Team NC,
It was wonderful to see so many of you on campus at LauNCh yesterday. The NC pride in our community is unmistakable; a reminder of how far we’ve come and how much we can achieve together.
As the Fall 2025 Term approaches, I hope each of you found time to relax, enjoy quality time, and make memories with family and friends this summer.
I recognize times have been challenging for the college sector and for Niagara College. Thank you for your patience and continuing to care for one another and our students.
As we begin a new academic year our domestic enrolment is strong – the highest since 2019 – making NC one of the fastest growing Ontario colleges for domestic enrolment. This growth is thanks to the remarkable efforts of our Marketing and Student Recruitment team and our many faculty, staff and students who have so enthusiastically supported our many student recruitment activities.
While we’ve made efforts to sustain our international enrolment in the face of sweeping federal changes, we have not reached our target. Among several challenges, visa processing issues have posed significant barriers to international learners seeking an NC education. As our college, like others across Ontario, adjusts to the impact of fewer international students, we are making strategic investments to expand capacity in programs where there is high student demand. Overall enrolment growth will be our number-one priority in the year ahead.
At LauNCh I acknowledged the record levels of fundraising through employers and individual donors who are helping us to move forward with projects that will support our growth and renewal, starting with our 75,000 square foot Health Expansion at the Welland Campus. This transformative project is a key part of our enrolment growth strategy and will enhance NC’s ability to attract students and increase enrolment capacity in our nursing and allied health programs, enabling us to train an additional 800 urgently-needed skilled healthcare professionals.
As we emerge from a period of transition, we are growing forward in a positive way. The fall, once again, ushers in fresh energy and renews our passionate focus on student success. I am so proud of our NC team – our remarkable faculty and staff who live and breathe our mission and who are ever dedicated to building our remarkable community.
As Vice President, Students Dr. Chris McGrath shared last week, it has never been more important to ensure that our students feel welcomed and supported and are given a positive and encouraging start to their Niagara College journey. I look forward to seeing many of you next week as we welcome thousands of new students through our collective caring efforts to make new and returning Knights feel welcomed, engaged and excited to begin their next chapter at NC.
