Earlier in June, 19 full-time faculty members from Niagara College wrapped up a meaningful two-year professional development journey as they completed Phase 3 of the College Educator Development Program (CEDP).
Held from June 17 to 19 at Fanshawe College in London, Ontario, this final in-person phase brought together educators from across the province to reflect, share, and grow in their teaching practice. The multi-phase program is designed to support the continuous development of college educators through workshops, collaboration, and structured reflection. Between in-person gatherings, Niagara College faculty also participated in development opportunities such as teaching circles, teaching and learning conversations, and communities of practice.
Whit Ross, Associate Director of Educational Development, emphasized the program’s long-term impact: “CEDP supports an experiential learning process over two years, where faculty are encouraged to implement new strategies, reflect on outcomes, and refine their teaching. Completing the program represents a major milestone in a faculty member’s professional path.”
Phase three offered a diverse slate of sessions where faculty engaged in discussions about navigating difficult conversations, building inclusivity with a liquid syllabus, creating impact and responsibility in land acknowledgements, promoting trauma-informed teaching, and exploring well-being in skilled trades. Highlights included keynote addresses by Robert Dunlop, who spoke on reconnecting with joy in teaching, and Dr. Robyne Hanley-Dafoe, who explored resiliency, navigating stress and change, and personal wellness in the workplace.
Dana Wetherell, Educational Developer in the Centre for Academic Excellence, noted how the program builds a strong sense of community and reflective practice:
“CEDP gives faculty space to explore their roles as educators. They come together to talk openly about what’s working, what’s challenging, and where they want to grow.”
We extend a warm congratulations to the 2025 Niagara College CEDP graduates:
Jacob Bermel, Rachel Labatt, Stephanie Jones, Sherry Visser, G. James McQueen, Patti Aubry, Tyler Stortz, Kim Boyd, Michael Cherrington, Nate Alaimo, Mitchell Lamb, Chris Cicchino, Kyle Landry, Ed Mokrzynski, Debbie Ann Fender, Diana Morrison, Brian Law, Emily Aubie, Sean Justine
Special thanks to Sarah Rouillier and Emily Dockrill-Jones for their commitment as facilitators at CEDP! The success of the program depends on the support of facilitators from across the five colleges who participate in the program.
