On April 29, Niagara College held its first-ever virtual Day of Reflection. I am pleased to share that we had an incredible turn-out with nearly 600 staff and faculty joining the livestream event.
My sincere appreciation to everyone who was able to attend and contribute to the meaningful group discussions. To all the behind-the-scenes teams, your dedication, poise, and ingenuity to ensure a successful virtual event was nothing short of amazing. I would also like to recognize our expert panel for their insights and thought-provoking perspectives on the challenges and opportunities in the postsecondary landscape. Our Day of Reflection panel included:
Rick Anderson (moderator), vice president of Student Success, Niagara College;
Leesa Wheelahan, professor and the William G. Davis Chair in Community College Leadership, Ontario Institute of Studies for Education, University of Toronto;
Mishka Balsom, President & CEO of Greater Niagara Chamber of Commerce and Niagara College Board of Governors member;
Paul Brennan, senior partner and consultant with InnovED ODT Canada, and former vice president at Colleges and Institutes Canada;
Shane Malcolm, director of Career Success, Onyx Initiative, NC alum, former NCSAC president and current Niagara College Board of Governors member;
Dorita Pentesco, director Marketing and Student Recruitment, Niagara College.
As we reflected on the past year, we also turned our thoughts to the future, which includes the development of a new strategic plan to help guide us through our post-pandemic recovery and growth.
Over the coming months, there will continue to be opportunities for the college community to connect and participate in the strategic planning process. Your feedback and input during these engagements will build on information gathered to date, including past discussions such as Day of Reflection and the President’s Listening Tour, and will form a vital piece of NC’s future plan.
A dedicated website is now live and includes a message from president Sean Kennedy, along with news, updates, and resource materials. To support ongoing dialogue and interaction, the website features a “We Want to Hear from You” tab that will spotlight a new question each month. We encourage you today to visit and bookmark the website, and to share your response to this month’s question.
In closing, thank you again to everyone who joined our first-ever virtual Day of Reflection. We look forward to connecting in the months ahead as we co-create our next strategic plan #NCTogether.
Thanks, take care,
Marc.
