities I participated in. It was only into my 30s that I started to actively look for mentors. I started to make a list of people whom I held in high regard in the community and that I believed I could learn from.

As I assembled my “team” of mentors I looked for certain skills and ways of thinking that I lacked. I also started to realize the immense power of mentoring as my mentors provided me with:

  • Viewpoints and perspectives regarding business I had yet to experience, like how to start a business, what is needed legally, and what should I not do?
  • An understanding of the importance of ethics and trust when doing business with others
  • A completely new network of people and contacts
  • Acted as references and even nominated me for awards
  • Career advice – they gave me new ideas and prevented me from making costly business mistakes
  • Guidance in business and in life

The one regret I hold is that I did not find my team of confidantes, friends, life coaches, business advisors, when I was a student. Mentors can become one or all of these things to you as you develop a long-lasting relationship.

Highway Signpost "Mentorship - straight ahead"For all these reasons and more, mentoring and giving back to the community through mentoring is one of my core values, and I believe I am lucky to be able to guide and help students reach their own goals and achieve their dreams.

If you are interested in being mentored and are starting a business or have a great idea but don’t know where to start – start with our Mentorship@AC application site! If you’re interested in becoming a mentor, have a look at our Mentor@AC application site.

You can always reach out to me at dorec1@algonquincollege.com or on Twitter @chrisWdore, I am sure we can help.

Posted by: Chris Doré, Entrepreneur in Residence, Waterfront Campus

Admissions Offer Day!

Ground HogWhile Punxsutawney Phil and Wiarton Willie prepare to celebrate the end of winter (we hope), the eve of Ground Hog Day is a time for celebration in the Ontario College system. It’s the day that colleges start sending out offers of admission to the thousands of prospective students who apply to college each year.

February 1st is known as the equal opportunity deadline, but it’s also the day colleges start letting applicants know if they have met the admission requirements for the programs they have applied to. Yes, there will be some disappointed applicants, but colleges are very good at making alternative offers that help applicants stay on their pathway to their chosen career.

At Algonquin College’s Waterfront Campus, applicants can expect a very personalized experience as they learn their admissions status. They will be able to check their application on the Ontario College Application Service website to see if the college has made them an offer of admission.

Open House - March 11, Algonquin College, Pembroke CampusLater in the day, they can expect a congratulatory email from the Waterfront Campus that will provide additional information on their next steps in the admissions process. The email will also include a congratulatory video message from their program coordinator and a personalized invitation to attend the campus March Break Open House on Saturday, March 11th.

By late afternoon or evening, college faculty and student services staff will be calling accepted applicants to congratulate them and answer any questions they might have about their program or the Waterfront Campus.

All of these touchpoints are part of the college’s effort to help applicants feel comfortable with the decision they are making to enroll in a post-secondary program. It’s also the first step in building a relationship with incoming students.

Over the course of the admissions cycle, there will be plenty of opportunities for new students to get to know the campus and the faculty who will be teaching them. There will be invitations to open houses, program preparation camps, jump-start academic programs and of course orientation activities. By the time, September rolls around, students will be very familiar with their new surroundings. Students and families can also get to know our campus by joining our online community through Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

It all starts on February 1st, when the Waterfront Campus says congratulations, you’ve been accepted into college!

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

Celebrating a Great 2016 at the Waterfront Campus

A lot has happened in the past year at Algonquin College’s Waterfront Campus. That’s why it’s so tough to put together a top ten list of reflections, but here it goes…

Chris DoréComing in at number 10: The introduction of an Entrepreneur-in-Residence. Chris Doré joined the campus in January and has brought forward many initiatives that are creating a more entrepreneurial spirit on campus. This includes the development of a student entrepreneurial club, the first TEDxPembroke event and the college’s sponsorship of StartUp Ottawa Valley, a grassroots network that encourage entrepreneurs throughout our region.

#9: The incredible applied research done by students in the Environmental Technician program who spent hundreds of hours tackling a complex environmental issue along the Muskrat Lake watershed in Whitewater region.

Jason Blaine#8: The community contributions of our students and graduates. Alumnus Jason Blaine raised a record $80,000 at his third annual charity concert and golf tournament and has now been able to invest more than $200,000 in local community causes. Office Administration-Executive student Wendy Hewitt was elected as Chair of the Renfrew County District School Board trustees and students in our Bachelor of Science in Nursing program participated in a humanitarian mission in Guatemala. Just a few examples of how our students and alumni made a difference in 2016.

#7: The economic impact the Waterfront Campus is having on Pembroke’s downtown. Two privately owned and operated student residences are open and a third is under construction and will be ready for the fall 2017 intake. Several new stores have opened and many buildings that had been neglected are being invested in by developers who are helping build Pembroke’s reputation as a college community.

Urban Forestry - Arboriculture, Algonquin College#6: The development of three new full-time programs that will launch in September of 2017. The new Action Sports Park Development program is the first college program of its kind in Canada, while the Urban Forestry-Arboriculture program will compliment the highly popular Forestry Technician program that has been offered at the campus for more than 45 years. The Applied Nuclear Science and Radiation Safety Diploma program has already been endorsed by Bruce Power for its future hiring needs.

Melissa Bishop, Olympian and Pan Am Gold medalist#5: An inspirational visit by Canadian Olympian Melissa Bishop who captured the hearts of all Ottawa Valley residents at the summer Olympics when she just missed a medal in the 800 metre race. Bishop spoke to both students and visiting guidance counsellors during an October stop at the campus and broke news when she announced her intentions to be ready for another Olympiad in four years time.

#4: Having our Loggersports team celebrate a Grey Cup championship with the Ottawa REDBLACKS. While our athletes were prevented from attending the championship game in Toronto by the CFL, they were front and centre when 40,000 fans celebrated Ottawa’s first football title in 40 years.

#3: The hundreds of employers who provided placement and co-op experiences to our students and jobs for our graduates. Employers are critical to helping our college provide the skilled workforce that will ensure our region prospers in the future, and in 2016 our businesses were truly our greatest partners.

Waterfront Campus Convocation 2016 banner#2: Words to live by from former Board of Governor representative Fred Blackstein at our 2016 convocation ceremony. His six words, “Be Algonquin Proud, Make Algonquin Proud,” have become a call to action for the entire Waterfront Campus community.

#1 thing to celebrate is: Another record enrollment of students at the Waterfront Campus. With almost 1,000 full-time students studying at the campus, the college is attracting both local and out-of-town students, helping produce college graduates who can help meet the workforce needs of employers across Canada, and in some cases around the world.

2016 was a great year. We look forward to even better things in 2017 as we celebrate our 50th anniversary!

Posted by Jamie Bramburger, Manager of Community and Student Affairs

Open House at the Waterfront Campus

Fall Open House, Algonquin College Waterfront CampusAs the leaves change colour, it’s time for senior high school students to start thinking about their post-secondary plans. Algonquin College’s Waterfront Campus will be holding its annual Open House Career Fair on Thursday, October 6th, an opportunity for students to meet with faculty, admissions and financial aid officers to have their college questions answered.

The event is held in partnership with the College Information Program (CIP), meaning high school students can also speak with representatives from all 24 Ontario publicly funded colleges. This one-stop shopping opportunity can really help students make informed decisions on where the programs they are interested in are offered, what admission standards do they need to meet, and how much will their college education cost?

Algonquin College, Action Sports and Park DevelopmentAlgonquin College’s Open House is normally attended by more than 300 high school students from across Renfrew and Pontiac Counties, and some students also travel from other areas of the province to learn more about the unique programs that are offered at the Waterfront Campus. These programs include two brand new ones that are being offered for the first time in the Fall of 2017: Action Sports and Park Development; and Urban Forestry-Arboriculture.

In the past, the Open House has been a one day event, but this year it will also be offered on Wednesday, October 5th from 6:30 to 8 p.m. in the campus gymnasium. This will allow parents, younger high school students, and mature students to connect with faculty about their burning college questions. The gym will be full of interactive displays for each of the 21 full-time programs that are offered at the Waterfront Campus.

Algonquin College Student Success Specialist

Admission to both Open House events is free. Students who are attending the daytime Open House on October 6th will have access to bus transportation to get to the college. That event will run from 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.

Applications for the Fall 2017 intake will be available soon on the Ontario College Application Service. Now is the time to start exploring your future.

Posted by Jamie Bramburger, Manager of Community and Student Affairs

 

Orientation Starts Early at the Waterfront Campus

In the world of post-secondary education, there really isn’t any as exciting as orientation week. Each fall, the start of the school year brings together a new group of students who are full of energy and enthusiasm, and eager to meet new people as they start their college journey.

Group of Applied Research students and staff in group photo outdoorsAt many colleges, orientation is the first time that students are meeting their new classmates, but at Algonquin College’s Waterfront Campus, in many cases, it’s an opportunity to connect with familiar faces. The reason is the campus has increasingly created more opportunities for students to get to know each other through pre-orientation activities such as Program Awareness Camps held each spring and Jump Start pre-academic preparation programs offered in August.

With about 50 percent of the campus student population having to re-locate to Pembroke, these early interventions have become critically important in helping students succeed. It’s the first step to ensure they are comfortable in their new surroundings.

In fact, many students and families have connected with the campus on several occasions before orientation week arrives. They have attended an Open House, taken a campus tour, or participated in a program awareness camp where students experience what their program is going to be like through interactive learning exercises led by their faculty.

A group of Ottawa RedBlacks cheerleaders lift a student in the airThrough these early connections, students have been able to stay in contact with other incoming students throughout the summer months via social media, phone calls, texting or even face-to-face meetings. When they arrive for orientation, the nervousness has subsided because they are greeted by another student who they have already gotten to know quite well.

Orientation week is packed with activities. There are free lunches, whitewater rafting trips, a pub, movie nights, yoga sessions, bubble soccer in the gymnasium, board games and a move in day BBQ for students living in residence. The social activities will continue over the next few weeks as the school year starts, and students gradually settle into their academic programs.

downtown Pembroke

The value of a robust orientation program can never be questioned, but for many of our students it’s just an extension of the relationships they started building with other students several months ago. For younger students, in particular, this approach goes a long way in helping them get off to a good start at college.

 

Posted by Jamie Bramburger, Manager of Community and Student Affairs

Jason Blaine Does It Again!

Observer picture of Jason Blaine charity Cheque-2016Jason Blaine continues to pay it forward. The Canadian Country Recording Artist and high profile Algonquin College Business program alumnus recently held his annual concert and golf tournament in Pembroke, raising a record $80,000 for local organizations in his home town.

Now into its third year, the charity has brought in a whopping $205,000, money that has supported great local causes such as the Pembroke and Area Boys and Girls Club, the capital campaign for Algonquin College’s Waterfront Campus and Mental Health First Aid training for not-for-profit organizations.

Jason Blaine Stars-2016With Dallas Smith and Jason McCoy of The Roadhammers in town for the event, Blaine and “A Few Good Friends” put on a great performance at the Pembroke Memorial Centre, while also allowing themselves to be auctioned off for the following days’ golf tournament. The live auction alone brought in $30,000 and set the tone for the fundraiser which has become a signature summer social event in the city.

More than 600 people attended the concert which is intended to be an intimate night with the stars, where fans can mingle and have their photos taken with the artists, while enjoying some of the top performers in Canada’s country music industry. Pembroke native Ben Rutz, the lead fiddler in the Johnny Reid band, the Western Swing Authority and “up and coming,” the River Town Saints also took the stage.

Jason sings from purple couch

The following morning, with only a few hours sleep, Blaine was up early to appear on the CTV Ottawa Live Morning Show to talk about his charity and to say thank you to the dozens of businesses, organizations and individuals who have supported him over the years. He then capped his day by playing a round of golf with more than 160 others before unveiling how much the event had raised.

While very few Algonquin College alumni have the profile that Jason Blaine does, we know that many are giving back to their community in special ways. We’re proud of all of our graduates and hope that Jason Blaine’s act of kindness is an inspiration. Blaine may live in Nashville, but his heart is in Pembroke and with his alma mater.

Jason Blaine - Plain Logo

Posted by Jamie Bramburger, Manager of Community and Student Affairs

Algonquin College Alumni Doing Great Things

It has been a week to celebrate our alumni at Algonquin College’s Waterfront Campus. Not a formal celebration, but rather a time to reflect on the great things that our graduates are doing here at home.

Dallas McLeod-PF gradIt seems everywhere I turned this past week I was learning about a special project or initiative that one of our alumni was involved in. It started with a chance meeting with Police Foundations graduate, Dallas McLeod, who was on campus for a Program Advisory committee meeting.

McLeod graduated in 2013 and is now a full-time member of the Renfrew OPP detachment. While he was a student, he accumulated an incredible 3000+ hours of volunteer work. Through his participation on an Advisory Committee, he is continuing his commitment to volunteerism by providing feedback to the College on the program he graduated from.

Sam Graham-wheelchair basketballA few days later I had a call from Social Service Worker graduate Sam Graham, class of 2015. Graham, who is now working on earning a Degree in Social Work at Carleton University, was planning a wheelchair basketball fundraiser at the Waterfront Campus for the fourth year in a row.

Graham has raised money for several causes including the Algonquin College food bank and the Pembroke Regional Hospital MRI Fund. This year, he was helping to generate funds for a recreational facility in Ottawa for people with disabilities.

Jason Blaine2001 Business graduate and Canadian Recording artist, Jason Blaine, established his own charitable fund a few years ago. For the past two years, he has held a two-day fundraising event that features a concert and a golf tournament, raising more than $125,000 for community causes in his hometown.

This week he announced he will be joined by two of Canada’s top Country performers, Dallas Smith and Jason McCoy at this year’s charity concert on June 14th. It will be another sold-out event with this year’s beneficiaries including Algonquin College, the Pembroke and Area Boys and Girls Club and local food banks. Blaine is also again committing $5,000 to help Renfrew County not for profit groups access Mental Health First Aid training.

These are only a few examples of what you can learn in a short time about the great things our Algonquin College alumni are doing. They really are terrific people and their commitment to helping others is extraordinary and worth celebrating.

Posted by Jamie Bramburger, Manager of Community & Student Affairs

Ask Jasmine: Confused About Your Next Steps?

Algonquin College Graduation“I’m approaching graduation and I’m conflicted about what my next step should be. Should I travel while I still can? Should I pursue more education? Do I try to find a career job right away, even though I don’t have much experience? Help!”

What an exciting time! You have so many great opportunities ahead of you. Although I can’t answer your question about what your next step should be, I can assure you that you’ve got some time to figure it out. While there is pressure to determine what you want to do with your life from an early age, know that young adulthood is all about self-exploration and discovery. It’s a time to try new things, to challenge yourself, and to make and learn from your mistakes. If you’re feeling overwhelmed, wary, and uncertain, know that you’re in good company.

Some things to think about:

  1. Get comfortable with uncertainty. As we transition into adulthood it’s easy to get trapped into thinking that we need to have it all figured out. This is a big fat farce! The truth is, uncertainty is normal and unavoidable. It’s okay not to know your next move.
  2. Listen to others, but make your own decisions. There will be times in your life when others try to make decisions for you. We all love to give advice, right? Remember that nobody else has to wear your shoes. Sometimes the choices you make will turn out to be mistakes – or what you perceive as mistakes at the time. It’s all part of the messy and bewildering process. Giddy-up!
  3. Do your research. Whether you’re going backpacking in Europe or enrolling in a new program, spend some time inquiring about it before committing. Read about it, talk to the experts, and ask tons of questions. This will help to enrich your experience and minimize your anxiety.
  4. Talk to a counsellor on campus. Counsellors are able to assist students with career assessment and planning. Career counselling can help you to explore your values, skills, goals, and passions to help clarify future possibilities. Counsellors also have access to career assessment tools like the Myers– Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI), which can help to reveal how you perceive the world and make decisions. You can also work on identifying unhelpful thinking patterns that might interfere with success.

Awards & Scholarships 2015-2016

Please find below information regarding three scholarships/awards being offered. The deadline for application submission is April 1, 2016. Applications are available from Sharon in Room 215.

THE ANGUS CAMPBELL SCHOLARSHIP

Terms: This scholarship is awarded to two students entering the second year of a post-secondary program or the third level of a non-semestered diploma program at Algonquin College in the Ottawa Valley. This cash award will be awarded to two applicants who have demonstrated academic promise and financial need.

The money will be given in the recipients’ third semester. Click here for Angus Campbell Scholarship application >>

ANNUAL AWARD OF EXCELLENCE

Terms: This cash award will be presented to a graduate at the annual Graduation Exercises.

The award will be based on the following two criteria. These two criteria will receive equal weight in the selection process.

  1. Scholastic Achievement
  2. Demonstrated Leadership Ability and Community Participation

Any student may apply who will graduate from a program of studies (of at least thirty weeks) by the date of the annual Post-Secondary graduation. Click here for the Annual Award of Excellence application >>

THE ALUMNI ASSOCIATION AWARD

Terms: This cash award is granted to a student graduating from a program of thirty weeks or longer delivered at Algonquin College in the Ottawa Valley.

The award will be granted to a graduate who exemplified the greatest concern for the Algonquin College community while at the College.

Any student may apply who will graduate from a program of studies (of at least thirty weeks) by the date of the annual Post-Secondary graduation. Click here for the Alumni Association Award application >>