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Baking and Hospitality Grads Win Lt.-Gov.’s Medals at Winter Convocation

February 6, 2013

Each year, a maximum of four Lieutenant-Governor’s medals are awarded to Red River College students who, in the opinion of a selection committee, combine to the greatest extent in their graduating year academic and technical achievement, involvement in College and/or community activities, and good character.

KIMBERLY COWAN
Professional Baking and Patisserie

Kimberly Cowan credits Red River College’s Professional Baking & Patisserie program for allowing her to turn her life’s passion into a full-time career.

Cowan spent her childhood on her uncle’s grain and cattle farm in her hometown of Landis, SK. When her family made the move to Portage la Prairie, it meant a lot would change for a then-teenaged Cowan. Through those transitions, one thing remained the same: her passion for food (specifically baking), which she inherited from her mother and grandmother, both talented cooks.

A few years after earning her Bachelor of Arts degree with a major in History, Kimberly decided to leave her full-time job at a local bank to go back to school and pursue a career in baking.  During her time with RRC, she competed in the Canola Bake-off in 2011 — tying for first with her Sticky Toffee Pudding entry. She also represented RRC in the baking category at Skills Manitoba and the Skills Canada Nationals, where she placed gold in the provincial competition.

Kimberly also played for RRC’s first ever women’s soccer team, helping them place third in the Manitoba College Athletic Conference in 2012. She is now in her eleventh year with Winnipeg’s Soccer League.

Today, Kimberly works as a full-time chef at Chocolatier Constance Popp, a premium artisan chocolate shop specializing in treats made with local ingredients.  She thanks her family, friends and instructors for their constant support and encouragement.

PATRICK MURPHY
Hospitality and Tourism Management

Patrick MurphyA husband and father of two, Patrick Murphy left his full-time accounting job to follow his passion in hotel management. He enrolled in Red River College’s Hospitality and Tourism Management program, having previously worked in the industry back when he first got married.

When asked what inspires him about the field, Patrick credits the people. He enjoys meeting guests from all over the world and learning more about their individual stories. As a child, Patrick had his own opportunity to travel the globe — his father’s military career took his family to the United States, Germany and Newfoundland.

He hopes to one day give his family the opportunity to travel the world as he has. Goal destinations include Baden-Baden, Germany, where he grew up, and of course, Disney World.

During his time with RRC, Patrick was awarded the Professional Leadership Award (2012), Canad Inns Award (2011) for academics and Fairmont Award (2011) for academics and student involvement. Today he is the Fairmont’s Gold Supervisor, responsible for the care of some of the Fairmont’s most special guests. His career goal is to work up the ladder and become general manager of his own hotel.

Patrick also contributes to his community as a team leader for Scouts Canada, an organization he discovered while looking for something to do with his son, Devon. He credits the program for teaching youth about the importance of diversity and respect.

Alumni Q&A: Cliff Olson (Hotel and Restaurant Administration, 1981)

January 28, 2013

From wintry Winnipeg to the beaches Down Under — Red River College grad Cliff Olson has certainly gone far with his training in hotel management.

A 1981 alum of RRC’s Hotel and Restaurant Administration program, Olson has enjoyed a long career in the industry, and now works in sunny Melbourne, Australia, where we caught up with him for an email interview.

RRC: You’ve worked all over the world, but where were you born?

Cliff Olson: Born in Winnipeg, but moved around Manitoba all through childhood, as Mom and Dad owned hotels in many areas.

Sounds like you’ve got the hospitality industry in your blood. What prompted you to come to RRC?

Yes, I grew up in hotels, and had been working in hotels and restaurants since I was 13. In high school I completed a two-and-a-half-year food services course. Afterward, I was looking at universities and colleges for a hotel management program. I went on a tour of the RRC campus and knew immediately it was where I wanted to be.

What stands out in your mind from that time?

I remember the instructors and coordinators were people I respected. They could talk about real experiences that I found helped me to learn.

Did you feel you were well-prepared for your field?

Absolutely, and I still use the things I learned. For instance I was never that interested in maintenance, but from the teachings I at least know enough about refrigeration, electrical and plumbing to understand what’s what in the real world. The accounting was invaluable and because of it when I went to work, I understood profit and loss statements and balance sheets. And the psychology was a great eye-opener, and helped me understand more about life. Read More →

Business grad scores gig playing pro hockey in Germany

December 4, 2012

So you graduate from Red River College’s Business Administration program with a major in marketing — what next? Well, if you’re Alex Kampen, you pack your bags and move to Bremerhaven, Germany, to play professional hockey.

Kampen, 21, grew up in Winnipeg and joined his first organized hockey team at the age of six, playing for the North Kildonan Cobras. As he gained more experience and his profile grew, he made his way up to the Manitoba Junior Hockey League (MJHL), where he played with the Selkirk Steelers for three seasons.

“Hockey has always been my life,” says Kampen from Germany. “It’s really been that driving force.”

Knowing he would eventually outgrow the MJHL age requirement, Kampen began exploring full-time post-secondary programs that interested him. After hearing good things about RRC, Kampen decided its Business Administration program would be the perfect fit.

Kampen spent his first year studying the foundation of business practices at RRC’s Roblin Centre downtown. During his second year, he took the initiative to bring a friend’s business idea to life while also finding a way to incorporate hockey into his studies. For his program’s Entrepreneurship Practicum, he worked with a small group of other Business students to create, develop and pitch “Puck Honey Stick Wax.”

The hockey product is a wax derived honey from honey farms and is meant to be used on the blades of hockey sticks to prevent water, snow or ice from sticking, which in return increases puck control and other performance variables.

Today, Kampen says he carries life-lessons learned during his time at RRC with him in Bremerhaven, where he plays for the Fischtown Pinguins in the 2012-13 Oberliga season.

“At Red River College, you’re definitely forced to do really well working with others. Right now, I’m on a hockey team and we all need to function and be efficient while working together.” Read More →

RRC student launches endowment fund for students with disabilities

December 3, 2012

A Red River College student with a distinguished military record has again turned his attention to a different form of service — by launching a foundation to raise scholarship money for students with developmental disabilities.

Andrew McLean, a former Warrant Officer who retired from the Canadian Forces last summer after 22 years of service, recently donated $25,000 of his own money to start the Canadian Torch Foundation — which will provide its first $1,000 CTF Award to an RRC student next year.

The award is available annually to a full-time student with a developmental disability (physical, mental or documented learning disability, or visual or hearing impairment), who’s studying one of the following RRC programs: Child and Youth Care, Disability and Community Support, Early Childhood Education or Early Childhood Education Workplace.

McLean’s goal is to eventually raise $2.5 million in funding for similar post-secondary scholarships at 10 colleges and universities, and to complement them with annual grants for rehabilitation efforts benefitting children and youth across Canada.

He’s hoping the scholarships will help to foster students’ potential, regardless of the obstacles they might face.

“There’s a difference between someone’s performance and their potential,” says McLean, a former search and rescue technician who’s currently in his first year of RRC’s Disability and Community Support program. “A lot of people try to achieve performance, but potential is what really makes a difference. That’s what affects change — fostering people’s ability to be the best person they can be, or to achieve a more fulfilling life.” Read More →

Hurry, hard! CreComm grad releases chronicle of MCA Bonspiel’s 125-year history

December 3, 2012

As a participant for the last 15 years, Red River College grad Sean Grassie brings a unique perspective to his time with the MCA Bonspiel, the biggest and longest-running curling competition in the world.

So it’s no surprise Grassie, a 2009 Creative Communications grad, and skip of both the 1999 Manitoba junior champion and 2009 Canadian Mixed champion teams, has put all that inside info to good use via a new book chronicling the Bonspiel’s 125-year history.

Kings of the Rings was completed as the major project for Grassie’s final year of CreComm, and is the result of more than 100 interviews and untold hours spent poring through the Winnipeg Free Press archives. The book was published by Great Plains Publications, with an initial print run of 3,000, though given the level of curling’s popularity in Manitoba — not to mention the Bonspiel’s pending 125th anniversary — Grassie might soon need a second run.

First launched in 1887, the Bonspiel has become a cultural institution in Winnipeg — and remains unparalleled in sport as an event where amateurs might find themselves competing against world champions.

“It’s unlike any other bonspiel you’ll see in the world,” Grassie told the Winnipeg Free Press. “Most bonspiels feature either the really elite teams of the next tier, but the MCA is that rare event that brings together the whole fabric of the curling community — from the world champions to the once-a-week curlers. That’s what attracts me.”

Grassie himself came within one game of winning the entire bonspiel last year — skipping his team all the way to the finals before losing in the last game to a team from Wisconsin.

Steinbach student receives Literacy Partners of Manitoba award

November 28, 2012

The long drive to class turned out to be worth it for Steinbach Campus student Carmina Dueck, who last week won a Literacy Partners of Manitoba (LPM) scholarship recognizing success in adult learners.

Dueck, who completed the Health Care Aide program through Steinbach’s Adult Learning Centre, was awarded an Eastman Region LPM Learner Scholarship at a Nov. 20 ceremony celebrating Literacy Partners’ 25th anniversary.

Despite the 100-kilometre drive to campus, Dueck completed her Health Care Aide certificate on a part-time basis, received her mature high school diploma in June 2012, and is currently registered for RRC’s Bachelor of Nursing degree program.

She detailed her RRC experience in the most recent issue of LPM’s Write ON magazine.

“My horizons were broadened. My eyes were opened. My mind was expanded,” she writes.

“I felt vulnerable as I experienced worry about grades, frustration over assignments, and a pounding heart as exams were handed back. But everything was balanced out with joy, accomplishments, and higher levels. I persisted in my academic journey and won.”

Shown: Carmina Dueck (right) with Holly Banner, President of Literacy Partners of Manitoba

RRC Alum’s Documentary Makes PBS Top 10

November 27, 2012

Congratulations to Red River College grad Lisanne Pajot (Creative Communications, 2003), whose debut film Indie Game: The Movie tied for 5th place on PBS’ list of the Top 10 documentaries of 2012.

Directed and produced by Pajot and partner James Swirksy (shown at left), the film chronicles the world of independent video game developers, and has drawn rave reviews from critics across North America since it bowed at the Sundance Film Festival last January.

In addition to its recent ranking on the PBS/POV list, the doc also picked up the World Cinema Documentary Best Editing Prize at Sundance. It’s since been toured throughout Canada and the U.S., and was optioned by HBO and producer Scott Rudin (The Social Network, The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo).

Click here for more information, or to stream or download the film.

Grad profile: Östen Rice (Culinary Arts, 2001)

November 21, 2012

There are three slices of butterfish lying across each other on the plate, their edges stained purple by beet juice. A small golden hill of julienned apple and beet rises nearby. The dish is framed by asparagus stalks, cucumber, a taro crisp anchored in brilliant orange roe and a pool of wasabi mayonnaise.

It looks like a modern sculpture. With its combination of Scandinavian fish curing and Japanese sensibilities, it’s a meeting of two cultures.

And it’s the dish that just won RRC alum Chef Östen Rice (Culinary Arts, 2001) the Winnipeg Gold Medal Plate, earning him a spot at the Canadian Culinary Championships in Kelowna next year.

“That dish was very personal for me, it goes back to my heritage,” Rice says, on a break from meal rushes at Wasabi Sabi. “My mom is from Sweden. She cooked the way her mother taught her, the way her grandmother taught her and so on. I came across some old recipe books and they inspired me for this dish.”

“I realized a while ago that Japanese and Scandinavian food can work well together. The cultures have the same clean aesthetic and presentation style to them – and lots of emotion swirling around them.”

Rice’s distinctive style – his Scandinasian flair – and his recent award are both accomplishments with years of experience behind them. The 31-year-old Winnipegger, born and raised in Fort Rouge, knew from an early age that he wanted to be a chef.

“As far back as I can I remember, I was always interested in food. My mom cooked food from scratch and I was always hanging around. I think there are pictures of me as a toddler trying to help.” Read More →

Culinary grad takes top honours at 2012 Gold Medal Plates competition

November 8, 2012

Congratulations to RRC alum Östen Rice (Culinary Arts, 2001), of Wasabi Sabi restaurant, on his recent win at the Gold Medal Plates competition in Winnipeg.

Rice was awarded top honours at the event, which took place Oct. 26 at the Winnipeg Convention Centre. As it does every year, the event celebrates the best in local cuisine, pitting the city’s premiere chefs against each other in a bid for a spot at the Canadian Culinary Championships.

Osten Rice dishRice’s gold medal-worthy entry was a thrilling mix of sweet and sour, comprised of beet-cured butterfish, marinated sea asparagus, taro crisp and tobiko roe, and a slaw of julienned Fuki apple, golden beet and shiso leaf.

Food critic James Chatto, one of the judges at the event, described it thusly: “(Rice’s) dish had a personal narrative, inspired by the gravlax his Scandinavian grandmother used to cure, but given a Japanese twist to reflect the style of his restaurant.”

Rice shared the podium with fellow chefs Michael Schafer (Sydney’s at The Forks, bronze) and Jamie Snow (Amici at Niakwa). Also in attendance at the event were Senior Judge Jeff Gill, Culinary Instructor at RRC, fellow judge and RRC alum (and winner of last year’s gold medal) Michael Dacquisto, and RRC alum Adam Donnelly, who competed on behalf of his Segovia Tapas Bar and Restaurant.

Having won at the Winnipeg event, Rice now moves on to the Canadian Culinary Championships, which take place Feb. 8 and 9 in Kelowna, B.C.

Shown above: RRC alum Östen Rice (centre) along with Amici’s Jamie Snow (left) and Sydney’s at the Forks’ Michael Schafer (right), on the winner’s podium of this year’s Gold Medal Plates culinary competition.

RRC grads raising money for dog-saving mission in Nepal

September 25, 2012

Red River College grad Tannis Rentz (Animal Health Technology, 2002) has been providing aid to people’s pets for more than 10 years now — ever since she began volunteering at the Transcona Veterinary Hospital as a teen.

But in April 2013, Rentz and fellow AHT grad Mary Robinson (2011) will travel a little further afield to help the tens of thousands of sick or malnourished dogs crowding the streets of Kathmandu, Nepal.

Rentz and Robinson are headed to Nepal’s KAT Centre, a not-for-profit treatment centre for sick and injured street dogs. As Rentz explains, there are currently more than 20,000 dogs living on the streets of Kathmandu — many of them infected with rabies and other communicable diseases that pose a threat to their human counterparts.

“And of course they’re constantly reproducing, because none of them are spayed or neutered,” says Rentz, who over the last 10 years has worked her way from a clinical position at the Winnipeg Animal Emergency Clinic to an administrative role with the Petsecure arm of the Western Financial Insurance Company.

“Initially, the government there thought it would be a good idea to terminate these dogs by throwing poisoned meat into the streets. But then they’d dispose of the poisoned bodies by throwing them into their water supply, which just made things even worse.”

While in Kathmandu, Rentz and Robinson will assist KAT Centre staff in treating captured dogs for their existing medical conditions (malnourishment, skin diseases, lesions, etc.), then rehabilitating them to the point they can be safely spayed or neutered. Read More →

RRC Polytech campuses are located on the lands of the Anishinaabeg, Ininiwak, Anishininwak, Dakota Oyate, and Denésuline, and the National Homeland of the Red River Métis.

We recognize and honour Treaty 3 Territory Shoal Lake 40 First Nation, the source of Winnipeg’s clean drinking water. In addition, we acknowledge Treaty Territories which provide us with access to electricity we use in both our personal and professional lives.