The Notre Dame Campus is a little more winter-friendly this week, with the opening of its first-ever outdoor skating rink.

Developed by the Red River College Students Association — with support from the College and Manitoba Infrastructure and Transportation —  the rink provides students and staff with a great reason to get outside, and enhances recreation options for the surrounding neighbourhood.

“We pitched this as a community project, and something that will help improve connections with people who live in the area,” explains Alex Haas, President of the RRCSA. “It’s also a good way to encourage more physical fitness and participation on campus.”

Haas and fellow students Nick Hook and Marc Babaluk built the 75′ by 150′ rink themselves, including clearing snow, constructing a frame, and flooding the ice.

The rink is located near the south-east corner of the campus, by the “Iron Man” statue, and is available for use by all students, staff and members of the public.

Visit the Forks Market on the last weekend of January and you could come away with a piece of original art, created on site by Red River College graphic design students.

The tenth annual Student Art Show & Auction is being held at the Forks Market centre court on Saturday, January 28 and Sunday, January 29. Attendees can watch approximately 50 RRC students create original works of art using a variety of drawing and painting techniques.

A live auction, hosted by Jon Ljungberg, will take place from 2-5pm on the 29th. Proceeds from the event will benefit Winnipeg Harvest and the Red River College Graphic Design Student’s Graduation Fund.

10th Annual Student Art Show
• Saturday, January 28, 2012
9:30 a.m. – 6:00 p.m.
• Sunday, January 29, 2012
9:30 a.m. – 11:30 a.m.
2:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m. (live auction)

Red River College’s Rebels Athletics program got a bit of a facelift this year — in the form of renovations to the North Gym that will allow fans to get even closer to the action.

In the past, the gym’s bleachers were located in the upper-level exercise loft, which — in addition to wreaking havoc with the loft’s schedule for users — also created a serious disconnect between Rebels’ fans and the athletes they were cheering on.

No longer! As of last February, the North Gym’s bleachers have been located courtside, where they belong. In addition, the gymnasium’s floors were repainted and re-finished (complete with a full-scale Rebels logo at centre court), and all the walls were treated to a new coat of paint. Read More →

Red River College’s Electrical Engineering Technology department is pleased to again offer Kids Kamp — a free program that introduces Grades 7 and 8 students to the field of electrical and electronic engineering technology.

The College will offer a number of sessions at both the Roblin Centre and the Notre Dame Campus, running every Saturday morning (9 a.m. to noon), from February 25 to April 7, 2012.

Students will learn some 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.

Classes are limited to a maximum of 16 students, and sessions have filled up quickly in previous years, so those interested are encouraged to apply early in order to avoid disappointment.

For more information, or to access application forms, contact Taryn Presley at 204-632-3803 or tpresley@rrc.mb.ca.

Ray Hoemsen, RRC’s Director of Applied Research and Commercialization, will speak before the Standing Senate Committee on Energy, the Environment and Natural Resources at its hearings in Winnipeg today.

Hoemsen will outline how the applied research capabilities of the College have been supporting innovation in advanced transportation and energy, including:

• The plug-in hybrid electric vehicle cold weather testing project.
• Our work with MCI to design a more energy-efficient bus prototype.
• Our partnership with Mitsubishi Heavy Industries and New Flyer to develop an all-electric transit bus.
• The creation of the Electric Vehicle Technology and Education Centre at the Notre Dame Campus.

“Supporting applied research to adapt, adopt and improve existing technologies and put these technologies into commercial use is one key element to support a Canadian energy strategy,” he said. Read More →

Red River College recently produced a special report, Building the Community, which outlines the tremendous economic and social impact the college has throughout Manitoba.

“Community is a concept that resonates throughout our academic programs, our institutional activities, and our partnerships with industry and non-profit organizations,” explains Stephanie Forsyth, President of RRC.

The report shares the success stories of our alumni, and highlights important college initiatives like the development of the Paterson GlobalFoods Institute, the growth of our applied research program, and our work with community organizations to enhance child care services in Winnipeg’s North End.

Building the Community was distributed province-wide in the November 26th edition of the Winnipeg Free Press. An expanded version of the report is available at www.rrc.ca/buildingcommunity.

(From left): RRC President Stephanie Forsyth; Hon. Erin Selby, provincial Minister of Advanced Education & Literacy; RRC student Eric Fritzsche; Hon. Vic Toews, federal Minister of Public Safety.

Red River College (RRC) hosted a special event at its Notre Dame Campus today to highlight new facilities and renovations that have been funded by the federal and provincial governments through the Knowledge Infrastructure Program (KIP).

New energy-efficient greenhouses, a landscape construction shop, and a power engineering centre have all been added to the campus, while the automotive technologies building has undergone significant enhancements.

“Across Manitoba, colleges and universities have benefitted from federal investments in research and training facilities through the Knowledge Infrastructure Program,” said Vic Toews, Canada’s Minister of Public Safety and Regional Minister for Manitoba. “At Red River College, these investments have not only improved and modernized the environment in which RRC students learn, they have bolstered Manitoba’s economy and created jobs during a period of economic downturn.”

“These new and enhanced facilities will expand and strengthen education opportunities for both the Power Engineering Program and the Greenspace Management Program allowing more students to qualify for apprenticeships and sophisticated applied research projects,” said Manitoba Minister of Advanced Education and Literacy Erin Selby. “Projects like this demonstrate the steps our province is taking to support economic growth by investing $1.6 billion into infrastructure to stimulate the economy through education and job creation.”

The federal and provincial governments each contributed $2.125 million to upgrades at the Notre Dame Campus. Read More →

Red River College is pleased to announce it has again been named one of Manitoba’s Top 25 Employers. For the second year in a row, the editors of Canada’s Top 100 Employers have recognized Red River College as a leader in providing an exceptional workplace environment for employees.

“We’re really proud to have achieved this honour for the past two years,” said RRC President Stephanie Forsyth. “Red River College places a high priority on creating a positive work environment and creating a sense of belonging to a college community that cares about the people who work here. Every year we learn more about how to enhance our efforts.”

As it was last year, RRC was again recognized for supporting staff success through its People Plan initiative, and for providing exceptional benefits such as: three weeks of vacation for new employees; maternity top-up payments; a defined benefit pension plan; a flexible health care plan; and an on-site daycare. The College was also recognized for its efforts to improve environmental sustainability, which earlier this year earned a designation as one of Canada’s 50 Greenest Employers for 2011.

“Having a positive work environment offers many benefits,” said Forsyth. “It makes us more competitive in recruiting new talent. It reduces staff turnover, which saves money and ensures the College has a stable base of institutional knowledge. It improves productivity because satisfied employees who feel empowered in their roles are a lot more enthusiastic about their work. And importantly, it creates an environment in which people know they are a significant and vital part of an organization committed to excellence.”

For more information on Manitoba’s Top Employers, see www.canadastop100.com/manitoba.

(Left to right): James Slade, Instructor (ACCESS Model Programs), RRC Aboriginal Education; Renata Freitas, Project Assistant, RRC International Education; Virginia Maria Carvalho Freire, International Relations, Federal Institute of Maranhao (IFMA); Eddy Lau, Project Manager, RRC International Education; Reitor José Ferreira Costa, Dean, IFMA; Stevenson Alloso, Director, RRC International Education.

Red River College officials are meeting this week with partners from federal institutes in Brazil, to discuss a newly-announced government program that will see 100,000 Brazilian students studying overseas.

Earlier this fall, Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff announced “Science without Borders,” a new initiative in which 100,000 Brazilian students will be sponsored to study overseas — 75,000 of them by the Brazilian government, 25,000 by the public sector. The program aims to help Brazil cultivate a “scientific and technological elite,” and to assist learners in developing a global vision while building peaceful relationships with other countries.

Red River College is taking part in the project as a means of building on relationships established during the “1,000 Women” project — an earlier initiative that cultivated strong working relationships between Canada and Brazil, and served as the pilot for the Science without Borders program.

Read More →

Faye Bychuk (second from right), RRC's Safety & Training Coordinator, accepts the national NAOSH Award in Whistler, B.C., in September.

Red River College has been recognized at both the provincial and national level for its activities during North American Occupational Safety and Health (NAOSH) Week 2011.

RRC’s Joint Safety and Health Committee received a national NAOSH award, presented in September 2011 at the Canadian Society of Safety Engineers Conference in Whistler, B.C. In October 2011, the committee scored a provincial award in the “Most Innovative” category.

“Red River College’s active participation in NAOSH Week is a demonstration of leadership, knowledge, training, education and reinforcement of proper safety practices and procedures,” says Daryl Nielsen, RRC’s Manager of Environmental Health & Safety.

Read More →