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NC welcomes Canada’s colleges to Niagara for CICan 2019

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The conference included a panel on international student support. From L to R: Stephanie Walker, director, Student Support, Morneau Shepell; Christine Walch, director, Strategic Partnerships, Keepme.safe; Sean Coote, NC director International; Janine Robb, executive director, Health and Wellness, University of Toronto; Jesse Poulin, Program Manager, Keepme.Safe.

The Colleges and Institutes Canada (CICan) annual conference, hosted by Niagara College, is underway at the Scotiabank Convention Centre in Niagara Falls. The conference gathers post-secondary education leaders from across the country and around the world. The theme for this years’ conference was ‘Inclusion.’

 

The conference kicked off Sunday, May 5, as John F. T. Scott, chair of NC’s Board of Governors, and President Dan Patterson addressed the conference, welcoming delegates from educational institutions across Canada and several other countries.

Niagara Regional Chair, Jim Bradley, also welcomed delegates and spoke about the importance of educational institutions being a vital part of the community support system by nurturing minds and helping individuals grow.

The keynote speaker on May 5 was civil rights activist and founder of the #MeToo movement, Tarana Burke. In a moving address, Tarana emphasized the importance of inclusivity and safety in colleges.

“#MeToo is a global community of survivors,” said Burke. “Colleges provide a safe space for people to make mistakes, learn and grow. Listen to what your students need to feel safe and whole in the community, what they need to heal.”

The audience was then free to attend one of the several thought forums presented by leaders and panelists.

Former director for NC Research and Innovation, Marti Jurmain, presented a forum on risk management and preparedness.

“Risk, although inevitable and unpredictable, is not scary,” said Jurmain. “If you don’t prepare and plan for it, it is terrifying. There are several steps we can take to protect our institutions from unnecessary damage, to students, to life, or to reputation.”

On May 6, NC student Jacob Dell introduced keynote speaker, Luke Anderson, founder of the StopGap Foundation. StopGap is dedicated to increasing accessibility and providing barrier-free spaces.

The Awards of Excellence Luncheon, sponsored by TD Bank, was held in the afternoon, to celebrate colleges, institutes and individuals who made a deep impact on students and community life.

The conference includes participation from all parts of the Niagara College community — from student and retiree volunteers, delegates and speakers and panelists.

NC’s director of International, Sean Coote, was a panelist for a session on international student support. The discussion centered on the cultural shock and other hurdles faced by international students, how to ease their transition into life in a new country, and how to mitigate related risks.

“International students are vulnerable as they move to a new country,” said Coote. “We want to ease this transition by creating an open and supportive environment.”

Aleesha Pawar, a student of the Hospitality and Tourism Management program at NC who volunteered for the conference, said, “It is great to see so many institutes coming together to do more for student success – not just academically, but even for accessibility, mental health and support services. As a volunteer, it is a learning experience to be able to see what different colleges are doing to support students.”

An NC retiree, Clara Fisher, who volunteered at the conference, added, “It is a rewarding experience. It’s amazing to meet new people and learn from them, it gives you a new perspective.”

The conference concludes on May 7.

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