Dear fellow alumni,

Red River College students need our help. I wanted to share why I chose to donate to the RRC COVID-19 Emergency Student Support Fund – and hope that my story will encourage you to do the same.

With the support of some very generous donors – including corporate partners, RRC alumni, staff and community members – the fund has quickly grown to over $300,000 and the College has been able to help more than 335 students who have been financially impacted by COVID-19.

But there are hundreds of students who still need our support – and that is why I’m asking for your help.

The pandemic has hit students particularly hard as the part-time jobs they rely on to cover rent and food costs are the type of jobs that were first to be reduced as a result of social distancing measures. While the economy is starting to re-open, it will be months before many of these jobs return.

As an RRC employee, I am in a unique position to see what our students are going through. Many of them live alone and don’t have family to turn to for support. Some are from out of town, or even out of country, and don’t have established support networks. Others are single parents trying to juggle course work, child care and job loss.

Every day students are making the choice between paying rent and putting food on the table for their family.

I donated to the fund as a proud RRC alumni member, a graduate of Creative Communications – and I would not be where I am today if it were not for my education at RRC. I am forever grateful for the skills I learned some 30 years ago. Without question, what I learned helped me establish myself throughout my career, first in journalism and later in strategic communications.

Financial stress places a heavy burden on students and without our help there are some who will fall through the cracks and not realize their potential.

As a lifelong Manitoban, I run into proud RRC alumni on a daily basis in virtually every industry. We are one of the most important engines that drives our economy. And we will be even more essential to the growth and prosperity of our community as we rebuild post COVID-19.

Manitoba needs RRC grads.

RRC helped launched my career and put me in a position to give back to a student in need. Please consider doing the same – no donation is too small as we work together to rise to the challenges of this unprecedented time.

Riva Harrison
CreComm 1988

Donate now at http://rrc.ca/donate

A message from Dr. Christine Watson,
Red River College’s Interim President and CEO

Dear donors, alumni and friends of Red River College,

I am reaching out today to share with you our efforts to continue operating while protecting the health and safety of our students, staff, faculty and broader community during this time of unprecedented challenge and uncertainty.

We are taking every step possible to help prevent the spread of COVID-19 and to safeguard the RRC community. This has meant a rapid shift to alternative program and service delivery for students, which has allowed the majority of faculty and staff to work from home while we close our campuses to classes and public events.

This is allowing us to continue to do what we do best – train the next generation of Manitoba’s workforce, which we will be extremely important for our province and our country as we rebuild our economy following this crisis.

I am so very proud of our efforts. This would be a significant undertaking in the best of times, never mind where we find ourselves today as a community.

Responding to this situation, which is often changing by the hour, has us drawing on the values we hold dear at the College. By tapping into our spirit of innovation, flexibility, teamwork and problem-solving, we’re forging a new path to ensure our students can continue with their studies and their careers.

As Manitoba’s largest educator of health care professionals, we are also supporting this sector in their battle against COVID-19 by:

• Providing 14 students from our Health Information Management program to help with vital record keeping and tracking the spread of COVID-19;
• Donating 1,700 N95 masks to help combat serious shortages of essential safety gear for front line staff;
• Offering to re-deploy our 3D printers, manufacturing equipment and labs to support the production of medical devices and supplies; and,
• Providing unused advertising space to help public health increase its messaging to the community.

I am so inspired by the hard work, dedication, and creativity of our workforce here at RRC. This is a very difficult and stressful time for everyone, and it is incredible to see so many people rise to address the situation before us. We are very fortunate to have such a vibrant College community and as a partner, you are an important part of who we are and how we continue to stay strong at this time.

Your support as donors, alumni and partners have helped us grow into the robust and agile training institution we are today, which has positioned us to meet this challenge head on and continue to help our students become leaders in their chosen fields. Thank you for your support of our students, the College and each other during this difficult time.

We recognize the profound impact that this uncertain time is having on your own family, your work and your business. It is why we will continue to work diligently to support our students in continuing their studies and doing what we canto help the community ‘flatten the curve.’ We want to work together to support you the way you have always supported us.

Please stay safe and feel free to visit rrc.ca/coronavirus for the latest information on how the College is responding to this extraordinary situation.

Christine

Greeted by Red River College Polytechnic’s WUSC Local Committee,(Left: Norman Umali, Wasim Alkabani and Tetiana Babii) RRC Polytech Technology Management student, Khaldon Algundubi, arrives in Winnipeg. August 2019

He’s getting his first taste of Canadian winter, but Khaldon Khaled Algundubi still finds Winnipeg warm and welcoming.

Algundubi is the latest student to enroll at Red River College as an International Education award recipient through Red River College and World University Service of Canada (WUSC).

Originally from Yemen, Algundubi comes to Canada from Jordan, where he earned a Bachelor of Civil Engineering from the University of Jordan.

The 25-year-old first touched down at Winnipeg James Armstrong Richardson International Airport in August, when he was welcomed by members of RRC’s WUSC committee.

“They (RRC students and staff) keep asking me how it’s going with me and if I need any help. In fact, tomorrow I will meet Norman (Umali, RRC’s international student support coordinator) for lunch,” Algundubi says.

Left: Chair, Electrical, Mechanical and Manufacturing, Mark Blackner, with WUSC award recipient, Khaldon Algundubi and Interim President and CEO, Darin Brecht.

“There are really cool, friendly people here and I keep in contact with them or they call me to ask how I’m doing and what they can help with. Also, the instructors here are really friendly and care a lot about students. They give me advice on how to improve my skills and how to prepare for a professional career. I’m really enjoying being here.”

Algundubi is currently studying Technology Management at RRC’s Notre Dame Campus. A one-year advanced diploma program, Technology Management is for students with technical diplomas and degrees who wish to complement their technical know-how with managerial skills.

“It’s a bridging program, a suitable program for me since I already have a bachelor’s degree,” Algundubi says. “It is an advanced program that will help me to continue to master studies in project management. Project management is my goal.”

When he’s not studying, Algundubi says he enjoys exploring Winnipeg and trying new restaurants with his friends. When the weather gets a little colder, he plans to take a crack at ice skating.

Algundubi is embracing life in Canada, and feels like his new home has embraced him.

RRC International Students learn to Skate at Camp Manitou with the Winnipeg Jets (January 2019).

“The best description for Canada is it’s a peaceful country. It’s a country of immigrants, so when you arrive in Canada you don’t feel like you’re alone. There are a lot of people who share your experience that can understand you. They are very friendly here.”

Each year, WUSC partners with over 80 Canadian campuses and supports over 130 refugee students through higher education. Since 1978, the international development non-profit organization has helped over 1,800 students from 39 different countries to resettle and pursue further education in Canada.

In addition to WUSC, Red River College and local committee members, Algundubi’s journey to Canada was made possible with the support of such donors as Albert El Tassi, Scotiabank and the RRC Students’ Association, whose financial contributions make the program possible.

Those interested in joining the WUSC Local Committee as a member or a volunteer can contact Norman Umali , International Student Support Coordinator, at numali@rrc.ca or 204.631.3345.

Profile by Jared Story (Creative Communications, 2005)

Flávio Raphael was studying for his midterms earlier this year when he was hit with the devastating news that his two-year-old nephew, Yuri César, passed away in a tragic playground accident.

“I was lost and I didn’t know what to do,” says Flávio, a native of São Paulo, who along with his fiancée Talita, immigrated to Winnipeg in 2017 so he could study Business Administration at Red River College.

“I sent an email to the (Business Administration program) chair and all of my instructors and told them what happened. Then, I bought a last-minute ticket to Brazil.”

With some assurance from RRC’s administrative staff, Flávio was able to attend his nephew’s funeral without the stress of his midterms hanging over his head. He was able to focus on being in the moment to support his family in a time of need. He went on to graduate from the program with honours this past April, but he and his family remained broken after experiencing such an inexplicable loss. Read More →

Wherever he goes, Ahmad Raseen Salem carries memories of his homeland, and of the people and places he once knew so well. He misses the scent of jasmine in the air, the sounds of kids playing in the street, even the neighbourhood grouch, a shopkeeper named Ali who had a habit of “screaming on the kids all day long.”

That world was destroyed seven years ago, when his family home was bombed by Syrian government forces, killing nine of Salem’s neighbours, five of whom were children under the age of six.

Now 28, Salem was separated from his family for three years, as he moved first to another Syrian province and then to Turkey, where he found work as an English-Arabic translator and was eventually able to have his parents and two younger sisters join him.

Since arriving in Winnipeg as Mennonite church-sponsored refugees in December 2016, the family is building new memories in their adopted country, and Salem says he’s found a home of sorts at Red River College’s Exchange District Campus, where he hopes to one day teach other newcomers.

A new graduate of RRC’s Youth Recreation Activity Worker program, with plans to return to RRC this fall as a student in the Child and Youth Care program, Salem is a recipient of one of two $1,000 Peace Awards, presented annually to students who came to Canada as refugees or refugee claimants.

Peace Awards honour the “courage, strength and determination of students who were forced to flee their homes and countries under threat of persecution, conflict and violence” and who have “persevered in reaching their educational goals, while overcoming challenges and adapting to a new life in Canada.”

Salem and fellow $1,000 Peace Award recipient Kohplorsay Desjardins, an Educational Assistant program graduate, exemplify those qualities, as does Murhambo Basimike, a Municipal Engineering Technology student who was presented with a one-time bonus Peace Award of $750. Read More →

Paying it forward is a recurring theme in Samantha Eveleigh’s life.

After suffering a stroke at the age of 18, she resolved to become a nurse so she could help others as she was helped during a year of rehabilitation. Now, she’s giving back — with interest.

The third-year Baccalaureate Nursing student is the 2019 recipient of Red River College’s Richard (Asher) Webb Social Justice Activist Memorial Award, in recognition of her work at Agape Table and North Point Douglas Women’s Centre, and her leadership in engaging friends, family and fellow RRC students in volunteer efforts.

Eveleigh, 27, says the award is particularly gratifying in respect to her work on behalf of Agape Table, where she has volunteered her time for the past two years, and for which she organized two food drives last year.

“I put a lot of volunteer work and a lot of effort into helping that vulnerable population, especially with food insecurity, so it really meant a lot to me,” she says.

“Growing up, I experienced food insecurity. My family was not really well off. They struggled a little bit in that aspect and so we actually had to use services like Agape Table to make ends meet, so to give back to my community really makes it come full circle. Now that I’m in that position, being able to give back is so rewarding.”

Agape Table serves subsidized weekday breakfasts and provides low-cost, nutritional grocery items for low-income and homeless clients. During volunteer shifts spent cleaning, assisting with food preparation or serving meals, Eveleigh saw there was a need for more non-perishable food items, so she decided to do something about it.

Last summer, she approached friends and family to help out, and together, they gathered 200 items. Buoyed by that success, she sought advice from RRC Nursing instructor and curriculum coordinator Tracey Fallak about mounting a holiday food drive at the Notre Dame Campus.

With support from Fallak and other instructors, she encouraged 10 more Nursing students to volunteer at Agape Table and to participate in the drive. Last December, they collected 700 items for Agape, double the original goal of 350.  Read More →

Jude Payumo is on the road to becoming an Automotive Technician after completing the one-year certificate program at Red River College.

Most of the program is spent in the shop, working on donated cars, engines and motors – as well as learning the basic purpose, construction, operation, and service of component parts and assemblies of vehicles.

“The shop is a good place for me to learn,” he said. “I had tried Computer Science before this but I wasn’t having fun. I like working with my hands and fixing things.”

Jude said receiving a scholarship from the Princess Auto Foundation was instrumental in allowing him to focus on his education and building his skillset.

“It helped me a lot. The scholarship is equal to about a month of full-time work for me, so it saved me a lot of time to study and to do the work I need to do.”

He had the opportunity to shadow a Red Seal Technician on his first work placement and gained a lot of knowledge and motivation for where he could end up in his future career. For his second work placement Jude requested to shadow an entry-level skilled technician to get a closer look at what his job would look like when he enters the workforce.

Outside of the automotive industry, Jude is a member of the Canadian Armed Forces as a reservist for The Royal Winnipeg Rifles.

In 2017, he volunteered to support provincial firefighters in the British Columbia wildfire firefighting operations, which spread over two hectares and evacuated more than 65,000 people.

“It was one of the hardest work I’ve ever done,” said Jude. “It was our job to mop-up the burnt grounds, to look for any hot spots, and extinguish smouldering trees.”

His experiences in life have helped him stay focused on his career goals and education, and he said he felt humbled to be selected for the Princess Auto award.

“I’m so thankful for the award and all it’s helped me be able to do,” he said.

To learn more about how our donors shape the College’s success and inspire students like Jude, please visit us online at rrc.ca/development and click on the impact of giving.

After moving from one foster home to another, Trevor and his brother were placed in the care of a permanent guardian when he was six, but 10 years later, he found himself homeless and living from couch to couch.

“I’ve never really had a stable place to live for a while, and for most of my life, growing up, my parents suffered from addictions and couldn’t really take care of me and my brothers and sisters, so I went back and forth into foster care.”

Trevor now lives in what he considers to be his first stable home since he was a permanent ward – a transitional home for vulnerable young men. In exchange for volunteerism and a commitment to bettering his life, he has a safe place to sleep at night – allowing him to focus on bettering his future.

The 26-year-old is currently enrolled in a new pilot program, Culinary Skills Indigenous, with the intention of obtaining a career as a chef. For Trevor, having a career means not having to worry where he will sleep at night because he will be able to support himself.

“Cooking is always something I wanted to learn. I’ve mostly stayed away from cooking and will eat things that I can heat up in the microwave or a can of soup on the stove”.

Trevor has been able to learn how to prepare traditional Indigenous meals that have been passed down for generations. “A lot of those traditions weren’t passed down through my family – so I feel proud to be able to carry on these traditions. Things like wild rice, stews with moose meat, venison stew and some other things I’m looking forward to learning”.

Next year he plans to continue his studies at Red River College and take a second year of the Culinary Skills Indigenous program before he sets out on his career path.

Your gift will create a life-changing experience that will inspire, and enable talented students like Trevor reach excellence.

Please give today

Olga was in grade 9 when she dropped out of school to help her mother care for her five siblings.

For many years, Olga worked in retail to provide financial support for her family but had dreams of working with children. After expressing her dream to her husband, John, he offered nothing but support. While she thought she was too old, John’s persistence encouraged Olga to obtain the education she needed. But while she was obtaining her high school equivalency, John was diagnosed with cancer.

“He wanted me to finish my school, and that was the hardest thing I could have ever done”. Olga took her schoolwork to the hospital so she could study by her husband’s side as he received chemotherapy and radiation treatments. She went on to earn her Education Assistant certificate from Urban Circle Training Centre Inc. in 2012, but not long after that, John passed away.

“I didn’t know what I was going to do after that, I was just totally lost. But I just kept remembering his words. He said, ‘Keep on going.’ He wanted me to have a future.

Olga then had an opportunity to enrol in the Early Childhood Education program at Red River College, which allowed her to work Monday through Wednesday, while going to RRC on Thursday and Friday. On top of a flexible schedule, she also had a strong new support system. She had instructors and classmates, as well as RRC’s Indigenous Student Support Centre, pick up right where John had left off.

“You’ve got all the support you need (at RRC),” she says. “There are a lot of instructors that really give you the boost, the confidence, the encouragement that you need. They have your back. And that’s what got me going. I’ll always remember them. I don’t mean to sound corny, but I’m just so grateful.”

“We’re in the North End, and I can see some of these parents, how they struggle,” she says. “They’re going to school and their children are coming here and sometimes you can see the stress. I’ve been through it, and I’m right there for them, telling them, ‘I did it, and you can too!’ A lot of people need that confidence.”

The day after graduating from the Early Childhood Education program, Olga visited her husband’s gravesite to tell him the good news. ‘I did it, Hon. I did it.’

With your donation, you can be part of helping students like Olga achieve their dreams with a life-changing educational opportunity.

Make your donation today

Before coming to Red River College, Allison learned she has multiple learning disabilities and was advised to not take classes with reading, writing or math. She was also told that she would have to choose a different career than the one she had set her heart on.

Instead of taking no for an answer, Allison applied to the Civil Engineering Technology program at RRC to prove to herself and to others that her disabilities don’t define her.

“When I got to Red River I was nervous it would be a similar experience to my time at university, but I was wrong,” she said. “Here, instructors know my name. They say hello in the hallways, they care about my grades, and they make time to answer all my questions – and I had a lot of questions. At Red River the instructors take a personal interest in my success and work with me so I can succeed. Being here feels like I have my own private tutor for every class.”

At RRC, Allison was provided with the supports she needed to succeed and even thrive in the Civil Engineering program. After graduating she decided to grow her skills further and is currently enrolled in the College’s Construction Management program. The hands-on and applied-learning, at the RRC has been something that really works for her.

During Allison’s time at the College, she went on co-operative work placements where she was given the opportunity to play an integral part in the design and construction of RRC’s newest building, the Skilled Trades & Technology Centre.

Allison feels extremely fortunate that the instructors and staff at Red River have provided her with the skills necessary to successfully complete her co-ops, have a role in giving back to RRC and help create a building that will provide similar experiences for future students.

With your donation, you can be part of life-changing educational opportunity for students like Allison.

Make your donation today