As the 2019 Colleges and Institutes Canada (CICan) conference wrapped up in Niagara Falls May 7, Niagara College governor Paul Charette made a splash with a very special announcement at the conferences’ closing ceremony: he and wife Gerri Charette are contributing $1 million to CiCan towards student bursaries.
“As a student who was once in dire need of funds to complete his education, I understand the importance of bursaries,” said Charette. “My teacher helped me with a bursary when I was a kid and I want to keep the ripple of kindness going. We hope this fund proves useful to hardworking students who aren’t as blessed, financially.”
Beginning September 2019, ten Canadian college students who demonstrate financial need will be granted a bursary for $5,000 each.
Thanks to a generous donation of $1 million from Paul and Gerri Charette, we will offer a brand-new bursary program, with a preference given to students studying in rural, remote, or northern areas! News release to follow. #CICan19
— Colleges and Institutes Canada (@CollegeCan) May 8, 2019
The Charettes have a history of generosity at Niagara College, having donated $250,000 in 2016 to establish the Paul and Gerri Charette Scholarship, and another $250,000 in 2017 for scholarships for students in NC’s School of Technology.
The special announcement capped off a successful three day conference hosted by Niagara College, which brought college and institute leaders from across Canada to Niagara.
“We are incredibly grateful to Niagara College for hosting our 2019 annual conference. With close to 900 participants, this has been a tremendous success and, based on the feedback received already, everyone will go back home feeling enriched by the stimulating exchanges and discussions that took place over the past three days,” said CICan President and CEO, Denise Amyot. “I also want to thank the many volunteers, including students, staff and even former employees, who helped make our stay in the Niagara region all the more memorable.”
A big thank you to our #CICan19 host @niagaracollege ! Nous remercions notre collège hôte @niagaracollege !
— Colleges and Institutes Canada (@CollegeCan) May 8, 2019
The final morning of the conference opened with an Outstanding Partner award granted to Co-operative Education and Work-Integrated Learning Canada (CEWIL Canada). CEWIL Canada is a volunteer-run organization dedicated to building future-ready students and graduates through quality work-integrated learning.
The keynote speaker was celebrity chef, Vikram Vij, an entrepreneur and author of three cookbooks. Vij previously collaborated with NC’s Canadian Food and Wine Institute (CFWI) Innovation Centre and participated in the CFWI’s Signature Chef series. In a powerful speech, Vij said, “Music and food can solve all the problems in the world.”
Vij believes that educational institutions have to be even more inclusive, tolerant and respectful of students to foster an environment where they can achieve more without the stress of underperforming.
NC President Dan Patterson and Vikram Vij at the 2019 CICan Conference in Niagara Falls.
“Your students need that support, they are like your children. When you are respectful, you give them confidence to believe in their own dreams. We need to banish any form of discrimination, be it religion, colour, belief or gender. In the end, the fundamental element of our life, our blood, is the same colour,” said Vij.
Also during the final day, Carolyn Triemstra, dean of NC’s Community and Health studies, presented on collaborative efforts in research innovations in the health sciences. The lively session took place in a classic group-discussion format.
Mary Wilson, PhD, director of NC’s Centre for Academic Excellence, presented findings and discussed learning outcomes for credit transfers, policies and practices, and ways to simplify the process for student success.
NC president Dan Patterson passed on the torch to Montréal colleges this evening, during the closing ceremony of #CICAN19. Ten colleges will be hosting the conference next year in Montréal, from May 3 – 5. pic.twitter.com/GctHdMNw8Q
— Niagara College (@niagaracollege) May 8, 2019
The three-day conference closed with a magical-themed farewell reception and dinner followed by performances by Wayne Lee, renowned hypnotist and performer, and music from The Associates.
To close the evening, President Dan Patterson thanked those involved in the planning and execution of the event, including Laurie MacPherson, Jessie Veenhof and Carly Root, as well as student and retiree volunteers and sponsors. Patterson, on behalf of NC, passed the torch onto next years’ hosts; a team of ten Montreal colleges.
The CICan 2020 conference will take place May 3 – 5, with the theme of ‘Collective Intelligence.’
What a conference! Thank you everyone for coming, for your valuable insights, and for your enthusiasm! We can't wait to see you all next year in Montreal! #CICan19 #CICan20 pic.twitter.com/lL3wI4BSos
— Colleges and Institutes Canada (@CollegeCan) May 8, 2019
