Back by popular demand, Red River College’s Electrical Engineering Technology department will again host a series of spring Kids Kamps — free programs that introduce Grade 7 and 8 students to the field of electrical and electronic engineering technology.

The sessions will run at both the Exchange District and Notre Dame Campuses, every Saturday from Feb. 23 to April 7, 2013. A total of 12 sessions are scheduled (eight at the Exchange District, four at Notre Dame); students can take part in one session each.

The Kids Kamps will cover basic theory, but the emphasis of each session will be on developing practical skills, and on encouraging younger students to consider careers in science and technology. Read More →

The support and care of Manitoba’s most vulnerable populations will be top of mind among students this week, as Red River College’s Community Services department hosts its third annual Student Symposium.

The event takes place Thursday, Jan. 17 at the Notre Dame Campus, and will be attended by more than 250 students in RRC’s Community Services programs — including Child and Youth Care, Disability and Community Support, and Early Childhood Education (full-time and workplace), as well as students taking those programs off-site, including those in the CYC Certificate program out of Ndinawe.

The theme of advocacy will be addressed through workshops focusing on accessibility, self-care/self-advocacy, and justice, as well as those touching on advocacy through music and health promotion in child care centres. Workshop presenters include Community Services faculty and students, as well as representatives from a number of local community agencies, including Graffiti Gallery, Just TV, and the Winnipeg Regional Health Authority.

This year’s keynote speaker is the Robb Nash Project — a local band whose multi-media presentation covers a range of youth-related topics, including bullying, addiction, suicide and substance abuse.

The symposium is made possible with funding and support from RRC’s Community Services program and the RRC Students’ Association, as well as the Independent Living Resource Centre.

Red River College students can avail themselves of financial advice from one of Canada’s leading experts, when TV host Gail Vaz-Oxlade stops by the Notre Dame Campus next week.

The no-nonsense host of TV’s Til Debt Do Us Part and Princess, Vaz-Oxlade will visit RRC on Wednesday, January 16 from 2:30pm – 3:30pm in the South Gym. Her appearance can also be viewed via video-stream in Room 107 of the Exchange District Campus.

If you want to learn more about how to break free from student debt, how to keep your finances under check, or how to build a strong financial foundation that will last a lifetime, come visit Vaz-Oxlade as she swings by RRC as part of her Canada-wide tour to promote the new book Money Rules.

From the official announcement: “Money management doesn’t have to be full of tricks. Although money management isn’t rocket science, having discipline and making sound money decisions often feels more complicated than it should.”

Vaz-Oxlade is one of Canada’s most successful and respected financial writers and has authored several bestselling books, including Debt-Free Forever, Never Too Late, Money-Smart Kids, and It’s Your Money. In addition to her TV work, she’s a radio host on Newstalk 1010.

Earlier this month, Red River College’s Paterson GlobalFoods Institute opened its doors for a very special “sneak peek.”

Donors, partners and supporters of the College were invited to spend an evening in the Exchange District’s newest gem. Guests shared drinks and laughs while admiring the restoration of the historic Union Bank Tower.

They also took tours of the new facility, visited state of the art kitchens, classrooms, labs and even the new student residence — all while learning more about the equipment and sustainability features on campus. Andrew Paterson (shown, second from left), President and CEO of Paterson GlobalFoods was on hand to welcome the crowd and to announce the heart of PGI — upscale restaurant Jane’s, which is located in the building’s breathtaking former bank hall — was a special tribute to his mother.

PGI is scheduled to open its doors in January 2013, and will serve as the new home of RRC’s Culinary Arts, Professional Baking and Patisserie, and Hospitality and Tourism Management programs.

(From left): Jonathan Strauss, President, Strauss Communications; Michael Pye, General Manager, Fairmont Winnipeg; Keith Muller, Dean, RRC School of Hospitality and Culinary Arts; Chantal Sturk-Nadeau, Senior Vice-President, Tourism, Economic Development Winnipeg.

Red River College’s leading culinary expert talked turkey with Winnipeg’s tourism industry yesterday, as the keynote speaker at Tourism Winnipeg‘s annual holiday lunch.

Keith Muller, Dean of RRC’s School of Hospitality and Culinary Arts, addressed a festive crowd of local industry reps gathered at the Fairmont Winnipeg, providing details about the College’s soon-to-open Paterson GlobalFoods Institute (PGI) and its anticipated impact on the local economy.

“All indicators show there will be a labour shortage in specific sectors of the hospitality industry in Canada of over 220,000 skilled workers by 2025,” said Muller, who also donned an apron and chef’s hat to help carve the turkey served to guests. “We at Red River College are ready to take on the challenge of training industry-ready students.”

As Muller explained, the PGI will provide industry-relevant courses and programs designed to serve the hospitality and tourism sectors — on a local, national and international level — while also engaging members of the community through general interest programming, event rentals, a new urban upscale restaurant, and seven floors of student residence space.

Those gathered also heard from Marina R. James, President and CEO of Economic Development Winnipeg, who congratulated industry reps on the role they’ve played in making Winnipeg a unique and cosmopolitan destination. As well, they were treated to details of the Winnipeg Foundation’s latest initiative — the Nourishing Potential endowment, which provides healthy foods and snacks to community-based after-school programs for kids.

“Winnipeg is in a state of transformation unlike anything we have ever experienced,” said James. “We are awash with iconic destination architecture and asset development — and our usual mild, meek nature has given way to boosterism, pride, boundless enthusiasm and embracing bold new ways of thinking.”

Red River College President Stephanie Forsyth addressed a packed house at an Aboriginal Chamber of Commerce luncheon this week, speaking on the topic of Aboriginal post-secondary education.

Forsyth discussed the College’s longstanding commitment to engaging and supporting Aboriginal students; shared some success stories about Aboriginal graduates who are making a difference in their communities; and outlined how the College plans to make Aboriginal student achievement a strategic priority by integrating traditional knowledge and practices throughout the organization.

The full text of President Forsyth’s speech is below.

Read More →

(From left): Debbie O’Donnell, interim chair of Community Services at RRC; Janet Forbes, executive director of Community Living – Winnipeg; and RRC instructors Harry Havey, Tara Mullen, Cheryl Martens, and Michelle Lodewyks.

Red River College’s Disability and Community Support program has been recognized by Community Living Manitoba for its leadership role in advocating on behalf of those with intellectual and other disabilities.

A team of DCS representatives (shown above) was on hand to receive the President’s Award for Leadership at a joint national conference hosted by Community Living Manitoba and People First of Manitoba in September.

The award is given annually in recognition of excellence in practice, commitment to inclusion of children with disabilities in community programs, innovation, and spirit of caring.

(From left): Ryan Garriock, Past President, RRC Alumni Board; Bob Tallman, Owner and CEO of Princess Auto; and Dale Oughton, RRC Alumni Coordinator, at the 2012 Alumni Dinner.

Red River College raised a glass to success stories of the past, present and future this month, as RRC alumni joined with students and staff to celebrate their roots at the 2012 Alumni Dinner.

Held Nov. 16 at The Fairmont Winnipeg, the event gave RRC’s growing family of alumni the chance to re-connect with old friends and toast the accomplishments of their peers — in particular those of Bob Tallman, owner and CEO of Princess Auto, and recipient of this year’s Distinguished Alumni Award.

A 1976 graduate of RRC’s Business Administration program, Tallman has since built Princess Auto from a family business into a national retailer, cultivated a passionate base of customers through a tireless focus on service, and devoted himself to revitalizing his community and helping dozens of young people pursue their own dreams. Read More →

(From left): Fred Doern, Chair of Mechanical, Manufacturing & Communications at RRC; the Hon. Steven Fletcher, Minister of State (Transport); James Knight, President, Association of Canadian Community Colleges; MP Joyce Bateman (Winnipeg South Centre); the Hon. Gary Goodyear, Minister of State (Science and Technology); Stephanie Forsyth, President of RRC; and Dr. Suzanne Fortier, President, Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council.

The Honourable Gary Goodyear, Minister of State for Science and Technology, announced today that Red River College will receive almost $1.7 million through NSERC’s Community and College Innovation Program to establish the A2i2: Advanced Aerospace Innovation Initiative.

This new technology access centre will focus on making RRC’s facilities, technologies and expertise available to small and medium enterprises in the aerospace and manufacturing sectors.

“This technology access centre builds on the partnerships RRC has formed with companies like StandardAero and Magellan Aerospace to enhance innovation and productivity in these key industry sectors,” said Stephanie Forsyth, President of Red River College. “Ultimately, the research done through A2i2 will create new jobs and other economic opportunities right here in Manitoba.”

Over the past decade, Red River College and its partners have invested over $20 million in acquiring state-of-the-art technologies specializing in advanced materials and bonding, imaging and automation, and machine vision and simulation. The A2i2 initiative will bring these facilities under one umbrella, making it easier for industry to access equipment and College researchers.

Red River College is Manitoba’s second-largest post secondary institution with over 30,000 enrolments in full-time, part-time and apprenticeship programs each year. RRC is also one of Canada’s leading colleges in the area of applied research, with a particular focus on sustainable infrastructure, alternative energy vehicles, and aerospace manufacturing.

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.

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.

Rice’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. Read More →