Posted on Wednesday, March 4th, 2020
Ironically, loneliness is a shared experience. Everyone has experienced loneliness at some point in their life, and if you are feeling this way right now you are definitely not the only student. Loneliness is caused by there being a discrepancy between the social and interpersonal connections you want and what you have. The focus on connection here is important: you may have a lot of friends and people around you, but it is the quality of those friendships and connections that influence the feeling of being alone.
Let’s be real here. Pembroke is a small town. This campus is a small campus. This means there are less options and opportunities for social events, activities, and just meeting “your people.” Homesickness, culture shock, and isolation are common and natural to experience in any new environment but are especially heightened in a small town/campus setting. Maybe you don’t feel connected to your classmates, roommates, or the college community. Maybe there are not as many social opportunities as you’d like or even solo activities in the area that fit your unique interests. Maybe you thought it would be different or you would feel differently by this point in the year. Maybe you’ve been trying to put yourself out there and are feeling rejected and dejected. All of this can feel very discouraging. So what can you do?
Practical Options for Dealing with Loneliness
- The first step is accepting the way you feel. Acknowledge that you feel alone or isolated and wish things were different.
- The second step is identifying what exactly you are missing. Are you missing companionship and just having others to do activities with, like going to the movies? Are you maybe more missing having someone you can connect with on a deeper level and feel unconditionally supported by?
- The third step is exploring how you can try or continue to try to combat your feelings of loneliness. This Practical Options for Dealing with Loneliness document reviews some practical options.
- The fourth step is considering if you can live with your loneliness. Yes, you might wish things were different, and loneliness is making you feel sad, but is this feeling tolerable? Can you accept that right now, for whatever reason, you may not have the social and personal connections you want in life? Is there a way to reframe this in terms of the value of having a lot of time to yourself, to focus on your own interests and passions or self-growth? Acceptance of your present circumstance, without judging it or wishing for it to be different, can help to lessen the feeling of distress that accompany loneliness.
Regardless of what steps you take to manage your feelings, I am always available as a support option on campus, even if I can’t replace friendship. Loneliness is difficult to experience and navigate out of, and it may also indicate that something deeper is going on.
I also want to hear what the student community wants for support moving forward. Next week, I will be sending out an email listing some options for social and counselling groups to be offered over the spring/summer semester, and options for Fall 2020.
Shannon – Counsellor, M.C., RP, CCC
Room/Office 138
T 613.735.4700 x2804
Counselling website
Posted on Monday, February 24th, 2020
Maximizing the potential of your employees should be a priority for every business. That’s the focus of the 2020 Spring Business and Leadership Conference scheduled for May 21 at Algonquin College’s Pembroke Waterfront Campus.
Now into its sixth 
year, the conference supports local organizations by providing high quality and affordable professional development opportunity close to home. This year’s headliner is Doctor Robyne Hanley-Dafoe who will deliver a poignant keynote address on resiliency in the workplace.
As the senior educational developer for the Centre of Teaching and Learning at Trent University in Peterborough, Hanley-Dafoe is a multi-award winning psychology instructor who specializes in navigating stress and change with a focus on personal wellness in the workplace.
Hanley-Dafoe will be joined by five other women in producing the first all-women line-up of presenters in the conference’s history. All will focus on topics that will drive improvement within organizations.
For example, Iman Haasan will provide tips on how to promote health and wellness in the workplace through lessons learned from sports psychology. Hassan is a mental health performance consultant who is also a Sport Performance and Psychology doctoral student at the University of Ottawa.
Colleen Walsh has spent more than 20 years helping businesses solve human resources issues. She has entitled her workshop as “The Modern-Day Performance Management Process.” From Walsh’s perspective, there is a lot of discontent with the way employers evaluate employee performance. Her workshop will focus on how to provide constructive criticism that will motivate your employees to build stronger working relationships.
Within a work team, everyone has different responsibilities, but when someone lets the team down it can cause a lot of tension. Victoria Miles is an employee engagement specialist and will deliver a punchy presentation on “Demystifying Accountability,” an interactive workshop that will tackle questions like, what does accountability look like when it’s in action? Most importantly, the session will drill down on why accountability is so important in the workplace and will provide tips on how to introduce it as an employee engagement priority.
Why do so many projects fail? Becky Wright is a certified project manager and will explore the most common reasons why projects don’t succeed. Through group work, Wright will help her audience understand how poor planning is usually to blame and more importantly will delve into what organizations can do to learn from their past failures to plan better.
Erin Blaskie is a social media guru, but she’s also a leading entrepreneur. A lover of technology, Blaskie helps entrepreneurs achieve their goals by inspiring them to achieve greatness, while also understanding the pitfalls that often derail entrepreneurs. In her enlightening session, Blaskie will tackle the question of what does it mean to be an entrapreneur within an organization? In answering that question, Blaskie will be promoting the need for more creativity and innovation to drive business growth and build successful teams.
Registration has opened for the conference. Early bird rates of only $210 plus applicable taxes are in place until March 31 and businesses that register three people for the conference will receive the fourth registration free.
Posted by Jamie Bramburger, Manager of Community and Student Affairs at Algonquin College’s Pembroke Waterfront Campus.
Posted on Wednesday, February 12th, 2020
Calling all students! Algonquin College’s Pembroke Campus is hosting a photography contest! Rules are simple,
- Submit a picture of what inspires you the most in the classroom, in placement, or in the field.
- Provide a brief explanation about why you chose this image to be entered into the contest.
- Only one entry per student – so make it unforgettable!
- Submit by March 6, 2020 at 11:59 p.m.
Submissions will be judged based on both the photo and the written explanation, so remember to include each in your entry! Both 1st and 2nd place winners will be featured in our upcoming Pembroke Campus newsletter. For those wishing to enter please email all submissions to raem@algonquincollege.com by March 6, 2020.
Posted on Monday, February 10th, 2020
At some point, you may ask, “Why should I go to college?” Here are five reasons to study at our campus:
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We prepare you for your future career – learn the skills to get the job: Research reveals 86% of college graduates secure employment within six months. College education continues to be an effective and swift route to employment. The provincial Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) show that 85.5% of Algonquin College graduates found employment within six months of graduation. “Colleges are experts at helping people find rewarding careers,” said Linda Franklin, the president, and CEO of Colleges Ontario. “Our graduates’ professional and technical expertise will be even more important in the years ahead as new technology and automation create a heightened demand for a more highly qualified workforce.” There’s no question that having a post-secondary credential has become paramount to a person’s ability to progress in the workplace. Increasingly, employers are asking for a minimum of a college certificate or diploma as a starting point to be considered for a job posting. That reality is the primary factor that drives a person’s decision to enroll in a college program.
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You’re not just a number – we get to know you: At the Pembroke Waterfront Campus, you’re not just a number – we get to know you, your name, and your goals – your opinion is valued. Our campus feels smaller and homier than others, and we are always here to help. Our Support Services team works together to support you based on interactions with you. The best way that we can support you to achieve success is through planning and collaboration within the College’s support services.
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We offer one-of-a-kind programs – you won’t find anywhere else: We offer a number of truly one-of-a-kind programs, with a strong reputation across Canada and internationally. Our beautiful campus is surrounded by scenic countryside, forests, lakes, and rivers–the perfect location for some of the most exhilarating outdoor training programs on earth. Whether you are interested in building the action sports culture, learning how to preserve the present for the future, or looking to become an outdoor guide, we have the programs and certifications that will guide you toward your dream career! Learn more about our programs.
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We’re generous – bursaries help pay your tuition: A bursary is a monetary award that is granted on the basis of financial need. Bursaries are different than scholarships. Scholarships are merit-based and are awarded for academic achievement. Bursaries are financial-need based awards that do not have to be repaid. We have over $250,000 available in bursaries money annually for our Pembroke Campus students. These generous gifts of money from our community members and local businesses are truly appreciated by the students and the College. It helps the college to fulfill its overarching goal of supporting students to be successful in their academic studies and to be career-ready when they graduate. Learn more about
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Our small campus provides more opportunity to connect to your professors: Your professors are experts in their chosen field, so they can help you to succeed academically. Whether you need help to answer questions or clarify materials that are covered in class, you have the opportunity to get that extra one-on-one time at our campus. Professors also know people and have many connections, so when it comes time for you to secure a co-op, placement or even a job, they can reach out to companies who are looking for qualified individuals and speak with them on your behalf.
Join us and learn first-hand the advantages of studying at a smaller campus where we offer our students exceptional learning opportunities and a friendly, supportive environment.
Posted on Tuesday, January 21st, 2020
The Class Representative and Wybourn Awards application process are now open.
Once again, the Class Representative Award allows for three awards; one for each the Perth, Pembroke and Ottawa campuses. The Wybourn award is awarded to one student from any of the three campuses.
- The Wybourn Award is awarded on an annual basis to a Student Leader who has made an outstanding contribution to the promotion and/or upholding of student rights at Algonquin College during the academic year. It consists of a $500 award and an award certificate. The Wybourn Award was created by Algonquin College’s Board of Governors in honour of Dr. Ed Wybourn, the first Dean of Student Affairs.
- The Class Representative Award is awarded on an annual basis and is designed to acknowledge and reward a student who is deemed to be the most deserving Class Representative. An award is selected for each of the three Algonquin College campuses (Ottawa, Perth, and Pembroke). It consists of a $500 award and an award certificate.
The submission deadline for both of these awards is Tuesday, March 10th, 2020, at 5:00 p.m.
All nominations are submitted online and the link to the page to obtain information, criteria and the online application form can be found here.
All award winners and a guest are invited to the Volunteer Appreciation Gala at the Woodroffe Campus. This is a lovely event acknowledging and thanking student volunteers. This year the Gala will be held on Tuesday, March 25, 2020.
Posted on Monday, January 13th, 2020
As you review your new schedules and start to plan out your workload over the semester, you are likely considering how to manage your time, what instructors and services you may need to seek out extra support from, and which subjects and assignments you are going to need to focus more on. It is also important to consider what you may need to best support your mental health over the semester. There, unfortunately, is no “Fitbit” we can wear for our mental health, which would beep if we were at risk for psychological injury, inform us if “what if” thinking was escalating our anxiety, or congratulate us for responding vs. reacting in a situation. Until something like a “mental wellness watch” exists, we have to do this ourselves.
So, are there strategies for managing stress and anxiety that you can start to implement now so that you are less overwhelmed later during the year? I know how hard it can be to learn about strategies for stress or test anxiety when it is exam time. Would you benefit from learning about techniques to manage depression, strong emotions, and low motivation? Will establishing a connection with myself (or others) now help you if you are experiencing distress later on? Especially as the winter weather can lead to isolation, lower activity levels, and even low mood, now is an ideal time to consider what you need to maintain wellness, manage mental health, and limit the impact of mental illness and distress.
To help you start the year off right, the counselling department is continuing to launch initiatives to best support you. You can learn about strategies through the education we have in the waiting area and on the website. You can start to explore coping tools that might come in handy on hard days. I always say that “it’s easier to learn to swim when there aren’t strong waves.” You can start checking in with me to establish a relationship, learn some techniques, and just have a place to get things off your chest. Below is a reminder of the additional ways the counselling department is here to support you.
The COUNSELLING WAITING AREA is an environment for any student to come and decompress throughout the day; it is more than just a waiting area. This is a secluded space with a variety of coping items, including a weighted blanket, kinetic sand, coloring books, and a light therapy lamp (great for during these dark winter months). There are information sheets about stress, panic, and being in crisis, and there are psychoeducation packages for concerns such as depression, anxiety, and general coping. Resource lists and information about community supports are also available.
The PEMBROKE COUNSELLING DEPARTMENT WEBSITE has been updated to include many of the resources available in the waiting area. The psychoeducation packages currently available are: Stress Management; Anxiety Management; Depression Management; Coping and Distress Tolerance; and Trauma and Acute Stress. algonquincollege.com/pembroke/counselling
WIN COUNSELLING CLINICS start up this week, between 1 pm-4 pm on Tuesday, January 14th and Thursday, January 16th. WIN = What’s Important Now? These clinics will consist of 6x 30-minute same-day appointments available for students who have immediate needs they want to address, or an issue they don’t need a regular, longer appointment for. You need to sign-up the morning of, between 8 am-12 pm or you can try dropping in during the afternoon to see if a spot is still free. Information and the sign-up sheet is located in the back of Student Services, in the counselling waiting area. You can use these clinics even if you have not met with me before. Regular appointments will be available on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays.
Posted by Shannon Sevigny, Counsellor
Community & Student Affairs, Algonquin College
1 College Way, Pembroke ON K8A OC8
T: 613-735-4700 ex. 2804
F: 613-735-8805
sevigns@alqonquincollege.com
Posted on Friday, January 10th, 2020
Since 2004, Jennifer Austin and her family have hosted out of town college and high school students in their home. Now, she has become a champion for Algonquin College’s efforts to attract more international students to its Pembroke Waterfront Campus. Austin has signed on to host an international student for the Fall 2020 term because she says “Homestay is a meaningful experience that empowers students to succeed, and it helps you learn a new culture and meet a new friend for life.”
The College has partnered with Canadian Accommodation Services to establish a Homestay program in Pembroke that encourages families to open up their homes to international students. For Austin, it was an easy decision to participate in the program. Her family has hosted high school students from across Canada including the Northwest Territories and Nunavut, and from as far away as New Zealand, normally for six months to full year stays. In all, the Austin family has provided a home for 15 students over the years.
“The most rewarding part of being a host family is the bonds that are formed. Each student creates a different bond with our family. It could be something special like inside family jokes or cherished memories of time spent together,” says Austin.
In recent years, the Pembroke Campus has been gradually attracting more international students. These students have come to the campus from several countries including India, China, the United States, Morocco, Ukraine, and Africa. The students study in many programs and have come to Canada because of our country’s excellent reputation for providing high-quality post-secondary training and also its openness to welcoming people from around the world.
“Diversity enriches everyday life. These students have traveled around the world on an adventure, and we get to be part of it,” says Austin who is now collaborating with the College to find other families who are interested in taking part in the Homestay program. As a supporter of the work the College is doing to promote cultural diversity, 
Austin speaks passionately about why she has stepped up to help the Pembroke Campus and has offered some simple advice to other families who are considering hosting an international student.
“Host with open arms and an open heart. Show your student a new perspective, a new culture and be ready to learn something new yourself,” says Austin who is excited to recruit more families. More information on the Homestay program is available on the campus website, including the application form.
Posted by Jamie Bramburger, Manager of Community and Student Affairs
Posted on Thursday, January 9th, 2020
#DidYouKnow that we offer WIN Counselling Clinics for students? WIN = What’s Important Now? These clinics consist of 6x 30-minute appointments available for students who have immediate needs they want to address, or an issue they don’t need a regular, longer appointment for. These clinics will be every Tuesday and Thursday afternoon from 1 pm-4 pm. Students need to sign-up the morning of, between 8 am-12 pm. Information and the sign-up sheet is located in the back of Student Services, in the counselling waiting area. Check out our Counselling resources.
Posted on Thursday, January 2nd, 2020
What’s a better investment? Buying a new car or enrolling in a college program? The answer is very obvious, but too many families don’t hesitate to finance a vehicle, but they second guess the cost of post-secondary education.
Simpl
y put, buying a car is a short term purchase while enrolling in post-secondary education is a life long investment in your future.
Society has been programmed to believe that higher education is expensive and out of reach for many families, but that couldn’t be further from the truth. The recent transformation of the Ontario Student Assistance Program has made access to post-secondary training greater than it has ever been.
More grants are available for students with lower incomes, the threshold for family income eligibility for student loans has increased and the application process has been simplified. Moving forward, students will also have a much clearer picture of what their investment will need to be in their education, allowing families to have better information sooner to make their plans for college.
The next time you see the sticker price of $25,000 or $30,000 on a new vehicle that is tempting you, just think how that money could be better spent on earning a post-secondary credential that will carry its value for the rest of your life. Going to college is often a life-changing experience for a student that propels them into a career with higher lifetime earnings, more employment opportunities, enhanced confidence, and eventually more disposable income for things like new cars.
The bottom line is a higher education credential doesn’t depreciate and if you commit to life-long learning, you’ll continue to open doors for yourself. The little black book is a certificate, diploma or degree that will maintain its value and never run out of gas.
Need more convincing, check out Algonquin College’s graduate placement report.
Posted on Thursday, January 2nd, 2020
Sean Kyte was hoping for a better result. He had represented Canada at the World Deaf Hockey Championships in 2017 in Buffalo, New York and had felt the sting of losing in the gold medal game to the United States, but two years later he was confident his team could beat the Americans.
L to R: Thomas Kyte, Johnny Kyte, Sean Kyte
Kyte, along with two of his cousins, Thomas and Johnny Kyte, had made the Canadian team that had travelled to Chiavenna, Italy to play against the best hearing impaired hockey players in the world at the Winter Deaflympics hockey tournament. To participate, players must have a minimum hearing loss of 55 decibels in the better of their two ears.
Through the round-robin, the Canadian team cruised to four consecutive wins, beating Russia 3-1, Finland 5-1, Kazakhstan 18-0 and the United States 4-1. The undefeated record, including the win against the Americans, gave the Canadians confidence they could prevail in the gold medal game. Unfortunately, that confidence was shattered as the Americans took command of the game early and won 7-3, meaning Kyte and his teammates would again have to settle for a silver medal.
“After losing to the U.S. two years ago, and losing again this year, it was really heartbreaking. It was a hard pill to swallow, but it was an unbelievable experience,” says Kyte.
Part of that experience was playing in an arena that offered a breathtaking open-air view of the Alps. The arena had seating on only one side, and while the playing surface was covered, the other side of the building faced the mountains and was wide open, providing a picturesque setting for the championship game that was played in front of a sold-out crowd.
“It was stunning. Sitting on the bench, you could see the mountains across from you, which is something I will never forget,” says Kyte.
Players were not permitted to wear their hearing aids during games, so in addition to whistles, strobe lights were used to alert the players of a stoppage in play. The arena also had only one door on the player’s bench, making it more difficult to make line changes.
Hearing impairment is prevalent within the Kyte family. Sean’s father, Murray Kyte, also has hearing loss and won a bronze medal when he played in the tournament several years ago in Russia, while his Uncle Frayne Kyte won a gold medal in Switzerland. Sean’s Uncle, Jim Kyte, was the first deaf player in the National Hockey League, and through his 16-year professional career and following his retirement as an athlete, he continues to be a great advocate for deaf athletes.
Kyte is a double graduate of Algonquin College. He completed the Construction Techniques program (now Carpentry and Renovation Techniques) at the Pembroke Campus after graduating from high school, picking up some fundamental carpentry skills that have turned him into a “handyman,” for his family and friends. He then enrolled at Saint Francis Xavier University in Antigonish, Nova Scotia where he earned a Business Degree, but his educational journey at Algonquin College wasn’t over.
His passion for sports led him to enroll in the post-graduate Sports Business Management program at the Ottawa Campus. “I knew I wanted to work in a career that centred around sports,” says Kyte, who landed his first job with a start-up company called “Fan Saves.”
Fan Saves has developed a mobile sports application that helps companies promote their products and sell them to support local sports teams and organizations. The app gives users discounts and deals from brands affiliated with their favourite clubs and businesses, whether it be a local baseball team or a professional hockey club.
For Kyte, it has been exciting to be in at the ground level of the new company and watch it grow. With the title of business development executive, Kyte spends plenty of time on the road and making pitches to prospective clients. “It has been a blessing to be able to work within the sports industry while learning every day about the app world within business,” says Kyte.
To be able to play for Canada at the Deaflympics, Kyte required the support of his employer as he needed to be away from work to attend tryouts and training camp, plus travel to Italy to compete in the tournament. He was grateful to have had the opportunity to again play against the best deaf hockey players on the planet, but he is not satisfied with having two silver medals under his belt. He is still craving a gold medal.
In 2021, the World Deaf Hockey Championships will be played on Canadian soil in Vancouver, a city that has a golden hockey history, having hosted Sidney Crosby’s “golden goal” in the 2010 Winter Olympics. If Kyte can again make the team, he hopes Crosby’s game-winning overtime marker against the Americans will provide the inspiration for Canada’s deaf team to win it all. If that happens, it will truly be a golden moment for both him and his country.
