News

A group of first-year Creative Communications students at Red River College recently put their writing talents to work, highlighting the achievements of RRC graduates. The volunteer effort — which was a collaborative project coordinated by journalism instructor Duncan McMonagle and the College Relations department at RRC — provided the budding writers with an opportunity to gain valuable hands-on experience and exposure for their talents.

Each participating CreComm student was assigned an RRC grad to profile, and asked to emulate the style and format of the articles featured in the College’s “Going Places” blog. The blog is regularly used to showcase the accomplishments of RRC alumni who’ve achieved success in their chosen fields, after studying at Red River College.

Click below to read the RRC alumni profiles produced by the following Creative Communication students:

• Alana Odegard wrote a profile on Jessica Saunders (Child and Youth Care, 2011)
• Amanda Thorsteinsson wrote a profile on Dan Dupuis (Aircraft Maintenance Engineer, 2008)
• Cindy Chan wrote a profile on Leilani Esteban (Child and Youth Care, 2007)
• Katherine Dow wrote a profile on Ellen Barron (Aircraft Maintenance Engineer, 2005)
• Matthew TenBruggencate wrote a profile on Grant Maluga (Biindigen College Studies)

It’s one of the largest industrial training facilities in Manitoba, and it’s also now officially one of the province’s most environmentally-friendly buildings.

Red River College is happy to announce its Heavy Equipment Transportation Centre (HETC) has become one of the first education centres in Manitoba to receive LEED® certification from the Canada Green Building Council (CaGBC).

Located on the College’s Notre Dame Campus, this 60,000 square foot complex combines academic and industrial functions, with nine classrooms available for theoretical instruction, and a large shop area that replicates a typical work environment in the transportation and trucking industry.

“HETC is a model for development of new learning facilities, “,” said Stephanie Forsyth, President of RRC. “It provides us with modern, flexible space for training programs and applied research, while simultaneously minimizing our impact on the environment.” Read More →

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.

Red River College Continuing Studies instructor Ursula Neufeld has helped transform one of Main Street’s most colourful landmarks into a similarly eclectic downtown showpiece, while at the same time providing a creative outlet for those struggling with mental illness, addiction and homelessness.

Neufeld, a local visual artist who teaches Early Childhood Education courses at RRC, has for the last two years served in a lead role on a community arts project launched by local artists at the Red Road Lodge, 631 Main St. (formerly the New Occidental Hotel, now a transitional housing complex for at-risk individuals).

The result is a stunning outdoor mosaic located on the Lodge’s north-facing wall — one that’s inspired by traditional Aboriginal teachings, but also reflective of the diverse backgrounds of the hundreds of people who’ve contributed to its completion.

“We wanted to do something beautiful for the neighbourhood — to share in the creative process with the people here,” says Neufeld of the creative types behind Studio 631, an arts and culture resource housed within the Lodge. “But they didn’t just want to do a painting — they wanted to do something different.” Read More →

Just in time for the holiday season, Red River College students in the Creative Communications program are putting their skills to good use by holding a radiothon in support of the Christmas Cheer Board today. “Kickin in for Christmas Cheer” will be broadcast on the campus radio station, 92.9 KICK FM from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.

“The students are entirely responsible for promoting, producing and being on-air during the radiothon on Thursday,” says Red River College’s radio instructor, Dan Vadeboncoeur. “Creative Communications gives the students the skills they need to put on events like this and I am extremely proud of how far they’ve come since the beginning of the program.”

Students will have hampers set up at both the Exchange District and Notre Dame Campuses on Thursday, and are inviting students and the public to bring a non-perishable food item or a new, unwrapped toy to donate to the Christmas Cheer Board.

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 →

Congratulations go out to the nine students in Red River College’s Animal Health Technology program who received the following awards, scholarships and bursaries after completing the program’s first year:

• Julie Edmonds: First Year Performance Award (worth $250; awarded to a student who demonstrates academic proficiency and technical abilities during their first year of studies).
• Rachel Harms: Manitoba Animal Health Technologist Association Award (worth $200; awarded to the AHT student with the highest academic standing after completion of their first year).
• Sophie Rey: Manitoba Veterinary Medical Association Bursary (worth $300; awarded after completion of first year).
• Kendall Young: Manitoba Veterinary Medical Association Scholarship (worth $300; awarded after completion of first year).
• Marnie Elgar: Purina Student Achievement Award (worth $500; awarded by Nestle Purina PetCare to the overall top student in both skills and academics following completion of first year, and completion of the “Daily Nutrition Matters” online course.)
• Cynthia Tonn & Susan Hepburn: Barbara Nagler Memorial Bursary (worth $1,750 and $1,250, respectively; awarded to AHT students with a demonstrated financial need and volunteer spirit, who complete first year with a minimum 3.0 GPA).
• Heather Mays & Vanessa Geirnaert: Sophie Katarynych Award (worth $600 each; awarded to two AHT students who demonstrate financial need and academic success after first year).

Click here for more information on RRC’s Animal Health Technology program.

Welding instructor Gary McCallum gives students a welding demonstration during the third annual Youth in Manufacturing Expo. (Photo courtesy Winnipeg Free Press)

Middle school students from throughout Manitoba will get a first hand look at the manufacturing industry today, while taking part in an expo aimed at encouraging teens to begin thinking about their post-secondary and career options.

The third annual Youth in Manufacturing expo, taking place Thu., Dec. 1, 2011, at Red River College’s Notre Dame Campus, will give Grade 9 and 10 students from local schools a chance to explore the impact of the manufacturing sector on Manitoba’s economy. It will also provide them with a range of industry-related educational options to consider as they begin planning for life after high school.

“The world of manufacturing may have changed, but one thing has remained constant — the need for highly skilled workers,” says Lori Royal, Program Director at Skills Canada Manitoba. “Computers, advanced technologies and processes are redefining the way products are designed and produced. Innovation, improvement and increased productivity are no longer the future — they’re the norm.”

During the morning, students will take part in one of four offsite industry tours (at Duha Group, MacDon, Motor Coach Industries and WinPak), where they’ll learn about the innovative processes and practices that allow local manufacturers to compete in the global marketplace. Read More →