Posted on Sunday, January 31st, 2021
February 1st is one of the greatest days of the year for Ontario college applicants. As the clock ticked past midnight, all of the province’s public colleges started making offers of admission, including Algonquin College’s Pembroke Waterfront Campus.
What a way to start the week. It’s one of the best feelings an applicant can have. It’s like a breath of fresh air while standing on a mountain, realizing that your career goals are now within reach. That is what today is like for hundreds of applicants who first received the good news from the Pembroke Campus by email. Their hard-copy admissions offer will arrive by traditional mail this week.
The email was packed with great information about the next steps applicants must take to secure their seat in their program, but mostly it was about making applicants feel welcome. Video congratulatory messages from the Campus Dean, Dr. Keltie Jones and the program coordinator were included, plus some programs included an invitation to meet with the coordinator and other admitted students in a virtual meet and greet later in the day. In other programs, faculty were busy calling incoming students to congratulate them.
These initial contacts are a great way for applicants to start making connections with the campus and the people they will be spending a lot of time with once classes start in September. It makes applicants feel much more comfortable with the important decision they now have to make, confirming they have found the right program and the right campus for their post-secondary studies.
Applicants have until May 1st to confirm their offer of admission, but from past experience, the College knows that many applicants will confirm their seat within hours or days of receiving the good news. They’re excited to get their plans in order, but the message the College wants them to receive is that our team will be there for them all the way through their educational journey. First impressions matter and the Pembroke Campus has a well-earned reputation for fulfilling the College mission to help students transform their hopes and dreams into life-long success.
There are many key dates in the admissions cycle. Beyond the confirmation deadline of May 1st, tuition deposits are due June 15th and conditionally accepted applicants who have outstanding academic requirements have until August 1st to get this work done. Orientation activities will be available in the summer months to prepare students for classes and formal academic orientation sessions will be offered a few days before classes begin the day after Labour Day.
So to keep applicants on track with the tasks that need to be completed, the Pembroke Campus will communicate with applicants through email, phone calls, social media posts and website updates. Staying connected is critical to ensure a successful start to college and today was the first step in building a relationship with the incoming class to ensure they know who they can reach out to if they need help with things like applying for financial aid, submitting documents, or securing housing in Pembroke.
Staying in touch with the campus is important because September is many months away. Given the many questions newly admitted applicants will have about how the College is delivering courses and services during the COVID-19 pandemic and how things might change in the weeks and months ahead is a good reason for prospective students to participate in activities the College plans for them. Applicants can also visit the College’s COVID-19 website for the most up-to-date information.
Applicants who do not receive an offer on February 1st should not be discouraged. There is still plenty of time to apply to College or complete academic upgrading to be considered for admission. Most programs will remain open leading into the start of classes in September until there are no longer any seats available. Applications will now be reviewed on a first-come, first-served basis and offers of admission will be made once the College admissions officers have all of the information they need to assess the application. This primarily requires the submission of educational transcripts.
Some programs attract many applications and these are the programs that require applicants to apply as early as possible. Programs that attract a lot of applications at the Pembroke Campus include Nursing, Forestry Technician and Carpentry and Renovations Techniques, so applying soon is advised to avoid the risk of being placed on a waitlist.
Today is a day to celebrate for the applicants who applied early and received an offer of admission. Congratulations to every one of you and we look forward to having you study with us at the Waterfront Campus.
Posted by Jamie Bramburger, Manager of Community and Student Affairs
Posted on Saturday, January 23rd, 2021
Posted on Friday, January 22nd, 2021
Emily Krutzelmann graduated from our Environmental Technician program in 2016 and has been working for Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC) since. “Up until earlier this year, I was working as a field/lab technologist in Burlington at the Canada Centre for Inland Waters, but just recently changed positions and am now a water quality technologist with ECCC’s Hudson Bay Water Quality Monitoring and Surveillance Division in Winnipeg!” shares Krutzelmann.
“I’ve always loved water, so it seems natural that I would end up working with it!” Before joining our AC community, Krutzelmann attended university, “I did a research practicum and undergraduate thesis on how wastewater exposure affects fish behaviour, which kind of kickstarted my interest in the environmental sciences and made me realize I really enjoyed fieldwork. The Environmental Technician program gave me a lot of the fundamental hands-on skills that I was missing from my previous undergraduate education and introduced me to a variety of equipment and procedures that I still use in my work today! This program also allowed me to secure a summer student position with ECCC, which led me to my full-time job after graduation.”
Krutzelmann reflects on her top program-related experiences during her 16 months of studies, “for sure the Applied Research projects that we worked on in our final semester. My group was working on a controlled tile drain monitoring project on agricultural land in Renfrew County and this project exposed me to using a wide variety of different types of environmental monitoring equipment, which was an invaluable experience! Our class also did a case study in the College’s stormwater pond, where we installed water level wells and completed elevation measurements to map out the water table to simulate what would happen with a spill of a deleterious substance. Generally, all of the outdoor field trips and hands-on experience outdoors were invaluable! The skills you’ll gain from the Environmental Technician program are all practical skills that you will use in a career in this field. It’s a great opportunity to try a bit of everything under the ‘environmental technician’ umbrella and decide where you want to focus on.”
Posted on Wednesday, December 16th, 2020
2020 will be remembered as the year of the COVID-19 pandemic, a worldwide health crisis that disrupted our lives, but as we look back on 2020 we can also celebrate some of the great things that happened at Algonquin College’s Pembroke Waterfront Campus. Our year in a review captures a few of the highlights.
January 2020: The New Year began with lots of energy and enthusiasm as students returned from the holiday break. We also said goodbye to dozens of graduates who completed their programs in December, including Abhi Gupta of the Outdoor Adventure Naturalist program. A few months later Abhi would deliver our valedictory address at our convocation ceremony from his home country of India.
February 2020: In February we held what has become one of the social highlights of the winter, our annual carnival featuring student-staff hockey games for women and men, some fun outdoor and indoor winter activities and a shared lunch and dinner with students and employees. During this month, more than 30 campus employees also visited the Algonquins of Pikwakanagan reserve to learn more about Indigenous culture, a powerful learning experience as the College continues its Indigenization journey. We also celebrated the opening of a new rock climbing wall in the campus gymnasium.
March 2020: This was the month that everything changed. We had been planning for our March Break Open House with more than 350 people registered to attend when on March 13 the College suspended classes and told its employees and students to work and study from home. In a remarkable accomplishment, our faculty were able to pivot to deliver all course content in a remote delivery format using Zoom technology. The student services team also began offering all of its supports virtually, allowing students to complete their winter term.
April 2020: In April we held our first virtual Speaker Series with Toronto Maple Leafs coach Sheldon Keefe answering questions on leadership, coaching and all things hockey. The event was sponsored by the Algonquin College Students’ Association who worked diligently to add many virtual social events to keep students engaged as they studied remotely.
May 2020: In May we kicked off our Spring/Summer Term by continuing to offer programming and services virtually. By this point, a lot of great work had happened to support students including the introduction of a new virtual student learning kit. We also thanked the many healthcare students at our campus who volunteered and found employment on the frontlines of the pandemic. They were true heroes who were risking their own health to support vulnerable patients in health care settings, particularly long term care centres that were hard hit by the virus.
June 2020: The College announced its intentions to deliver the majority of its programs remotely in the Fall 2020 Term as a public safety measure to protect students and employees from the COVID-19 virus. The decision allowed students to better plan their academic journey. It also meant that many out-of-town students were not required to re-locate to Pembroke as they were studying from home, while others who were in programs that had weekly in-person activities did come to Pembroke.
July 2020: Some of our students returned to campus in July to complete the practical skills they required to graduate from their program. With special permission from the province, these pilot programs had built in many safety mitigation policies to protect students and faculty from contracting the coronavirus. Our Forestry students were equipped with a large tent where they could be taught outdoors before making their way into the woods to put their newly learned skills to the test through practical applications. The lessons learned from our forestry faculty allowed other teachers to get creative in how they delivered in-person classes in the Fall Term.
August 2020: The College introduced a new COVID-19 safety course for students and employees who were required to be on campus. A COVID-19 tracking app was also introduced and the College imposed a mandatory face mask policy for anyone who was on campus. The Algonquin College Students’ Association also began celebrating its 50th anniversary.
September 2020: We started a new school year with more than 900 full-time students registered, plus dozens of apprenticeship and Academic Upgrading students. While the majority of our courses were delivered remotely, some face-to-face instruction was provided particularly in our outdoor training programs such as Outdoor Adventure and Environmental Technician. The College also celebrated having its first Kampus Kokum, Annie Parker, who provides insight, support and personal consultation for our Indigenous learners. We were also pleased to acknowledge our Campus Board of Governors representative, Jay McLaren, who with his wife Linda, an alumnus, was awarded the Upper Ottawa Valley Chamber of Commerce Lifetime Achievement award. September also marked the 20th anniversary of the launch of our popular Outdoor Adventure program, and so we looked back on the program’s history with a series of stories about our faculty and alumni.
October 2020: For the first time in the more than 50-year history of Algonquin College, the Pembroke Campus held a virtual convocation ceremony. The ceremony featured video addresses from the College President, the Campus Dean and the campus valedictorian. In October we also held our first Fall Business Leadership Virtual Conference which was attended by almost 90 business leaders from across the region.
November 2020: Student leaders at the Pembroke Campus initiated a Justice, Equity, Diversity and Inclusion forum to advance the college’s social justice work by tackling the issue of racism. Former Ontario Attorney General, Yasir Naqvi, was the keynote speaker at the virtual forum and empowered students by telling them, it was a time to be bold.” Students in our Outdoor Adventure Naturalist also helped complete the three-year Natural Edge Program project in partnership with Watershed Canada and Muskrat Watershed Council by helping to plant the last 15,000 native trees and shrubs on five agricultural sites naturalizing 4,400-metres of shoreline. We also marked Remembrance Day with a virtual ceremony of Remembrance that included some of our employees and students who had military connections.
December 2020: The final month of the year brought unfortunate news that three campus employees and one student had tested positive for the COVID-19 virus. This occurred as COVID cases spiked across the province and the country, but there was also some good news during this month as a new approved vaccine started being distributed in Canada.
There is no question that 2020 was a year like none other in the history of Algonquin College’s Pembroke Campus, but through it all, we learned of beautiful acts of kindness by our students, alumni and employees. Many of our graduates were working on the frontline of the pandemic, putting their lives at risk to help the most vulnerable people in our society.
When the calendar turns to January we will celebrate the launch of our new Environmental Management and Assessment post-graduate certificate program and another offering of the Personal Support Worker program in collaboration with Bonnechere Manor in Renfrew. We will also launch the first level of the Electrician Apprentice program, following up a very successful Electrician – Construction and Maintenance – Pre-Apprentice offering.
We look forward to 2021 with hopes and dreams that our students, alumni and employees will achieve all of their personal and career goals.
Posted by Jamie Bramburger, Manager of Community and Student Affairs
Posted on Thursday, December 10th, 2020
Posted on Monday, December 7th, 2020
The holidays can be a challenging time for many. This year, this is especially true. We encourage you to take a couple of minutes and be part of our Holiday Letter Writing Campaign. Choose one or both of the options below:
United Way Letters to Seniors in Renfrew County
Write to the Troops
The men and women of the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) have demonstrated time and again that they will rise to any challenge. Let your Canadian Armed Forces members know you appreciate their service by sending a holiday message using this monitored message board.
Posted on Monday, November 23rd, 2020
“This is a time to be bold.” Those words from Yasir Naqvi set the tone for an engaging dialogue among students at Algonquin College’s Pembroke Waterfront Campus at the first student-led Justice, Equity, Diversity and Inclusion forum.
Naqvi is a former Attorney General for the province of Ontario and is currently the Chief Executive Officer for the Institute of Canadian Citizenship. He is also a Director with United Way East Ontario where he has played a leading role in stimulating a community response to systemic racism. Through his advocacy work, he has stressed the importance of listening to those who have been subjected to racism, adding “We don’t need more studies.”
In an opening presentation to kick off the forum, Naqvi told the students and employees of the College that Canadians want change. “We should not squander this opportunity to change the status quo. If we fail to move the yardstick to make change we are failing our future generations,” said Naqvi.
Naqvi spoke eloquently for about a half-hour before taking questions from the group. He encouraged the students to “be relentless and to champion the change.” He spoke about the importance of getting involved in advocacy opportunities such as peaceful protests and elections, at one point saying, “Make it an election issue and if you’re still not satisfied, run for office.”
After commending the students for getting involved with addressing systemic racism, Naqvi stepped out of the forum leaving the students to use virtual breakout rooms to begin the process of developing their own goals and strategies. For an hour they talked about the issues and brainstormed on what they could do to make a difference.
The conversations weren’t easy. Social justice issues like racism can be difficult to talk about and can be emotionally draining, but Naqvi’s point of being “willing to take risk and to be bold” carried the day as the students shared their perspectives and learned together.
Shelly Sutherland is the Campus Student Success Specialist. She worked closely with a group of students who call themselves JEDI to plan the event. JEDI are student leaders who act as mentors for first-year students. They creatively used their nickname to brand the forum, ensuring that each letter stood for what they were trying to accomplish, a respectful conversation that focused on Justice, Equity, Diversity and Inclusion.
“We need to talk, we need to listen and we need to act,” says Sutherland. She adds, “I am proud and inspired by our students, their constant stepping up to amplify voices of the unheard and in many cases amplify their own voices. Whether easy or difficult, they are willing to continue the work with action!”
This is just the beginning. The students have committed to continuing this work as they do their part to bring diversity issues to the surface where they can be addressed through thoughtful discussion and calls to action.
“This forum validated the willingness of Algonquin College to break down the barriers and address the social inequities that exist in our community,” says Nursing student Deena Hassan. “The forum was the first step, and we’re only moving forward after this. As an Egyptian-African, and studying in a town that is predominantly white, I can feel at ease knowing that Algonquin College is taking the steps to ensure diversity and inclusion at the campus,” adds Hassan, who is working with her classmate Grace Grant and the Students’ Association to establish a Black, Indigenous, People of Colour (BIPOC) Student Society.
The students will not be working in isolation. The Mayor of Pembroke has established a roundtable committee to address racism and the Local Immigration Partnership group is also consulting with various community members as more people join the effort to address an issue that is not new but is now getting the attention it deserves.
The 2015 release of Justice Murray Sinclair’s Truth and Reconciliation report was a watershed moment in Canadian history. The report and its 94 calls to action bluntly described the horrific treatment of the country’s Indigenous people and compelled Canadians to acknowledge the harm that was done and to create a new relationship with Indigenous people that honours their culture and their contributions to our nation.
But it was the death of 46-year-old George Floyd, an African American man who died at the hands of a white police officer in Minnesota in May of 2020 that brought people into the streets in both American and Canadian cities. Floyd’s death came at the height of the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic and despite restrictions on public gatherings, his death sparked “Black Lives Matter” protests around the world.
Floyd had died while handcuffed and pinned to the ground, his death caught on video. The circumstances of his death not only outraged the black community but all communities. This time, “Black Lives Matter,” became a call to action for everyone.
“The pandemic has really exposed the fault lines in our society. It has magnified the systemic issues that we have been living through for some time,” Naqvi told the students, adding that racism happens everywhere.
“Don’t give up. This will take some time, but be bold,” he said.
The students are prepared to do just that. Their work is just beginning, but it’s already off to a great start.
Posted by Jamie Bramburger, Manager of Community and Student Affairs.
Posted on Thursday, September 17th, 2020
There has never been a start to a school year like the one we are experiencing this fall at Algonquin College’s Pembroke Waterfront Campus. The campus is eerily quiet as few students are in the building, most are receiving their training in a virtual learning environment where faculty have adapted the way they teach course content in this pandemic adjusted world we are living in.
Enrolments are in fact strong, approaching 1,000 students in the 19 full-time programs that are being offered at the campus. Many programs were waitlisted as they filled up during the summer months, a strong indicator that students did not put their lives on hold and followed through with their commitment to obtain post-secondary credentials.
Like the students, most college employees are working from home. Over the past few months, both faculty and student support staff have done a remarkable job creating virtual support systems to help students succeed. The creativity, ingenuity and perseverance of the college staff have been inspiring, and through this pandemic, much has been learned about how technology can enable enhanced learning for students.
Of course, there are some things that can not be taught online, and so safety mitigation plans have been put in place to allow students in specialized classes to come on campus or participate in field trips. Examples include carpentry shop classes or outdoor skills training for Arborist students who need to learn the art of tree climbing.
The College has imposed strict safety guidelines such as the requirement that masks be worn on campus, that all students and employees complete an online health and safety COVID-19 course and that faculty take student attendance. Additional measures such as enhanced cleaning, the removal of furniture to ensure physical distancing and the closure of some common spaces with a shift to more virtual services have also been foundational in the college’s approach to keeping its students and staff safe.
A walk through the campus this fall is a very different experience. Gone is the buzz of excitement that comes with the start of a school year where orientation activities bring students together. That’s been replaced by virtual learning and social spaces using technology like Zoom, but through this unprecedented situation, students, faculty and staff are adjusting, understanding we may be in this situation for a while.
Former New York Yankees catcher Yogi Berra often left people confused with his creative sayings, but this one seems to hit the mark. “No one goes there nowadays, it’s too crowded.” People are trying to stay within their social bubbles, trying to stay safe, but also trying to live as normal a life as possible. Making personal connections has never been more difficult.
Across the nation, post-secondary schools have had to adjust to this new reality. Higher education will remember 2020 as a year of disruption, however, history may show that the pandemic was also a transformational time for the sector. Never before have colleges pivoted so quickly and intentionally, keeping the focus on student success and academic instruction.
Berra would say, “If you see a fork in the road, take it.” Colleges have certainly done this, and while many students and employees long for the day when classes return to traditional classrooms, the pandemic has made it necessary to shift the way education is delivered. Students still have a timetable and still receive lessons from their faculty while spending time together in scheduled classes, but the bricks and mortar has been replaced by a computer screen. 2020 is certainly a new world.
Posted by Jamie Bramburger, Manager of Community and Student Affairs
Posted on Wednesday, September 9th, 2020
Student Support Services Highlight: Want help with managing your coursework and work at home? Want to be better organized but not sure how to get started? #DidYouKnow that Shelly Sutherland, Student Success Specialist, can help you?!
Learn more about how your Student Success Specialist can be your GPS to success.
Posted on Monday, August 31st, 2020
The days are getting shorter and soon the leaves on the trees will be changing colours. Fall is always a wonderful time of the year at and Algonquin College’s Waterfront Campus in Pembroke we are looking forward to starting classes. Whether your student is a new first-year student at our Pembroke Waterfront Campus, or a returning student eager to return to their studies, our fall semester is going to be jam-packed with learning and community building activities!
Our dedicated Parents’ and Families website features links to blogs, interesting articles written by our Student Services staff, and a calendar that notes some important upcoming dates.
Our goal is to keep you informed. While we respect the privacy of our students, the information we will provide in this newsletter will give you a good sense of what is happening on campus and virtually throughout the year and will provide you with enough information to have engaging conversations with your student.
Coronavirus Information – Algonquin College
Algonquin College has responded to the COVID-19 pandemic by moving the majority of its programming and services to a virtual learning environment. This has been done with safety in mind for our students and employees. In some cases, programs will be offering in-person instruction where it is necessary and where health and safety protocols have been put in place.
Information on how programs will deliver curriculum in the Fall term has previously been shared with students via email. The next important step for students is to attend their virtual orientation sessions to meet their program coordinator and classmates and to learn more about how the Fall semester will unfold. Parents are encouraged to review the College’s COVID-19 website to stay informed on the College’s approach to teaching and learning during the pandemic. Learn more.
Join Us! Virtual AC Start Orientation 
An opportunity for your student to get ready, get connected, and get excited.
Before classes start on September 8, 2020 encourage your student to participate in their virtual AC Start Orientation on Thursday, September 3 or Friday, September 4 depending on which program your student is enrolled in.
The new student session starts at 8:30 a.m. sharp online. This virtual orientation is very important and we strongly recommend that you encourage your student to make the time to attend so that they can start class on September 8th prepared and confident. We also have a parent orientation session too at 9 a.m. each day!
Campus Services FAQ
We know that you and your student have many questions. Below are some links that will direct you to the answers to your questions in advance of AC Start Orientation:
- Where can students find their booklist and how can they order my textbooks?
- How do students get their student ID card?
- Which support services will be available on-campus and which will be offered virtually this fall?
All of these questions and more can be answered on our FAQ: Campus Services page.
Plus, we have created a helpful Return to Campus web resource to support students as they transition into the Fall Term. We strongly recommend that parents also explore the resources provided:
- Campus Access: Health and safety measures – a guide to being on campus
- Training: Student safety training related to face-to-face activities on campus
- FAQ: Health and Safety: FAQs related to face-to-face activities on campus, including health and safety guidance.
Whether your student is studying 100% remotely this fall or studying with a combination of remote and on-campus program delivery, they have the opportunity to access all of our services. Learn more.
Fall Bursary Application: Aug 24 – Oct 5
The Fall Bursaries are now open for application on the Algonquin College Student Information System (ACSIS) from August 24 to October 5, 2020. Encouraged your student to apply! Learn more.
wespeakstudent.COM: Dental and Health Coverage
If you have dental and health coverage for your student, your student can opt-out of the college’s insurance plan. However, this must be done within the first few weeks of classes. Withdrawing from the insurance program is easy. Your student just has to go onto the insurance plan website and complete a form. The money that was paid to the college for the insurance plan will then be reimbursed into their bank account.
Have your student visit wespeakstudent.com and complete the opt-out form.
5 Quick Tips to Help Your Student During Their First Month at College
Keep in touch if your student has re-located to Pembroke for their college program. Quick texts or phone calls to ask how things are going will help you get a feel for how they are adjusting to college life and their program of study.- Know what’s happening on campus and virtually. Follow the Pembroke Waterfront Campus on social media so you can have an enriching conversation with them when they connect. We’re on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
- For students that are not studying from home, sending them an inspirational card, perhaps with a photo from home is a nice way to surprise them with a motivational message. Nothing says you care like a traditional card that arrives in the mail.
- Help them manage their budget. Managing money may be new to them, so don’t be afraid to ask how they are doing financially. Our Financial Aid Officers are also available to help guide students who are
new to managing their own finances.
- Coach your student into applying for our bursaries. Registered students can apply for all bursaries administered by Algonquin College through submitting one application.
Events, Events and More Events!
We have a number of events on campus, both faculty and staff-driven and student organized. Sometimes it’s hard to keep track of everything that is happening, which is why we have created the Waterfront Campus Events Calendar.
Learn more about the social and academic event opportunities available for our students.
Mental Wellness Programs
Awareness is key! As your student settles into their new schedules, many are starting to see the need to maintain their mental wellness. We are offering a number of programs to help with that and we encourage them to take part.
Did you know, all Student Support Services staff at the Waterfront Campus are trained in Mental Health First Aid, as well as almost all of our faculty and administrators? Learn More >>
We welcome your feedback on your newsletter for parents and families.
Thank you for being part of your young adult’s post-secondary journey.
Sincerely,
Jamie Bramburger
Manager of Community and Student Affairs
Algonquin College Waterfront Campus, Pembroke, ON.
PM-Parents@algonquincollege.com
