About
Our Strategic Plan responds to this unique environment with clear, connected areas of focus for the next five years: a wholistic student experience; academic excellence; global reach, alumni and partner engagement, social inclusion and environmental sustainability, and organizational excellence. Our pursuit of the actions outlined in our Strategic Plan will be supported by significant investments in our people and the new Dream Big Fund.
Since beginning as President in early 2020, I have had the pleasure to speak with many of our students, faculty and staff and have been impressed and inspired by the incredible ideas and dreams you have for the future of our remarkable college.
The Dream Big Fund is designed to support and cultivate trailblazing ideas that align with the key areas of focus in our Strategic Plan, to boost our capacity to take advantage of new opportunities, and to advance initiatives in areas including but not limited to:
- Student experience
- Programs and services
- Research and innovation
- People and organizational development
- Community partnerships
- Fundraising
- Alumni relations
- Learning enterprises
- Experiential learning
- Co-curricular opportunities
The Dream Big Fund is a fund outside of regular budget allocations to enable us to more nimbly and quickly approve pilot initiatives and activities that further one or more of our Strategic Plan objectives. In short, to enable us to say yes to more ideas, more quickly.
I have heard terrific ideas from so many of you – and often, what we need to turn a dream into a reality is seed funding. It is my hope that the Dream Big Fund provides a way forward to transform ideas and dreams into concrete actions and initiatives that will help NC continue to evolve into a place and space even more welcoming, trailblazing, and innovative than we are today.
The Dream Big Fund Application Form is available here. Requests will be reviewed and approved on a continuous basis. I encourage you to discuss your ideas with your direct supervisor and to apply. I truly look forward to seeing the unique and innovative advancements that grow from the Dream Big Fund to expand opportunities for students, support our communities, and further distinguish Niagara College on the provincial, national and international stages.
