Niagara College opens Marilyn I Walker Centre of Excellence in Visual Arts and Technology

The legacy of Marilyn Isabelle Walker continues to enrich lives and fulfill dreams at Niagara College.

On October 29, Niagara College announced a gift from the estate of artist and philanthropist Marilyn Walker at the official opening of the Marilyn I. Walker Centre of Excellence in Visual Arts & Technology at its Welland Campus. Through her estate, Walker – known for her passion for the arts and for the Niagara community before her passing in 2015 – gifted Niagara College with $1 million for its visual arts and technology programming areas. Walker’s vision was to create a hub of learning, innovation and creativity at the College, building on strengths of its existing program base.

“We are tremendously grateful to the late Marilyn Walker for her generous gift which is an exciting investment in the future of visual arts and technology at our College,” said NC president Dan Patterson who, along with his partner Saundra, was a friend of Marilyn Walker’s. “Marilyn’s gift will contribute in a very meaningful way to the education of the future workforce in these sectors, making the Niagara community a more vibrant place to live, study and work.”

The Marilyn I. Walker Centre of Excellence in Visual Arts & Technology includes several upgrades and renovations to the School of Media Studies, as well as new resources and equipment. A newly renovated collaborative space on the third floor of the Simcoe building – complete with a state-of-the-art video wall – marks the first of a four-phase project for the new Centre. Future phases will include the enhancement of four other classrooms; a resource room which includes new equipment  such as printers, 3D printers, and a die cutting machine; an upgraded client project room between two game design classrooms; new photographic equipment to support the Graphic Design program; and a classic studio with screen printing equipment and more. Funds will also be allocated to enhancing the student learning experience in the Voyageur wing for students in Media programs.

“Marilyn was an award-winning quilter, who used her hands to create – and now her legacy is helping our students do exactly that at NC, by enhancing hands-on learning opportunities within our School of Media,” said Linda Roote, associate dean, School of Media Studies. “Thanks to the purchase of new equipment such as a 3D printer, die cutters and silk-screening units, our students will gain tactile, hands-on experience as they transform their designs into a reality.”

Photography professor Stephen Dominick noted that Walker’s donation has enabled the program – currently celebrating its tenth year- to almost double the size of its teaching studio, as well as expand and update its studio gear. The additional space provides students with a superior teaching and learning environment, decreasing the number of students on each individual set from about six to less than four.

“These extensive upgrades have provided us with what I believe to be one of the most professionally equipped photography teaching studios in the province with the newest technologies in wireless strobes, light modifiers, rolling grip gear, portrait seating, a 72-inch HD TV for image critiques, and new iMac editing and teaching computers,” said Dominick.

A ‘gear cage’ in the new Photography space, has also opened the door for a consignment agreement with Nikon Canada who will be equipping the cage on a rotational basis with their flagship DSLR and mirrorless cameras, and with a wide range of prime lenses. “This gives our students unparalleled access to the newest and best professional photography gear currently available anywhere,” said Dominick.

Chris Cicchino, senior art director and project manager at the Fallsview Group as well as a NC School of Media faculty member and alumnus, applauded the new Centre. “This donation will benefit our teaching capabilities by being able to show students real-world machines and processes that they may encounter in their future careers,” he said. “The growing design industry calls for designers to have more education and experience, and to be more than just a graphic designer, to be highly capable in many fields of study. Graduating students will be in demand due to their higher skill level and foundational knowledge.”

“Many of the innovative, state of the art, modern spaces we have at our campuses have come from the generous donations from community philanthropists like Marilyn I. Walker,” said Tom Price, president of Niagara College’s Student Administrative Council. “These spaces are crucial to the applied, experiential and integrated learning that is vital to the core beliefs of Niagara College. Marilyn’s incredibly generous donation will not only help the students of today, but students for years and years to come.”

In addition to establishing the new Centre, a portion of Walker’s gift ($100,000) was endowed to provide an annual bursary to a student in their final year of study in one of the College’s visual art or technology programs – such as Art and Design Foundation, Graphic Design, Photography, or Game Development.  A portion ($150,000) was also endowed to support staffing for the Centre.

Over the years, Marilyn and Norris Walker have contributed generously to student success at NC by supporting scholarships and College fundraising events. In 2015, Walker Industries and the Walker family announced a $1.2 M contribution to the College’s Achieving Dreams Campaign, which supported its Walker Advanced Manufacturing Innovation Centre.

A memorial bench in honour of Marilyn I. Walker was placed in the Wetlands Ridge trail, located at the College’s Niagara-on-the-Lake Campus, shortly after Walker’s death in 2015, next to a memorial bench placed years before in memory of her daughter, Jennifer.