News

Two Red River College students will represent Team Canada at next year’s World Skills Competition in Abu Dhabi, having earned medals at the recent nationals round in New Brunswick.

Ashley Weber (Car Painting) and Silas Meeches (CNC Machining) are two of three Manitoba students who medalled in their categories at the Olympic-style Skills Canada National Competition in Moncton from June 5–8.

Meeches, a current RRC student, and Weber, who’ll join the fold this fall, were among 17 RRC students who advanced to the national team after winning gold medals in the provincial competition held at the College’s Notre Dame Campus in April. In Moncton this month, Manitoba students and apprentices earned 19 medals overall — four gold, nine silver and six bronze.

“Competition is intense, and the training and preparation our students put in throughout the year really paid off,” says Maria Pacella, executive director of Skills Canada Manitoba. “It’s this level of excellence that will help to build Manitoba future workforce needs in the area of skilled trades and technology.”

Next year’s Skills Canada National Competition will take place at the RBC Convention Centre in Winnipeg from May 31 to June 3. The event will draw more than 1,800 delegates from across Canada, including more than 500 students from each province and territory, to compete in nearly 50 trades and technology skills areas.

Classes may be winding down for the summer, but Red River College sits poised to enter a new era of post-secondary excellence, armed with an updated set of initiatives to guide its strategic direction and future growth for the next five years.

Following months of consultations with internal and external stakeholders — including a series of Open Café meetings (shown above) with staff and faculty from all campuses — the College has adopted newly-revised mission, vision and values statements, casting an aspirational eye towards sustainability, service to community, and global recognition.

Redrafted in tandem with RRC’s new Academic and Research Plan and pending five-year Strategic Plan (due this August), the new statements provide a roadmap for the College to follow, and a set of guidelines for all staff as they put policies into practice — both inside and outside the classroom.

“We don’t expect people to memorize them word for word, but hopefully to get to know them and understand what we are as an institution, and where we’re trying to go, so they can be part of the change,” says Cindee Laverge, vice-president, Student Services and Planning at RRC.

“It’s a way for people to help us achieve our strategic direction: through the mission and vision, to understand on a day-to-day basis what’s important to us, and through our values to understand how we work and play.” Read More →

Congratulations to the latest recipients of Red River College’s Lieutenant-Governor’s Medals for Proficiency, which will be awarded next week as part of the Spring 2016 Convocation ceremonies.

Each year, up to four medals (two in winter, two in spring) are awarded to RRC students who best combine good character, academic and technical achievement, and involvement in College and community activities. This year’s winners are:

Kelsey Henderson, Business Administration

Part of RRC’s latest crop of Business Administration grads, Kelsey Henderson was originally considering a career in human resource management, but opted instead to develop a broader understanding of business and how it could help her improve her future.

She describes her time at the College as “stressful, but rewarding,” noting that students who were willing to put in the work and effort were able to reap the benefits of a well-rounded education — in her case, one that included training in not just administration, but also payroll, marketing and human resource.

“It has helped me come out of my shell more — to become more sociable and less nervous to speak in front of an audience,” she says. “And it has helped to train me in time management skills, seeing as how you stay very busy, all of the time.” Read More →

Barry Balanduk doesn’t just make learning fun for his students — itself no easy feat, especially when the subject matter is accounting.

He also finds a way to make their classroom experiences ‘better,’ by investing everything he does with patience and passion.

Barry is this year’s recipient of the Red River College Students’ Association’s Teaching Award of Excellence, which recognizes outstanding teaching practices and dedication to students.

Having taught in RRC’s Applied Accounting, Business Administration and Business Information Technology programs for the last 15 years, he’s earned a reputation as a positive influence who’s always willing to help out.

“You can always tell he not only enjoys the subjects he teaches, but the opportunity to teach others,” they said in their award submission. “He inspires you to do your best, jokes around with you, and always makes you feel at home in his class. Whatever subject he teaches is made immediately better by having him as an instructor.”

A graduate of RRC’s Business Administration program, Barry continued his education in the Certified General Accountants program and started his accounting career at Colliers Pratt McGarry, a property management and commercial real estate company.

He later moved to a position at Great West Life Reality Advisors, and then at the Lions Club of Winnipeg, before joining the faculty at RRC. He says his favourite aspect of working in post-secondary education is the opportunity to interact with students — giving them a little entertainment with their education, and allowing them to enjoy their time together while learning.

“I find it very rewarding to know that I am having a positive influence on my students,” he says. “And my students should know they have a positive influence on me.”

Barry will receive his award next Wednesday afternoon during RRC’s Spring Convocation Ceremonies, which take place June 7 and 8 at the Centennial Concert Hall.

Amanda Wallace, Claire Oswald and Baldeep Dillon (front row, from left to right) are three Red River College students who take their academic careers very seriously.

All three are punctual, motivated self-starters who know how to prioritize in order to meet the demands of their course loads. They’re also immersed in all aspects of student life, from student council and advisory committees to work experience programs.

Claire and Baldeep want to work in the provincial government, while Amanda has her eyes on a career at City Hall. Like many others in RRC’s Transforming Futures program — a pilot project launched in 2014 — all three have blossomed into exemplary students, thanks to the support of their instructors and peers.

A first of its kind program in Manitoba, Transforming Futures helps students with intellectual disabilities and other significant barriers prepare for and deal with the realities of post-secondary life. The first stage of the program allows students to explore career options based on their interests and strengths. Students are introduced to College-level studies, as well as personal management, job searching, interviewing and essential workplace skills.

“During high school your life was basically structured for you,” says Claire. “When you enter college, it’s a lot more independent, a lot more responsibility’s on your head. You’re responsible for you.” Read More →

Looking for a place to stay this summer that’ll put you in close proximity to the city’s best shops, restaurants and nightclubs?

Or do you know of someone who’s travelling to Winnipeg, and wants to be close to the bustling summer festival scene?

Red River College’s downtown student residence units — located in the Paterson GlobalFoods Institute at 504 Main St. — are available for short-term bookings from May 24 to Aug. 14.

The fully furnished units include a microwave, mini-fridge, bed and linens, desk and chair, wardrobe, and private bathroom with towels and toiletries. The two-bedroom suites have a shared kitchenette with a full-sized fridge and sink, plus a table and chairs.

The building’s common areas feature lounges with couches and an entertainment system, as well as laundry facilities and 24-hour bike storage. Weekly cleaning service is available for both single and double suites, and the building has 24-hour security. Read More →

The creative efforts of two Red River College students are behind Manitoba Public Insurance’s newest campaign, aimed at raising awareness of the dangers of impaired driving.

MPI’s newly launched ‘Bright Future’ campaign graphically depicts how a person’s future can turn dark when the decision is made to drive after drinking. Second-year Creative Communications students Rhianna Saj (above, left) and Shannay Smith conceived the story line.

As part of an assignment for their Advertising class, Saj and Smith submitted a project that was reviewed by their instructor and MPI staff, who’d been invited to evaluate student presentations at RRC. The team’s made-in-Manitoba concept was so impressive, MPI determined it should be developed into the corporation’s next campaign in its fight against impaired driving.

MPI found the dual meaning behind the ‘Bright Future’ theme to be particularly clever, as it intertwined a young person’s bright future with the bright lights of arrest and incarceration. It was this outside-the-box thinking that made the theme so appealing to MPI’s advertising department.

“This campaign is about young people engaging their peers to change attitudes around impaired driving — not the typical approach of talking ‘at’ this group,” says Ward Keith, vice-president, Business Development & Communications and chief product officer at MPI. Read More →

Red River College Nursing instructor Kendra Rieger has been named the 2016 recipient of the Canadian Association for Nursing Research (CANR) Rising Star Graduate Student Award.

Presented every two years, the award recognizes Rieger’s doctoral research work at the University of Manitoba, where she’s part of the first cohort of Nursing PhD students in the province.

Her devotion to research is evident in her scholarly work: As primary author or co-author, she has nine articles either in-press of published, with two more publications currently under review. Among those she describes as pivotal: “Arts-based learning: An analysis of the concept of nursing education” (published in the International Journal of Nursing Education Scholarship), and “The effectiveness and experience of arts-based pedagogy among undergraduate nursing students: A mixed methods systematic review” (currently under review).

Research work forms a core component of Rieger’s doctoral thesis, and she hopes to build on it even further as she continues exploring the fields of arts and health. She is also interested in systematic reviews, and hopes to develop a research program focused on arts and health initiatives, including creative approaches to teaching and learning.

Rieger’s interest in research work dates back to her childhood. She always wanted to be a scientist, and as she got older and continued her training as a nurse, she became even more convinced of the importance of research in nursing care and education.

She describes herself as a firm believer in evidence-informed practice, which integrates the best research evidence with patient preferences, clinical context and nurses’ expertise in order to provide the best patient care possible.

Rieger acknowledges her advisor, Dr. Wanda Chernomas, for nominating her for the award, which she will formally accept on May 2 at the College of Nursing Researcher in Residence event.

Learn more about her research career, and her award.

For the sixth year in a row, Red River College has been named one of Canada’s Greenest Employers, a designation that recognizes RRC’s environmentally friendly policies and programs that engage staff in their sustainability efforts.

The listing comes courtesy of Mediacorp Canada’s ongoing Top 100 Employers project, and coincides with Earth Day activities and events throughout the globe.

“Red River College continues to be a champion of sustainability,” says RRC President Paul Vogt. “We’re honoured to continue to receive this honour each year for the past six years. This is something every member of our College community can take pride in.”

“There’s a real culture of sustainability at Red River College,” adds Sara MacArthur, RRC’s Manager of Sustainability. “Our staff do more than just ‘know’ about sustainability — they also embrace the values of sustainability in their day-to-day actions.”

Over the years, RRC has taken a lead role in a number of sustainability-related initiatives, including: Read More →