Centennial Successes: The Year in Review

With the new year just underway, it's an opportune time to look back at the year that has just passed and recount our many successes at Centennial College.

Centennial College President and CEO Ann Buller received the Cisco Public Leaders Award, part of the prestigious Canada's Most Powerful Women: Top 100 Awards, announced last December. She was selected for instituting sweeping changes to make Centennial more learning centred, with new emphasis on global citizenship and social justice principles. It is the largest awards program in Canada for female leaders in the private, public and not-for-profit sectors.

Centennial's International Department won the Association of Canadian Community Colleges (ACCC) Silver Award for Internationalization Excellence. This award recognizes leadership in the internationalization of the institution for the benefit of its learners and the community. Centennial has actively pursued international enrolment by drawing students from countries such as India, China, Turkey, Egypt, Dubai (UAE), Panama and other states.

Last spring, Vice President Academic and Chief Learning Officer Vicki Bismilla received a star on the Scarborough Walk of Fame, which recognizes exemplary achievements by residents of Scarborough. The award acknowledged Dr. Bismilla’s work with the York Region District School Board, where she initiated 20 equity programs and committees, and her work at Centennial developing the college’s unique Signature Learning Experience.

Author, broadcaster and journalism professor Ted Barris received the Minister of Veterans Affairs Commendation in July. The federal minister awards it annually to outstanding individuals who have contributed to the well-being of war veterans or to the remembrance of their contributions and sacrifices. Ted Barris has dedicated many years to sharing the stories of Canada’s war veterans in his popular books. The commendation is traditionally awarded to veterans and is rarely given to civilians.

The School of Transportation was well represented in the winners’ circle at the 22nd annual Ontario Technological Skills Competition, when its students garnered five gold medals, two silver and three bronze in the trade-skills competitions related to aircraft technician, automotive repair, autobody refinishing, and truck and coach. Our winning streak continued at the Skills Canada National Competition in Quebec City in June. One winner, Ryan Gomes, went on to earn a Bronze Medal in Aircraft Maintenance at the WorldSkills London 2011 event in England in October.

Centennial marked its first Pre-Service Firefighter Education and Training graduation with a special ceremony in August at the Toronto Fire Academy. The program – designed to promote diversity both in student enrolment and in firefighting positions – is taught in partnership with Toronto Fire Services (TFS). The program boasts at least 65% diversity, which includes women and visible minorities who are under-represented in the TFS. Fittingly, the service earned the 2011 International Tony Pini Award for Diversity and Inclusion in the Fire Service, citing the TFS partnership with Centennial to address diversity barriers in the Ontario standardized Pre-Service Firefighter Education and Training Program.

Blue Heron Systems Ltd. announced a partnership with Centennial involving development of its innovative, intelligent controller for small renewable-energy systems. Blue Heron created its own local “point-of-use power” in the form of solar -and wind-generated energy produced and used at remote sites. Off-grid LED streetlamp prototypes have been installed at Progress Campus for testing by Centennial’s Energy Institute faculty researchers and students, an R&D project funded by a $50,000 FedDev grant.

Centennial became the first college in Canada to earn UNWTO TedQual certification for six of its hospitality and tourism programs. The designation, announced in August by the United Nations World Tourism Organization, is a validation of the college’s work in revamping its education and training programs with the goals of enhancing quality, competitiveness and sustainability in line with the UNWTO’s certification guidelines. The designation was a key priority of Dean Shyam Ranganathan in his quest to raise the profile of the School of Hospitality, Tourism and Culture.

In September, The Canadian Technology Accreditation Board recognized four additional School of Engineering Technology and Applied Science programs, bringing the total number of nationally accredited programs at SETAS to 21 – the largest number of any college in Ontario. The drive to boost the school’s accredited programs was led by Dean Jag Mohan. Program accreditation is a significant boon to students; graduates are more readily acceptable to employers who are looking for new hires with relevant skills in engineering technology disciplines.

In October, Centennial launched two business programs that address the native community’s desire for training in business foundations coupled with an understanding of Aboriginal needs. The two-year Aboriginal Business Diploma program was developed in partnership with the Aboriginal Financial Officers Association of Canada, and delivers the fundamentals of business, basic accounting, finance and business communications, in addition to Aboriginal business ethics and practices. The three-year Business Administration—Accounting (Aboriginal Stream) program provides students with a strong foundation in accounting and understanding of Aboriginal business requirements.

Centennial celebrated its 45th anniversary in October with the opening of two new buildings that were key to the rejuvenation of the Progress Campus. The warm and inviting Library and Academic Facility with its 16-metre-high indoor bio wall, along with the student-funded Athletic and Wellness Centre (AWC), were featured on Citytv’s Breakfast Television remote broadcast with host – and Centennial graduate – Jennifer Valentyne on November 15.

Students in the School of Business handily won the Canadian Institute of Financial Planning (CIFP) Case Challenge in November. Financial Services students from four Ontario colleges were given 90 minutes to analyze a case study and then present their financial plans to a panel of industry judges. Teams were marked on such criteria as creativity and time management skills. Centennial's winning team consisted of Vijaya Bandlamudi, Patrick Leung and Doina Tip.

Centennial’s Marketing students were declared the overall winning college team at the Ontario Colleges’ Marketing Competition, also in November. Team Centennial students showed their acumen by scoring highly in many of the marketing skills contests, including research, presentations, account management and international marketing. In addition, student Bryan Abichandani collected the William & Margaret Lydiatt Award for his exceptional spirit and team support leading up to the competition.

David Sloan, Senior Vice President and Ombudsman of TD Bank Financial Group, was selected as the first Executive-in-Residence of the School of Business. In this newly created position, Mr. Sloan will have the opportunity to interact with college business students and faculty, lecture in class and make high-school visits to speak with students and teachers about the benefits of studying business at the college level. He will also develop case studies to be used in business classes, and will participate in international outreach opportunities on behalf of the college.