One year ago our lives were changed in a profound way; no one could have predicted how deeply the COVID-19 pandemic would affect the world as we knew it. Today, we reflect on 12 months of challenges, perseverance, and hope while honouring the memory of those who have lost their lives to COVID-19 in our community and beyond by lowering the flags at our campuses.
As you know, the pandemic has changed the way we work, learn, socialize and consume information but one thing that has remained constant is Niagara College’s commitment to student success. At the start of the pandemic, the NC community came together and harnessed our innovative spirit to transition our programs to an online delivery method in record time, while building new supports for students who would be adapting to our virtual learning environment. We also leveraged our strong partnership with the Niagara College Student Administrative Council to support students facing food insecurity through NCSAC’s Nourishing Minds Fund, and to further student health and wellness initiatives over the course of the past year.
While we quickly transitioned and adapted our programs and services for students, we also recognized our responsibility to support our broader community. Early in the pandemic, we collectively undertook a college-wide effort to identify medical supplies to assist local frontline healthcare workers, resulting in thousands of masks and gloves being donated to the Niagara Health system.
Niagara College Research & Innovation also produced thousands of face shields to help Niagara Health with its increased need for protective equipment, while our Teaching Distillery produced a disinfectant that could be used for hand sanitizer and surface wipes in response to the overwhelming demand in the community.
As the majority of our college community transitioned to new ways of learning and working remotely, core groups of college staff remained on site, keeping our beautiful campuses operating and maintaining the critical technology infrastructure that makes our virtual environment possible. On behalf of the entire college community, I would like to thank our dedicated teams who worked to transition our campuses for a safe return to campus beginning with the provincial pilot in July. I am extremely proud that we have safely delivered required in person programming for nearly half our students this academic year.
The COVID-19 pandemic has presented many challenges and obstacles that we were able to overcome by working together. Our college’s resiliency and adaptability during the pandemic continues to inspire me and I am forever grateful to our team for demonstrating the characteristics of our NC DNA time and time again.
Thank you for your continued commitment to making Niagara College a safe and supportive environment for our students, colleagues, classmates and friends. Your passion and dedication to our college is key to our continued success.
As we reflect on the unprecedented challenges of the past 12 months and the tremendous loss, it’s equally as important to look ahead to the future with optimism and hope. Together, we will continue to thrive as we look toward the better days that lie ahead. It’s a journey that we will continue to travel #NCTogether.”
