Mohawk College Alumni In Touch Magazine - Fall 2015

Fall 2015

touch For Alumni & Friends of Mohawk College

From Mohawk to Mombasa: 2 Grads Move to Africa to Start a Charity

Spring ‘15

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Find all 3 DYK?’s & enter to win a $100 restaurant gift card at mohawkcollege.ca/DYKcontest

alumni.mohawkcollege.ca The Mohawk College Alumni Association was established in 1985.

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Manulife and the Block Design are trademarks of The Manufacturers Life Insurance Company and are used by it, and by its affiliates under license. © 2015 The Manufacturers Life Insurance Company (Manulife). All rights reserved. Manulife, PO Box 4213, Stn A, Toronto, ON M5W 5M3. *No purchase necessary. Contest open to Canadian residents who are the age of majority in their province or territory of residence as of the contest start date. Approximate value of each prize is $1,000 Canadian. Chances of winning depend on the number of valid entries received by the contest deadline. Contest closes Thursday, December 3, 2015, at 11:59 p.m. ET. Only one entry per person accepted. Skill testing question required.

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touch Hamilton | Stoney Creek Publisher Mohawk College Alumni Association Editor Wendy Makey

Fall 2015

Contributors Marcine Blake, Wendy Makey, Sean Coffey, Meaghan Drury, Trevor Clark, Liam Graham, Athanasia Guerra, Emily McGregor, Karen Reiner, Amanda McManus, Alison Mackenzie, Lu Ann Pannunzio Editorial Advisory Board Trevor Clark, Executive Director, Mohawk College Foundation, Wendy Makey – Director, Alumni Relations, Meaghan Drury – Communications Coordinator, Kristy Hurley – Administrative Assistant, Kelly Dunham – Alumni Services Coordinator Content Coordinator Meaghan Drury InTouch is published semi-annually by the Office of Alumni Relations at Mohawk College. This magazine is circulated to alumni and friends of Mohawk College. Ideas and opinions published or expressed in InTouch do not necessarily reflect those of Mohawk College, The Alumni Association, or the Editor.

Publications Mail Agreement Number 400065780 Return Undeliverable Canadian Addresses to: Office of Alumni Relations - Alumni House Mohawk College Foundation P.O. Box 2034 Hamilton, ON L8N 3T2 To update your Alumni Record, please contact: Phone: 905.575.2258, Fax: 905.575.2443 alumni@mohawkcollege.ca or the address above.

Prefer to receive the InTouch magazine to your inbox instead of your mailbox? Visit mohawkcolllege.ca/alumni-magazine

For Alumni & Friends of Mohawk College

From Mohawk to Mombasa:

Design and Production Sofa Communicatons Photography Meaghan Drury, Kelly Dunham, Camine DeLuca, Dunn Family, Sean Coffey, Timothy Alianello, Amanda McManus, Dan Banko, Dave Gruggen

feature

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Spring ‘15

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2 Grads Move to Africa to Start Charity

16 From Mohawk to Mombasa Grads move to Africa to start a charity

For Alumni & Friends of Mohawk College

Find all 3 DYK?’s & enter to win a $100 restaurant gift card at mohawkcollege.ca/DYKcontest

alumni.mohawkcollege.ca The Mohawk College Alumni Association was established in 1985. mohawkcollege.ca/DYKcontest

Established in 1967 Mohawk College stems from the earlier Hamilton Institute of Technology and holds the records of all its graduates. mohawkcollege.ca/DYKcontest

In 1968 Mohawk had 1,900 full-time students. Today Mohawk has 22,000 full-time, part-time and apprenticeship students. mohawkcollege.ca/DYKcontest

alumni news 14 Juggling Life and All its Stresses 26 Hiking For Happiness: Our 10

Day Journey 29 Holding on to Mohawk Friendships

in every issue 5

Welcoming Words

10 Alumni Events - Photo Collage 25 Awards & Honours 32 Keeping In Touch 34 Calendar of Events

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welcoming words

another great year ahead for mohawk Ron McKerlie, President – Mohawk College & Mohawk College Foundation

Mohawk is number one, again.

work together to make a difference for our students and the communities we serve.

For the fifth consecutive year, Mohawk has earned the highest overall student

Another project we’re working on this fall is

satisfaction scores of all six colleges in the

a leadership summit on internationalization

Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area. The

at Mohawk. The summit, which is part of

provincially mandated Key Performance

Welcoming Communities initiative, will

Indicator (KPI) survey results for Ontario’s 24

be held on October 29th and 30th. The

colleges were released in April.

outcome of that summit will help to develop an action plan for making Mohawk a more

Mohawk also finished first in graduate

welcoming college for international students

satisfaction, overall quality of services,

and to put in place practices that support

overall quality of facilities, and graduate

meaningful experiences for newcomers.

employment, with more than 85.7 per cent of recent graduates finding employment within six months

We’re also busy working behind the scenes to advance

of graduating.

the role Mohawk plays in our community. This fall, I will

With results like this it’s no wonder more students are choosing Mohawk. This September, the College will welcome a record number of students. Students who will be taught and served by faculty and staff who are committed to their success.

be Chairing Hamilton Mayor Fred Eisenberger’s Blue Ribbon Task Force on Workforce Development. The Task Force’s Vice-Chair is Mohawk alumnus and 2013 Alumni of Distinction recipient Bronko Jazvac, Director of World Class Manufacturing and Health & Safety for ArcelorMittal Dofasco. The taskforce will look at ways to

I’m proud of how hard faculty and staff have worked

further strengthen local industry-education partnerships

to make this happen. These results underscore the

with a special focus on preparing college and university

outstanding work we’ve done to improve the experience for

graduates to work in advance manufacturing, life sciences

Mohawk students. However, there is still work to be done.

and agribusiness.

Improvement is continuous and we’re always on the lookout for ways that we can make our college even better.

It’s going to be another busy year for Mohawk, and I look

This fall, we’ll be rolling out a new five-year Strategic Plan.

future issues of InTouch. Until then, I hope to see you at our

It’s a plan with some big ideas on how to move Mohawk College forward while taking advantage of past successes.

It’s a plan that was developed with input from the Mohawk

forward to sharing the results of these projects with you in Alumni of Distinction Awards dinner this fall on October 27, 2015.

community, including students and staff, alumni, employers

We’d love to have you be part of our Welcoming

and community partners. This plan will chart our future,

Communities conversation. Please send your ideas, insights

define what matters to us and set expectations for how we’ll

and experiences to me at president@mohawkcollege.ca.

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2015-2016 mohawk college

alumni association advisory council

DAVID BRALEY

ATHLETIC & RECREATION CENTRE

Marcine Blake, Chair

A special offer for our alumni

Recreation Leadership, 1988

Linda Rourke, Vice-Chair

Your membership gives you access to:

Broadcasting – Television & Communications Media, 1990

• Cardio equipment (Treadmills, Cycles, Elliptical & Rowing Machines)

Business Administration, 1985

Gary Nelson, Past Chair

• Indoor walking & running track

Joanne Brohman, Director

• Free weight area with specialized flooring

Recreation Leadership, 1983

• Selectorized weights • 15 Large TV screens

Lisa DiCesare, Director

• Spin studio with 17 group cycle bicycles

Law and Security Administration, 1981

• Unlimited access to our Group Fitness classes • Open gym & recreational sports

Ron Funnell, Director

• Outdoor basketball & volleyball courts

Radio Broadcasting, 1991

• Day lockers & change rooms

Joseph Futino, Director

Annual Membership Fee

$ 420 semester $140

+HST

$35+HST

payable monthly

+HST

Computer Systems Technology, 1994

Alan Griffiths, Director

Environmental Technician, 2009

Jay Hayward, Director Business Administration, 1999

Sara Kinnear, Director Recreation Leadership, 1989

Sera Nicosia, Director Nursing, 1981

Lorenzo Somma, Director

COME TRY THE CENTRE ON US

Provide the promo code: ALUMNI to try the centre FREE for 2 weeks!

VISIT OUR WEBSITE mohawkcollege.ca/dbarc

Mohawk College | 135 Fennell Ave West, Hamilton, ON L9C 1E9 | 905.575.2744

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Small Business & Entrepreneurship, 2013 The Alumni Association thanks these individuals for their valued contributions to Alumni activities, committees and meetings on behalf of the Alumni of Mohawk College.

welcoming words

greetings from the alumni council chair Marcine Blake, ’88 – Recreation Leadership

Hello Fellow Alumni Members,

Mohawk College Alumni Association by being a mentor,

As a graduate of Mohawk College

participating in events and sharing your life experiences

from the 1988 Recreation Leadership program, I have seen over the years

with current students to help them prepare for the future ahead. We can also use your support of scholarships and

the expansion and development of

bursaries to assist deserving students within our community.

this incredible learning institution.

Help us make Mohawk College and the Hamilton

My Mohawk College education has

community a better place to live and learn.

allowed me to experience personal

I would like to thank all members, past and present who

and professional growth within my chosen profession.

I want others to experience a great education and a successful career too. It is because of this, that I chose to give back to Mohawk by volunteering my time to the Alumni Advisory Council for the past four years.

We know that not everyone within our community will be able to experience College life and some just need a little help, as Alumni you can make that difference. Help your

have helped me in my role on Council and I look forward to seeing what the year ahead will bring.

If you are not in touch with the Alumni Association, please reach out – connect, so we can keep you informed about upcoming events and happenings at Mohawk College.

Thanks again and I look forward to hearing from you.

Marcine

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welcoming words

greening our communicatons Wendy Makey, ‘93 – Director, Alumni Relations

The Office of Alumni Relations is committed to maintaining open lines of communication with our graduates. Annually a communications strategy is developed that involves many mediums including our biannual print In Touch magazine, the annual online E-touch magazine, monthly Informed e-newletters, weekly ABC: Alumni Blog Connection blog posts, and regular posts on Facebook, Twitter, Linkedin, Instagram and YouTube. All of these tools enable us to reach members in a variety of formats that meet their individual needs.

In the past three years, there has been an incredible shift to online communications – a means of quickly, cost-effectively and sustainably interacting and engaging with others. The Alumni Relations team have taken a proactive approach to this online movement and embraced the opportunity to create new interactive communication tools to support the Colleges commitment towards achieving campus sustainability.

This magazine is the means in which we share the most information with you. It provides college updates, news on exciting Mohawk projects, stories of our everyday alumni heroes, alumni discounts and benefits, and event and activity updates. In our movement to achieving campus sustainability we are focused on reducing our environmental footprint. One way of accomplishing this is to provide you with the option of receiving the In Touch magazine electronically, delivered right to your inbox, allowing you to read on the go on any of your devices at a time and place that is suitable for you.

Would you like to receive the In Touch magazine in your inbox? Let us know by choosing your preference at mohawkcollege.ca/alumni-magazine. We will update your file and ensure the next issue is delivered to you electronically.

There are so many exciting alumni stories and new initiatives taking place at Mohawk and we want to keep you connected with your college. Keep your finger on the pulse by joining us in our digital world at: Twitter: @mohawkalumni Instagram: @mohawkalumni YouTube: youtube.com/mohawkalumni Linkedin: Mohawk College Alumni Association Group Facebook: facebook.com/mohawkcollegealumni Keep in Touch.

Wendy Makey, Director, Alumni Relations wendy.makey@mohawkcollege.ca

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On a gorgeous sunny day in May, the Mohawk Alumni 11th Annual Golf Classic hosted 112 golfers at

Thank you to our sponsors!

Flamborough Golf & Country Club. It was a great day of

Tournament Sponsors:

friendly competition among Mohawk Alumni and friends.

• Event Sponsor – Johnson Insurance

Congratulations to the top teams:

• Breakfast Sponsor – Chartwells • Registration Gift Sponsor – Leader Frames • Print Media Sponsor – The Hamilton Spectator • Refreshment Cart Sponsor – Sharp • Chipping Contest Sponsor – Cisco • Driving Range Sponsor – Advent Mortgage Services • Photography Sponsor – Campus Living Centres • Cart Sponsor – BMO • Signage Sponsor - Manulife

Specialty Hole Sponsors: • Investors Group • Stokoe Communications • Mohawk College Alumni Association Men’s – Andrew Leyland, Keith McIntyre Jr, Keith

• Sofa Communications

McIntyre, Jordan McIntyre

• Mohawk Young Alumni Connection • The Keg Steakhouse + Bar (Hamilton/Waterdown/Brantford)

Hole Sponsors: • Alumni Insurance Services • Jay McQueen Realty • Mohawk Students’ Association • Mohawk College Mountaineers • Student Transportation of Canada Ltd. • Schneider Electric • State Farm - Dave McKay • Cithara Guitars - Dan Clark Mixed – Joe Mamone, Brian Willrich, Cindy O’Brien, Graham Stoddart

• Jostens • Goggle Displays

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alumni news

alumni events

11th Annual Golf Tournament

MYAC at Meet the Hive Event

Dress for Success

SURGE Launch Event

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alumni news Tourism and Travel Etiquette Lunch

Men’s Basketball Championship Reception

Convocation

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alumni news

2015 spring

convocation speakers Emily Baynes – Public

Stuart Oxley – Law & Security

“And now if I can go back and give myself once piece of advice at convocation it would be, remain clam. Everything’s going to be ok and you will find a job, it may not be your dream job, but sometimes not getting what you want can be a blessing in disguise. It can push you out of your comfort zone and lead you to new experiences.”

“With life there is no box of discussions that you can reach into, there is no perfect path to get to where you are going.

Some of the most interesting people I have ever met, took their own path, on their own time to achieve their goals. And always be true to yourself, and never forget that integrity is non-negotiable. It doesn’t matter what path you choose, always maintain your integrity.”

Administration, 1986

Relations, 2011

Bronko Jazvac – Industrial Engineering Technology, Management, 1978 “What lies within you is the combination of inherent and now newly acquired potential, will, capability to evolve, to shape, and to create the future that you desire. Within you is the opportunity, ability, and confidence to define your success and happiness by charting your own career and life journey.”

Alan Dow – Building

Renovation Technician, 2010 “Don’t ever let somebody tell you that you can’t do something.

You’ve got a dream, you have to protect it. When people can’t do something themselves, they want to tell you, you can’t do it. If you want something, go get it.”

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Jeff Truswell – Child and Youth Worker, 1996

“Through mistakes come new opportunities. Opportunities to make a difference, opportunities to grow personally and professionally.”

Sharon Charters – Social Service Worker, 1975 “Success is not so much about planning as it is about being ready and open to opportunity, and taking advantage of those serendipitous moments that can take you into a direction that you have never imagined.”

Philanthropy in its purest form equates to having a “love of humanity.”

Sometimes easier said than done!

However, when we give something to another person or invest our energies in a cause or event to help others we experience a piece of the true meaning of philanthropy. We experience a sense of caring, nourishing, developing and enhancing “what it is to be human.”

The Foundation team’s purpose is to work with friends, donors, alumni,

industry partners and community supporters to create a transformational impact on students and our College one gift at a time.

believe in. It is empowering to know that each one of us probably has the capacity to make a significant difference for a Mohawk student today.

Our mandate is to help provide bursaries and scholarships that empower students to succeed along with helping donors fulfill their philanthropic goals while providing funding to ensure our College is fully equipped to serve Future Ready students and meet the needs of our region.

Warren Buffet, one of the most generous as well as successful people in the world has quoted an old saying as being important to him:

One gift starts it all.

One alumnus offering a hand of encouragement to a student who otherwise might not be able to fulfill their potential.

One bursary or scholarship that might mean the difference between disappointment and success for a capable student.

We often measure success in fundraising by the magnitude of major gifts and overlook the power of individuals giving what they can to a cause that they

“Someone is sitting in the shade today because someone else planted a tree long ago.”

It sounds so simple. And it really is.

What you or I do today can greatly impact the life of someone tomorrow.

But can you really make a difference?

It all starts with one gift. One bursary.

One commitment to encourage and support a Mohawk student of today to become a Future Ready graduate of tomorrow.

Help the students of tomorrow, today by visiting mohawkcollege.ca/foundation

introducing trevor m. clark Executive Director, Mohawk College Foundation

With over twenty years of

team with offices located in Hamilton, Oakville,

experience in the non-profit

Brantford, Hagersville and Simcoe.

sector, Trevor Clark joins the

Trevor specializes in the application of Gift Planning

Mohawk College Foundation as a successful fundraising leader with experience working in organizations of both national and international scope. Before joining the Foundation team, Trevor was the Executive Director of the Alzheimer Society Foundation of Brant, Hamilton, Halton and Haldimand-Norfolk where he

principles which he developed by serving in some of the best fundraising organizations in the country including The Salvation Army, Sick Kids Foundation and Queen’s University. While serving at Queen’s, he was responsible for the University’s Tomorrow Fund, which had year-overyear increases under his leadership, growing from $113 million in 2006 to $152 million in 2009. The Planned Giving team recorded confirmed expectancies of $20 million in 2008-2009 alone.

was responsible for all aspects of an integrated fund development program as well as leading a development

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alumni spotlight

g juggling life

and all of its stresses By: Liam Graham, 2nd-Year Journalism

of work she travelled to London, England for the summer where she found herself with quite a bit of free time.

“I didn’t know a lot of people and I had a lot of spare time… so I got three balls and that’s where I learned my very first tricks,” she said. “It just started off as a hobby, just something I loved doing.”

Juggling is one of the most recognized entertainment acts throughout the world. We normally associate the classic red balls with nights of entertainment produced by charismatic circus performers; however, underneath the surface layer of a juggling performance lays a beautiful metaphor.

“

Over time, Lacey utilized knowledge of the business world to help evolve her promotional strategies to her current formula of success. During her years at college, Lacey boasted the titles of Class Rep, Student Governor and President of Advancing Canadian Entrepreneurship. The knowledge and experience she gained has been vital to her success. “In that program I learned how to build a website, how to use MS Office correctly, how to write a professional email and how to keep good conduct in business… The reason I have been successful is that I have this business side,” she said. “I look at other artist’s that I know have no background in business, and they are unable to be successful the way I am.”

”

We are all jugglers.

Enter Lacey Williams, known internationally as Lacey Lucidity. Born March 16, 1984 in Hamilton, Lacey studied Enterprise Business at Mohawk College and in her first year she created a bucket list. On the list were goals such as seeing the Eiffel Tower, the great pyramids of Egypt, and the ability to juggle three balls. The last of the three on the list would influence her future heavily.

“That Christmas when I was 19 my parents got me juggling balls, and I learned to juggle three balls in a week,” she said, “I didn’t do anything with it.”

Before she knew it, juggling was her passion, she graduated in 2004 and soon started working with the Canadian Revenue Agency. In 2007, after her first winter

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“

When you realize that nothing

is impossible, the whole world opens up to you.

”

Lacey’s journey was not easy; she could not progress past ten catches with five balls for a year. This block in her skill

alumni spotlight “To accept that its okay to drop the ball is a concept we all understand, which makes it a beautiful metaphor for moving forward after mistakes,” She said. “You can always pick it up and try again.”

Since she started following her juggling dreams full time, Lacey’s opinion on happiness and success have changed.

She feels that we as a society gauge success with our productivity. A lot of the time we lose ourselves in our work, thinking that a good salary and good workplace productivity is all that is required for a happy life. According to Lacey, it is self-defeating to not give your mind a break from work and life stresses. Juggling is beneficial in the sense that it provides a physical task for the body and allows the mind to relax and recover from stresses. awakened her to an important realization: allowing herself time to relax. Lacey had been so caught up in her work that she wasn’t allowing herself the proper time she needed to improve upon her juggling skills, so she created more of a balance between work and play, allowing herself more time to practice than her usual two hours a week.

“When you tell someone they have permission to relax, it’s almost hard for them to believe it because of this dismissive attitude towards free time… you’re graded on your productivity.” She said, disheartened, “your ability to have a peaceful, happy and healthy life? There are no grades for that, so there is a lot of pressure.”

Lacey’s skills improved after a year, and she began doing live performances while she had time away from her job.

The side performances finally paid off last year when she made the decision to leave her nine-to-five job to focus completely on performing around the world. Lacey isn’t just in it for the money, fame and travel experiences though. She also spreads a beautiful message with her performances: we are all jugglers in life.

“

Find the time to use your body and not your mind… It can be difficult, but it is the balance

”

everybody needs.

Everybody in life has stresses. Lacey’s message revolves around the fact that we are all holding many things close to us at the same time i.e. family, work, friends and that it is inevitable and in fact, quite alright to drop the ball from time to time.

“When you do something that is not related to that normal idea of success we have, and you’re doing it because you truly value it and you have no shame in wanting to relax.

It is one of the most liberating feelings in the world and contributes to good mental health.”

Find all 3 DYK?’s & enter to win a $100 restaurant gift card at mohawkcollege.ca/DYKcontest

The Mohawk College Alumni Association was established in 1985. mohawkcollege.ca/DYKcontest Ontario this past spring

Lacey has been on a tour of performing at events such as the Dundas Buskerfest and Hamilton’s Artcrawl, with her biggest performance taking Established in 1967 Mohawk College stems from the earlier Hamilton place this August at Institute of Technology and holds Toronto’s Buskerfest. the records of all its graduates. mohawkcollege.ca/DYKcontest More information about her performances as well as how to contact/book her can be found on her website www.laceylucidity.com. Lacey also has a website dedicated to promoting her juggling lesson workshops In 1968 Mohawk had 1,900 full-time and motivational talks at www.jugglingisawesome.com. students. Today Mohawk has 22,000 full-time, part-time and apprenticeship students. mohawkcollege.ca/DYKcontest

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feature story

from mohawk to mombasa By: Athanasia Guerra, 2nd-Year Journalism “Everybody thought we were crazy. We thought it was going to be easy. It’s not at all what we expected it to be. Imagine yourself coming here and starting a charity from ground zero.

You have no idea what you’re doing.

Maybe we thought things would go a lot smoother? It hasn’t been easy, but it’s been worth it.”

council as VP Academics and I was a director assigned to be part of the council that advised… guess who? The VP Academics.”

Mohawk Alumni Sarah and Michael Dunn temporarily left their life in Canada behind and are living in Nairobi, Kenya with their two teenage daughters, running their charity Tegemeza. Tegemeza in Swahili means to support, which is exactly what they have moved there to do.

After reading an article in the Catholic Register Magazine, the couple learned about Mama Rose, a faith-filled woman who founded the Crisis Centre for Carers, Triple C, in Mombasa, Kenya. Moved by her passion and all that she does for the hungry, the destitute, those with disabilities and those suffering from HIV/AIDS, the family decided to pay her a visit while on their trip.

While they were dating, Sarah and Mike visited Sarah’s mother in Africa and that’s where their passion for the country began. But their story started before that, at Mohawk College.

“The first time I saw Sarah walking down the business wing at Mohawk it was truly love at first sight,” Mike tells. “It was like in the movies where everything slowed down.”

At that time Sarah was in Business Management and Mike in Law and Security, so their interactions were minimal.

“I only saw her in passing and wondered if I would ever be able to meet her…” Mike continued. “Sure enough our paths would cross as she was elected to the student

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The connection was strong from the first time they met.

Sarah described meeting Mike as “a great time and a great love story.”

Sarah and Mike graduated in ’87, married five years later, and are now blessed with three children; Austin, Rachel, and Victoria.

In December of 2013 Sarah and Mike decided to take their family to visit Sarah’s mom in Kilifi, a resort town along the coast of Kenya, for Christmas.

Mike and Sarah wanted their kids to know that life in Africa is not always about “incredible trips” and “safari’s to see elephants and lions,” but that there is a side of Africa, especially Kenya, where people struggle on a daily basis to survive, and that there are people in the world who dedicate themselves to helping others. People who are truly “modern day saints who live their love and faith through action.”

The family spent some time with Mama Rose and got to know her story and her background and they all fell in love with her instantly.

Upon returning to Canada the family thought that there was no better time than the present to live by

feature story

the example that Mama Rose set, so they put their faith to action. Sarah quit her job, Mike took a sabbatical from the RCMP, and their daughters Victoria and Rachel were up for the adventure. Their son Austin couldn’t move with them, but he makes sure to visit whenever he can.

By the time the family moved to Nairobi, a year later, they had already been in correspondence and had been fundraising so that when they returned they would have something to give Mama Rose.

It was at that time that their charity Tegemeza developed.

Tegemeza is the family’s non-profit organization that focuses on supporting vulnerable children, students, and those who care for them.

Tegemeza has created a network of support to guide, advise, assist, and fund Triple C and Angaza School and Medical Centre.

Triple C, which Mama Rose founded in 2001, is a community based, non-profit organization operating out of Mombasa, Kenya. Triple C’s objective is to train and empower caretakers and to connect and build the community through personal and community counseling, grief and bereavement counseling, sex education, AIDS/ HIV awareness, seed planting and more.

The Centre teaches people useful trades like carpentry so that they can build and sell furniture, and how to make jewelry out of recycled garbage bags and paper to sell at markets. They also teach people how to be resourceful with the little-to-no land that they have, by planting vegetables in plastic pots or containers.

Tegemeza hopes to continue to provide funding to keep the Triple C running because lack of funds is the main problem that Mama Rose faces, and frankly the most difficult part of all of their charity work.

De’Bridge School and the Angaza Clinic is run by Mama Juliet and her husband Caleb. The Dunn family first got in contact with Mama Juliet when a lawyer they knew in Kenya called them and said, ‘My sister’s in Nairobi, I’d love for you to meet her, she’s having some trouble and maybe you can help her.’

His sister, Mama Juliet, had started up a school and medical clinic in Angaza and gotten herself into a financial mess.

The rent was behind and they were threatening to padlock the doors. She was worried because these kids had started school and she just wanted them to be able to finish, at least get them through the year.

The Dunn’s weren’t sure what they could do but they knew they wanted to help in some way. They raised enough money from back home in a short period of time that allowed them to be able to pay off the outstanding rent and keep the school and clinic from closing down.

However helpful the fundraising was, the family and Mama Juliet knew it couldn’t continue to be the only source of income. The school had already grown from one class to three and the school and clinic needed $1,500 every month for rent, teacher’s salaries, medical officer, admin/reception clerk, phone, power, water, school and medical supplies, to stay open. Their goal is to reach a point where they can become self-sufficient.

“A friend of ours has come forward to build a farm for them in the back of their property,” Sarah said.

“From that farm they’ll be able to sell vegetables and the kids will learn about agriculture. They will then sell the vegetables. It’s their hope that this will fund the rent of the property, and they will become selfsufficient.”

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feature story

Find all 3 DYK?’s & enter to win a $100 restaurant gift card at mohawkcollege.ca/DYKcontest

After living in Africa for some time the Dunn’s have been able to see for themselves that it is nothing like how the media back home portrays it to be.

has the courage to come down, we’ll take them under our wing.”

“Once we arrived, Kenya and Nairobi seemed to be the focus of the media with its terrorism taking front stage,” Mike explained. “This has been devastating the tourism industry that the local populations here rely on. The worst part is that people in North America believe what is written or portrayed in the media.”

The family describes their experience as a great one that they can’t fully put into words. They strongly feel that Africa is something you have to experience in order to understand.

Established in 1967 Mohawk College

Rachel, Mike and Sarah’s 16-year-old daughter, is enrolled in an international school in Kenya and said that her friends at school “laugh when they see some media reports.”

She used Ebola as an example.

“There’s no Ebola here… The media sensationalizes it, but it’s so far from a reality here that they just make jokes about it at school.”

Mike’s family has called them before in a panic over something they have heard from the media about terrorist attacks, urging him to come home, but for him that day was just a regular, terrorism free day.

“Mombasa and Nairobi are bustling cities filled with people who get up everyday and go to work and come home… They go for coffee and meet for dinner,” Mike explained.

Sarah continued, “There’s horrible things happening all over the world, it doesn’t mean that it’s happening right in our backyard. The whole world is at risk and we just want people to know that it isn’t as scary as it has been made out to be and that we would love for people to come visit, volunteer and experience this country for the country that it really is. Our goal is to host anyone who

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The Mohawk College Alumni Association was established in 1985. mohawkcollege.ca/DYKcontest

stems from the earlier Hamilton

The Dunn family is not sure when theyofwill be returning Institute Technology and holds the records all itsdo graduates. back to Canada, but they know that whenofthey they mohawkcollege.ca/DYKcontest won’t stop helping Mama Rose, Mama Juliet, and all of the other wonderful people they’ve met on their adventure.

“They’ve taught us so much,” Sarah explained. “We came here with the intentions of giving and I think we’ve In 1968 Mohawk had 1,900 full-time received way more than we ever thought we would give. students. Today Mohawk has full-time, Even though it’s not always easy,22,000 when you’repart-time doing and work apprenticeship students. that matters, you’ll find the strength, the courage, the mohawkcollege.ca/DYKcontest answers. You just will, because people’s lives depend on it. How can you quit on life? On people? There will always be a way. We will never quit, because we can’t.”

Mike and Sarah have a website www.tegemeza.com and a Facebook Page: Tegemeza Kenya, that they keep updated with photos and stories of their latest charitable adventures. The Dunn’s live in Nairobi and cover their own costs so that all donations go to Triple C and Angaza School and Hospital. Sarah and Michael Dunn moved to Kenya believing that somehow they could make a difference, no matter how little. They follow Mother Theresa’s motto, “If you can’t feed a hundred people, then feed just one.”

The Places You’ll Go Photo Contest Where is your favourite place?

Is it a resturant, a store, alone in the woods, surrounded in a crowd, a far away location or just around the corner? Tell us!

Submit a photo of you, alone or with your friends and family at your favourite place. Tell us in 1-3 sentences why it’s your favourite place.

Date:

August 2015

AD:

Carter

Client:

HPO

AM:

Sinclair

Docket:

4009

Version:

v02

Application:

7.125x4.625" non-bleed

Media:

Two winners will be chosen by a panel of PLEASEjudges.

NOTE volunteer This file has been optimized for its intended

application only. For uses other than intended The winners will receive a Mohawk Alumni please contact Seed for alternate formats.

Mohawk Alumni Mag, prize 4C pack including a $50 restaurant gift card. The winning photos will also be printed in the next issue of the Alumni In Touch magazine

***PLEASE DO NOT ADD KEYLINES TO THIS AD***

Contest closes January 15, 2016

Enter as many times as you like, visit mohawkcollege.ca/places-contest

HPO’s symPHOnic Adventure: A FAmily cOncert exPerience Saturday, January 30 11am – 4:30pm McIntyre Performing Arts Centre at Mohawk College Bring your family for a day of symphony themed fun, as your HPO provides hands-on musical activities, crafts and a one-hour concert designed for children age six and up.

Visit hpo.org or call 905-526-7756 for more information.

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sustainability at mohawk ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT PLAN The Mohawk College Environmental Management Plan (EMP) 2.0 continues to reaffirm the Colleges commitment towards achieving campus sustainability.

The strategies EMP 2.0 and actions of the EMP are Click here to read the Plan arranged into eight Pillars.

These Pillars lay the foundation for sustainability and the Greenhouse Gas emissions reduction target of 30% by 2020.

PILLAR FOCUS: TRANSPORTATION The Transportation Pillar focuses on developing a network of transportation alternatives for students and staff, long term needs of Mohawk service vehicles and a reduction in single occupant vehicle use. This strategy supports Mohawk’s carbon reduction targets and encourages sustainable lifestyle choices.

Transportation Mohawk College is committed to reducing its environmental footprint while increasing access to the college. The introduction of programs and services that support active and alternative transportation have resulted in a reduction of single occupant vehicle travel to all campuses. Mohawk is achieving this in the following ways: THE UNIVERSAL TRANSIT PASS: Is a partnership between the Mohawk Students’ Association (MSA) and Hamilton Street Railway (HSR) that provides unlimited access to HSR transit for all full time Mohawk students.

CARPOOL ZONE:

Pictured above: EV Charging Stations

EV CHARGING STATIONS: In partnership with Schneider Electric the Fennell campus hosts four electric vehicle charge points which encourage staff and students to use electric vehicles.

STUDENT CARSHARE: In partnership with the MSA, the College offers convenient on campus car share services for all students.

BIKE PARKING FACILITIES:

Pictured Right: Student Carshare

THE MOHAWK COLLEGE TERMINAL (MCT) – COMING SOON: The MCT is a new transit hub on campus, increasing community connectivity for everyone at Mohawk College through enhanced HSR services.

BIKE REPAIR STATION: Four easily accessible stations placed across all campuses that provide the tools, space and information for students and staff to complete their own bike repairs.

BORROW A BIKE PROGRAM:

@SustainableMoCo @SustainableMoCo

Pictured Above: Bike Parking Facilities

The facilities provide enhanced secure and traditional bike parking that encourages active modes of transportation to campus. The facilities provide safe spaces for cyclists to lock up their bicycles.

Connect with us! /SustainableMoCo

Parking services offers preferred guaranteed carpool parking spaces for registered carpoolers.

Pictured above: Students using HSR

A free sign out service through the Mohawk College library where borrowing a bike, helmet and lock is as easy as borrowing a book.

For more information on Mohawk College’s Sustainability Office, visit mohawkcollege.ca/sustainability

around campus

This would not be possible without generous donations and support from partners, Walters Group Inc., Budd’s BMW Hamilton & Mini Oakville, Sling Choker Manufacturing, exp Engineers, Canway Equipment Manufacturing and Turkstra Lumber Company Ltd.

annual popsicle stick bridge competition raises the stakes By: Meaghan Drury, ‘12

For 28 years, Mohawk College has hosted the annual Popsicle Stick Bridge Challenge for engineering students, and those interested in engineering from high school age and up, to test their skills of design using two simple tools, Popsicle sticks and white glue. What started out in the materials lab with a hand-cranked bridge buster has now morphed into a 2-day challenge with close Car Lift Team: “Super Mario” aka Mario Carrillo, Chris Blackwood, Richard to 500 participants annually Borger, “Captain Crunch” aka Paul Cronkwright, & “Truss Worthy” aka Peter Olynyk and Matt Shelley (not pictured) attempting to build the strongest and lightest bridge they can.

The success or failure of each bridge is based on loadto-weight ratio, not maximum weight held. Basically, how many times the bridge can hold its own weight. So if you have two bridges that can handle the same weight, but one

bridge is lighter than the other, than the lighter bridge’s loadto-weight ratio is higher and therefore it wins over the heavier bridge.

For nearly as long as the competition has been running, the Engineering faculty hosting this event have tossed around a crazy idea that they should and could hang a car off one of these Popsicle stick bridges. It was nearly 30-years of talk, until March 2015 when the “crazy” idea became a reality.

On a cool crisp March day in the automotive area of the Fennell campus, more than 100 people came out to see if a bridge made of Popsicle sticks could actually hold a Mini Cooper car without breaking. It was a project in team

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around campus work as much as a feat in engineering that spanned more than 6-months in planning.

“I remember lowering and hearing the bridge crickle and crackle – it was settling – and the whole relief when it (was) free,” - organizer, Richard Borger Lead organizer, Richard Borger ’05 and his team of fellow Engineering faculty including assistance from the automotive, communications and special events teams set out to showcase the talent of Mohawk’s engineering students.

Richard shares that, “as much fun as this was for us, this was not done for us to play, it was done to showcase the work our students are doing. This (was) done because our students are world-class in what they do. Evident in the fact that they can build a bridge out of Popsicle sticks and support the weight of a car.”

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Find all 3 DYK?’s & enter to win a $100 restaurant gift card at mohawkcollege.ca/DYKcontest

So when it came to decide whose bridge design would be used for the demonstration, the winner of the 2014 Popsicle Stick Challenge, grad Jude Morgan The Mohawk College Alumni ’15 was the obvious choice.

Association was established in 1985.

Jude was asked to make mohawkcollege.ca/DYKcontest a new bridge (three to be exact, just in case) using his winning design to support the hanginginof theMohawk Mini Cooper Established 1967 College stems fromby theBudd’s earlier Hamilton donated BMW Institute of Technology and holds Hamilton Oakville. the records& of Mini all its graduates. mohawkcollege.ca/DYKcontest

In the end, Jude’s bridge held up the 3,200 lbs car with ease.

And Mohawk students continue to improve, In 1968 Mohawk had 1,900 full-time students. Today Mohawk has with the strongest 22,000 full-time, part-time and bridge at the following apprenticeship students. mohawkcollege.ca/DYKcontest week’s 28th Annual Popsicle Bridge Challenge breaking the previous record.

SURGE

around campus

Mohawk’s Entrepreneurship Connection

By Karen Reiner, SURGE Project Coordinator For the past year, the on-campus resource has been stimulating and fostering a culture of entrepreneurship across Mohawk College while providing students access to start their own sustainable businesses. Run through the McKeil School of Business alongside iDeaWorks and the Faculty of Engineering Technology, SURGE aims to reach out to the entire Mohawk student population across all campuses and programs of study, as well as Alumni and the greater Hamilton start-up community.

In May 2015, SURGE had its official program Launch which included a Speed Networking for Entrepreneurs. In attendance as mentors were 10 Mohawk Alumni from a wide range of academic disciplines. From Journalism to Accounting, they imparted invaluable advice and business acumen to over 30 future entrepreneurs. SURGE and Mohawk Alumni will co-host many more exciting events in the upcoming year, so stay tuned!

One grad in attendance was Brodie Dawson ’07 who owns and operates a Hamilton-based, small business, Dawson’s Hot Sauce.

As an entrepreneurial alumnus of Mohawk College, how was your experience as a mentor with the Speed Networking event for the SURGE Launch in May 2015?

Brodie: Dawson’s Hot Sauce is a small batch gourmet company that focuses on quality ingredients and a hands on approach. We are in our third year of business and we are growing steadily. We have some part time assistance in the cooking and packaging process. Our biggest supporters are the people who take the time to comment after tasting on our Facebook and Twitter accounts. It means a lot to see positive reviews from people who are just trying it for the first time and becoming fans. We hope to have a strong presence in Toronto in the next 12 months.

How do you feel Mohawk College has helped you prepare for your entrepreneurial journey?

Brodie: When I was a student I knew very early that I wasn’t going to work in the field of Journalism. Instead, the time spent at Mohawk built my networking abilities. Building larger groups of peers allowed me to understand how important a solid foundation of believers is to start a venture - independent or otherwise. Without the networking skills being an entrepreneur would be even more challenging.

Describe one negative and one positive experience that you have gone through since you launched your business.

Brodie: Great perk, you make your own hours and the only person who gives you any grief is yourself.

Big downside, you make your own hours and the only person who gives you any grief is yourself.

Thank you to all the grads who were able to come out and provide advice and insight to current students:

Brodie: I thoroughly enjoyed my time during the SURGE speed networking portion of the event. It was refreshing to hear new ideas, developed and undeveloped, from students with passion in self-employment.

Describe your company; how long have you been in business, do you have any employees, who are your biggest supporters, where do you hope you will be in a year from now?

• Brodie Dawson, Dawson’s Hot Sauce - Journalism, ‘07 • Ryan Barichello, LinxSmart - Computer Systems Technician, ‘04 • Mindy Tweedle, Tweedle Productions - Broadcasting Television & Communications Media, ‘02 • Lacey William, Lacey Lucidity - Enterprise - Business, ‘05 • Daniel Clark, Cithara Guitars - Applied Music, ‘11 • Emily Stencel, Perk’s Naturals - Business-Marketing, ‘14 • Kristy Hurley, Hurley Designs - Public Relations, ‘09 • Steve Marsh, Business Insurance Services - Law & Security Administration, ‘80 • Jess Ramsay, Finch Espresso Bar - Accounting, ‘12 • Vahn Kalong, My Thai Restaurants - Information Systems Technician, ‘91 SURGE receives its funding through an On-Campus Entrepreneurship Activities (OCEA) grant as part of the Ontario Youth Jobs Strategy.

This funding was issued through Ontario Centres for Excellence (OCE)

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alumni spotlight

international graduate Timothy Alianello, ‘13

Name: Timothy Alianello Program/Year: Graphic Design – Digital Media, 2013 Home Country: United States – Western New York State After graduating in 2013, Timothy Alianello, worked as a freelance graphic designer as well as a layout and advertising designer for the Ellicottville Times newspaper in Ellicottville, New York.

In January of this year he became aware of the opportunity to volunteer with an organization called Neema Crafts that works to employ and empower individuals with disabilities in Tanzania. He shares, “I first became aware of Neema about ten years ago. My sister did a study abroad program in Iringa where Neema is based and came back to tell us about it. Then two years ago she and her husband returned to volunteer there.”

People with disabilities in Tanzania are among the poorest of the poor and are viewed as incapable and drains on their families and communities. Neema was started in 2003 by the Anglican Diocese of Ruaha and features eight craft workshops, a therapy unit for disabled children, an awardwinning café, a conference centre entirely staffed by deaf people, and a guesthouse jointly run by the local Mother’s Union. By employing and training these individuals and focusing on their abilities rather than their disabilities, Neema aims to provide them with a viable income, life skills and self-worth, while showing the community they come from that they are not worthless.

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Since arriving in April 2015, Timothy has been helping the center by using the graphic design skills he learned at Mohawk in a variety of areas, including working with the screen printing workshop to re-design and develop packaging for Neema’s products, designing promotional materials and working with the café to revamp their menu. He is also working with some of the employees to teach them computer skills. In his own words, Timothy shares the impact working and living in Africa has had on him,

“

Designing for Neema and living in Africa has been a much-needed shot in the arm for me. Creative inspiration is everywhere in a fresh setting and

the work that I am doing here is spiritually and emotionally fulfilling. I

hope that when I have completed my time

here in September, and return home to start

whatever may be next

in my life, I will be able to look back and see

that I have loved these people well, and in my

own way, using my own

gifts and skills, have left them and the Neema

Crafts center better than I found them. Neema’s

slogan is “Be Part of the

Story” and I am humbled to know that I have the

”

opportunity to do so.

alumni news

awards, celebrations and honours May 4, 2015 - Congratulations to Mohawk’s own Shaun Iles.

Shaun, a Mohawk professor and graduate, is one of four educators in North America to receive a 2015 Excellence in Online Teaching Award from Pearson. Shaun’s in good company with awards also going to educators from Drexel University, Ryerson University and Berklee College of Music.

Shaun was recognized for his work in building an online course in sustainability. Students move through the course content at their own pace. Class marks have gone up since Shaun gamified his course using tools like intelligent agents, simulators, blogs and virtual conferences. Shaun’s now helping other educators use technology to build online courses that increase retention rates, grades and student satisfaction.

May 4, 2015 - Congratulations to Mohawk Advertising students for their award winning work at the National Advertising Challenge Gold: Megan Kras (Big Ideas Category), Emmanuel Torres, Nolan Kennelly* and Yash Thapar (Student Category)

Storm was also instrumental in overseeing the visual production and brand of the Mohawk Media and Entertainment Showcase this past April and the profile videos that were shown at the Alumni of Distinction Awards last fall.

Book Release: Mohawk grad and Alumni of Distinction recipient, Linda Marshall ’82 shares her secrets to success in Giving Back, How to Find Your Personal Joy and Make a Difference to Others.

“

When you give back, you are giving back of yourself. In many ways you are giving back the values that others gave to you. You are passing them on. Generations hence, someone will be better off because of who you were and what you chose to do.

Each of us is a small piece of a very big

Silver: Nathan Styles and Brad Biggs, Justin Turco

picture, and we should strive to present

Merit: Emma Wathan

the best of humanity. We need to project

*This was Nolan’s 2nd year winning gold in this category

that. That’s what we’re passing on. Sure,

May 7, 2015 – Spring 2015 graduate, Storm Harding produced an award winning commercial, “The Mohawk Campus Store” (https://vimeo. com/125246090) giving Mohawk’s Broadcasting Television program a Broadcast Educators Association of Canada Award in the category of Commercial / PSA Production.

we can pass on money and we pass on an estate but we must consider what our real strengths are and what we have to give to live our legacy.

Are you living your legacy?

Find out more about Linda Marshall and her book at marshallconnects.com

”

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alumni spotlight

hiking for happiness our 10 day journey

By: Amanda McManus, 3rd-Year Health, Wellness & Fitness When we first clicked the ‘Walking Directions’ tab to a London restaurant, we had no idea we were in the initial planning phase of a 400 km journey.

What started as a joke quickly turned into the plan of a lifetime. Almost immediately, the idea went from walking to a restaurant in London to walking from the CN Tower to Parliament Hill. It was that simple, a thought came to us and it seemed perfect right away.

For a while I had been interested in the benefits of exercise on different mood disorders. As someone who has lived with mental health issues, I had experienced the benefits first hand and decided I wanted to make it my personal mission to share this concept with others. Additionally, both Jeff Bielby ‘06 and I had been on the hunt for different ways to give back to the community so it wasn’t long before we were able to start tying these concepts together.

We spent months leading up to the hike training, organizing, shopping, and fundraising for the Canadian Mental Health Association (CMHA). We spent each weekend taping our feet, loading up our bags, and walking to and from Hamilton Mountain to Grimsby, however no amount of training could have prepared us for all the obstacles, life changing moments, and memories we would experience on our 10-day journey.

Our bodies, especially our feet, took quite a beating with more blisters and bruises than I can count. Although our bodies were breaking down, our spirits remained high as everyday offered a new experience.

Along the way we were stopped twice as potential murder suspects, chased by a swarm of bees and threatened by a few very large dogs. There was no shortage of stimulation to keep us entertained.

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We could talk forever about all of the lessons we learned, but here are the ones that we found most significant: 1. When you think you’ve reached your limit, you probably haven’t – This is too true. Everyday there seemed to be a point where we convinced ourselves we couldn’t possibly do any more. But since we had booked motels each night, we had no choice but to push. We would keep going, one kilometer at a time, each kilometer telling ourselves it’s the last one we can do, only to be surprised, that we somehow pushed through another one. Then another. We learned that our minds give up a lot faster than our bodies.

2. The small things matter most - We definitely learned to appreciate the small things. Things like feeling a hand grab yours as you stare up from the bottom of what seems to be the 50th hill of the day, or seeing a sandy gravel shoulder up ahead after the asphalt has been wearing down your feet from lack of give, or even just simply looking up after staring at your feet for hours and noticing beautiful rolling green fields with baby animals everywhere. The small things renewed our sense of purpose and achievement. They felt like small victories of a much larger goal.

alumni spotlight 3. People are amazing - One of the most rewarding parts of hosting an event like this has been the amazing feedback and support from the community. We met so many new faces before, during and after the hike and each of them impacted our lives in such a positive way. The community came together to help us network and advertise our event, strangers showed support through donations and positive words, and friends and family made us feel incredibly special by showcasing their pride and expressing consistent concern for our well-being. Without others, it wouldn’t have been possible to achieve this so successfully.

4. Without teamwork you’ll get nowhere – A lot of people have mentioned that a trip like this could put a lot of strain on a relationship. Instead, our relationship grew stronger with every blister, water shortage and weather issue. We’ve learned the importance of carrying one another -

figuratively. This could be anything from giving up the last drink of water, sharing your food portion when the other is still hungry or giving up your hiking pole when a new blister pops up so they can ease the pressure. Whatever it is, we have learned to read each other. To know when to shoot words of encouragement, when to selfsacrifice, and when to respect the silence.

Teamwork means working together to achieve a goal… and that we did!

We’re hoping to make Hiking for Happiness an annual event. In the future we’ll shorten it to roughly 25 km a day and no more than one week so we can encourage others to participate with us.

We haven’t figured out completely what next year’s hike will look like, but we’ve been dancing around the idea of slowly completing the Bruce Trail in 150 km chunks. It’s still up in the air though so if anyone would like to participate and/ or suggest ideas for future events, they can e-mail us at hikingforhappiness@gmail.com

Conference Services & The McIntyre Performing Arts Centre Perfect venues for any event or performance Mohawk College Conference Services in Hamilton, Ontario offers ideal locations, functional facilities, excellent catering and affordable accommodations for any type of event. Committed to taking your ideas and turning them into memories, we provide one-of-a-kind facilities for conferences, meetings, performing arts, announcements, off-site exams and graduations.

Make Mohawk College your event's next backdrop, as exceeding your expectations is our number one priority.

The McIntyre Performing Arts Centre provides a prime artistic space for professional and amateur performing arts, and a perfect site for fundraisers and celebration gatherings.

The Centre features 1029 comfortable seats and provides each guest with exceptional views of the hardwood stage and multiple display screens. Designed with spectacular acoustics and sight lines, it is an ideal space to rent for showcasing Performing Arts, Keynote Speakers, Concerts and Comedy, Festivals, Conferences and Seminars.

Contact Conference Services Call Danielle Ambrosio at 905-575-2073. Email danielle.ambrosio@mohawkcollege.ca

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alumni news

alumni@work The Alumni@Work program seeks to reach out to thank local businesses and community organizations for hiring Mohawk graduates and being proud Mohawk supporters. The program is framed around the Alumni Relations office and applicable Faculty members bringing refreshments and snacks for an hour of connecting with graduates, at their place of work. During this time, updates about College programming, Alumni events and campus renovations are provided as well there is an opportunity for graduates to catch-up with past instructors, ask questions about programming and meet colleagues that are fellow alumni of Mohawk College.

Are you interested in an Alumni@Work coffee break?

Please contact kristy.hurley@mohawkcollege.ca today!

Laverne Cox Speaks at Mohawk

On Thursday, March 26th, 2015 Mohawk College’s Social Inc. in partnership with Mohawk College Alumni, SACHA, The Well and the Mohawk Students’ Association, hosted Laverne Cox, star of Orange Is the New Black and the first transgender woman to be on the cover of TIME magazine, as she shared her personal story, “Ain’t I a Woman: My Journey to Womanhood.”

“I volunteered for the event with Laverne Cox and was incredibly blessed to witness her speech. When she spoke about her life and her experiences growing up transgender it felt very moving. I feel very blessed to be able to have listened to this woman and hear her story come to life. At the end of the event she stuck around to speak and take pictures with our community members who identified as transgender and this was very touching, to see her give back to others who are faced with the same life circumstances. Over all it was an amazing experience that I will remember throughout my life.” – Alison Mackenzie, Social Service Worker 1st Year Student

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alumni reunions

holding on to mohawk friendships By: Lu Ann Pannunzio, ‘12

After a mini reunion with fellow alumni (in January), I realized how lucky I am to still have a connection with friends I’ve made at Mohawk College even with our current long distance.

Without thinking much of it at the time, I moved back to my hometown after graduation, which is about three hours away from Hamilton. It took a while to hit me that I wouldn’t see the same people I saw every day for three years as often as I’d like anymore. We apply to post-secondary school for a great education with a goal to have a career at the end of it. However, we leave with something more—lifelong friendships and memories. They say the friends you make in college are the friends you have for life. If I look back on my college successes today, I know that my closest Mohawk friends shared those moments with me.

(This is an excerpt of Lu Ann’s original post from the ABC:Alumni Blog Connection February 20, 2015 – visit alumniblog.mohawkcollege.ca to read more)

1976 Class of Nursing from Hamilton Civic Campus – 40th Anniversary Are you a graduate of the 1976 Nursing Class from the Hamilton Civic Campus?

Your classmates are planning a reunion to celebrate 40 years since you graduated from Mohawk College.

Interested in celebrating with your fellow graduates?

Please contact one of your classmates by January 31, 2016. Tentative celebration date is Saturday, June 4, 2016.

Some grads of the Chemical Engineering Technology classes of 1971 and 1972 met for dinner April 14, 2015 at Water St. Cooker in Burlington. The gathering included former instructors and staff (Dr. Ishwar Singh, Tom Sutton, Paul Riehm, Bill Rolfe) - provided by Andrew Kellner, ‘71

• Debra Pierssens (Demeester) - dpierssens@hotmail.com • Karen Lawson (Prouse) - gramma.grampa5@gmail.com • Joanne Jackson - Jjackson35@cogeco.ca • Simona Dagliesh (Schram) - bobdal2@rogers.com • Anita Reeves (Tuckeleris) - amreeves54@yahoo.ca

Reunion-in-a-box

for your next class, team, or club get together

lost touch with by email, through the In Touch magazine, and the Alumni website & social media channels.

We will provide advice on local and on-campus group.

Start planning your reunion today! mohawkcollege.ca/alumnireunion

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Back L-R: Derek Doyle, Vanh Kalong, Rocco Passero, Fred Eisenberger, Ted McMeekin, Megan MacLeod, Brian Jonker Front L-R: Daniel Popowich, Barbara Shea

Congratulations to the 2015 Alumni of Distinction Award Recipients!

These nine incredible people will be honoured on Tuesday, October 27, 2015 at Michelangelo’s Banquet Centre.

Find out more about this year’s winners online at mohawkcollege.ca/alumni-of-distinction Business Recipient: Derek Doyle Small Business Entrepreneurship, 2007 Co-founder of Ambitious Realty Advisors and Mezcal Tacos & Tequila Community Services Recipient: Ted McMeekin, MPP Social Studies, 1970 Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing, Ontario Government Creative Arts & Design Recipient: Fred Eisenberger Community Planning & Development, 1983 Mayor, City of Hamilton Entrepreneur Recipient: Vanh Kalong Information Systems Technician, 1991 Owner, My Thai Restaurants Group Health Sciences Recipient: Barbara Shea Medical Laboratory Technology, 1980 Network Coordinator, Central East Infection Control Network, Public Health Ontario

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Technology Recipient: Rocco Passero Electronics Engineering Technology, 1980 Assistant Deputy Minister and Executive Lead, Infrastructure Technology Services, Treasury Board Secretariat, Government of Ontario Recent Graduate Recipient: Megan MacLeod Fundraising Development Associate Certificate, 2013 Leadership & Management in a Not-for-Profit Sector, 2013 Volunteer Management, 20143 - Event Management, 2014 Development Intern, McMaster University Mohawk College Employee Recipient: Daniel Popowich General Arts & Science, 1992 Professor of Humanities & Social Sciences, Mohawk College New Award for 2015: Affinity Recipient: Brian Jonker Radio Broadcasting, 1993 Parts & Facility Manager, Tigercat Industry Inc. & Men’s Varsity Basketball Head Coach, Mohawk College

You’re Invited!

Join us in celebrating nine incredible dible grads at the A ards Dinner 2015 Alumni of Distinction Aw Awards

Tuesday, October 27, 2015

Michelangelo’s Banquet Centre 6pm Dinner $75/person | $600/table of 8 mohawkcollege.ca/alumni-of-distinction

Know an outstanding grad doing incredible things?

Next year’s Alumni of Distinction Award Nominations open end of October 2015 mohawkcollege.ca/alumni-of-distinction

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Lorence Stanley | Electronic Engineering Technology, 1967 I worked in data communications and instrumentation and control before starting with Ontario Hydro in 1978. I migrated into supplier quality assurance there which was bought out by Ontario Power Generation in 2002 (retired). Lynn and I started up a consulting business at that time to serve the quality management needs of the nuclear industry. The proceeds from that business have allowed us some extensive travel off our bucket list (Australia & New Zealand among others). We shut the business down last year and I am now in real retirement.

Mohawk recognized us as the first graduating class with a 25th anniversary celebration in 1992. Lynn and I have lived in Brampton since 1972 and have no plans to leave now.

Anyone who wants to get into contact with me can by email sqms@rogers.com but include “Mohawk” in the subject line to avoid the trash heap.

Frederick N. Coady | Materials Engineering Technology, 1977 Will retire on Sept 15, 2015 after 38 years with same company.

Salvina Alfano | Child Care Worker, 1978 Recently retired from Halton District School Board. Loving retirement and recommend it highly!

John L. Keegan | Mechanical Engineering Technology, 1986 Employed at Zelus Material Handling in Stoney Creek, Ontario. We design custom cranes and lifting equipment for industry throughout Canada. I have been involved in the design, manufacture and sales of overhead cranes for 10 years. I am living in Hamilton, Ontario and have two boys and a beautiful grand-daughter.

Jeff S Pinson | Electrical Engineering Technician - Power, 1986 Working for Bell Technical Solutions, as an installation and repair technician for residential and business FibeTV, FibeInternet,

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and voice services. My daughter has just finished her 1st year at Mohawk.

Dianne E. (nee Skuse) Scott | Data Processing - Micro Computer Technician, 1990 I went back to college and updated my field. The information that I obtained while attending Mohawk College helped me to strive to get good grades and find employment in my field. I graduated and am now working as a Health Care Office Assistant. I have a great boss and work with two fabulous women in our office. Thank you.

Cynthia J. Peckham | General Arts and Science, 2000 Enjoying life on the West Coast, I keep myself busy by running my own business, writing and volunteering my time as a disability legal advocate and public speaker on mental health issues.

Rosemarie (nee Patcheson) Hassan | Insurance, 2002 After working 10 years in various financial, retail and insurance markets, I transferred to an international company located in Saudi Arabia. Over the last five years I have grown and developed as the Director of Operations for The Online Group. In 2015, The Ekarus Group was launched and I have been honoured to be named the Chief Executive Officer. Working hard, continuously learning through courses, designations and experience...loving life and can’t wait to see what I can achieve in the next 10 years!

Melissa J. (nee Lachaine) Bell | Office Administration - Legal, 2005 We moved back up to the area we grew up in Alliston, ON just before the birth of our second child, a son, Edmond Robert-Allan Bell, born January 14th, 2015 at 6:44am, who weighed 9lbs 4oz. His big sister Charlîne, now two, is delighted to have a little brother. He is the only male grandchild for my mom and the first biological (great and

keeping in touch grandson on my husband’s side as my daughter was the first biological great and grandchild).

Alexandra Coombs | Television Broadcasting, 2010 Teaching within the Television Broadcasting Program, teaching Advanced Graphics, Photoshop, AVID and Final Cut.

Kristina M. Iafrate | Occupational Therapist Assistant & Physiotherapist Assistant, 2013 / Recreation Therapy, 2015

would never have thought there was a job for me or how much help there was around me to get a job. - God bless everyone.

Gregory Ashandobe | Social Service Worker, 2015 It’s a new world entirely.

Xiaoqin Li | Office Administration- Legal, 2015 I have got a great learning opportunity for my Co-op placement in the biggest law firm at Hamilton and I am ready to find a job.

Upon completion of my second Mohawk College diploma, I jumped into a part-time employment opportunity that had me relocating from Oakville to Kitchener. I wouldn’t have been able to do this without the support of my faculty, my family and my boyfriend, Andrew. Each day at work I am applying skills I’ve learned and developed in my past four years as a Mohawk student. Looking forward to what the future has in store!

Lacey Williams | Enterprise Business (e-business), 2004

Ashima Arora | Biotechnology Technician, 2015

And my answer is: Absolutely, if you don’t mind travelling often, living in hotels sometimes for months at a time, and not knowing when you are going to see your mum again!

I do in fact make as much as I did at Canada Revenue Agency. Win-win!

Feeling like a biotechnologist after completing my studies from Mohawk.

Bo Zhu | Tourism & Travel, 2015 Working on job settlement.

Daniela Pethick | Community Integration through Co-operative Education, 2015 My name is Daniela I was in the CICE program. There is lots of hope and help around the CICE program. When I got back home I was already planning and trying to find a job. My dream job is to be an Educational Assistant (EA) or someone that will help people with disabilities, because I went through school with EA’s. I just wanted the question to be re-read and explained in a different way so I know what people go through each day who have a learning disability.

I have a goal that I want to talk about my life in public to help people. I am interested in helping anyone that I can help.

I want to say thank you to the people that have helped me in the CICE program.

I enjoyed the time in the CICE program. It is where I found my best friends that will be in my life forever. I love these two years I had with them. I wish I could do these two years again and it can go slower. Now I have a goal not just a dream to fight for. Plus being the woman I want to be.

If there was not a program for people with disabilities that have dreams to go to college and do a full program I would have never thought that I could pass a college course. I

With my new job I have travelled to over 14 countries, five continents, performed in front of more than 10,000 people in total, and had more adventures than I can remember over the last 10 years since I graduated from Mohawk College.

Many people ask me: Can you really thrive as a juggler?

I owe so much to my experiences at Mohawk College.

It helped shape the peaceful, meditating, ball-loving, workshop leader, corporate event entertainer that I have become.

Thanks Mohawk!

(Read more about Lacey’s juggling life on page 14.)

Protection of Personal Information From time to time, you may be contacted either by mail, e-mail or phone by one of our services and benefits partners regarding one of our programs.

Mohawk College is proud of its relationship with a number of trusted partners and service providers who have an established record of treating personal information with care and provide valuable services and benefits to our alumni. We appreciate you taking the time to learn about the programs and the latest offers available. We want to let you know that at no time will your name or contact information be shared with anyone not specifically authorized by Alumni Relations. Mohawk College respects the privacy of its alumni and the sensitivity of personal information. All of our partners sign strict confidentiality agreements with us prior to receiving any contact information.

Should you wish to not be contacted about services and benefit programs, JUST CALL 905-575-2258 or e-mail alumni@mohawkcollege.ca and tell us you wish to OPT OUT of affinity marketing plans.

Thank you for your interest and your participation in the services and benefits provided by the Alumni Association and the Office of Alumni Relations.

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fall 2015| 33

calendar of events Please visit mohawkcollege.ca/alumni to find out more about or to register for all Alumni events.

October

16

Media Alumni Panel – Media Collaboration | 10am to 12pm | FREE EVENT | McIntyre Theatre – Mohawk Fennell Campus

20 The Art of Career Networking (B2B) – 6pm to 9pm

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|C066 | Learn the do’s and taboo’s during a cocktail reception and enhance your individual networking skills. Create your ‘MOHAWK MOMENT” and practice your newly acquired skills |Business Attire required

20 Meet the Grad – Technology - 5pm to 8pm | The

20 2 23

Arnie |For more information, please contact Dan Robichaud at dan.robichaud@mohawkcollege.ca

Fall Convocation – 2pm Ceremony & 7pm

The Arnie - sponsored by MSA, MCACES and your Alumni Association | pre-registration is required, online registration will open late October

January 26 Dress for Success (B2B) – 6:30pm to 8:00pm |

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February

9

Ceremony – McIntyre Performing Arts Theatre

24

Rugby Reunion – Celebrate the 15th Anniversary of the Mohawk Men’s OCAA Rugby Gold Medal Win - Cheer on the current Men’s team as they take on Conestoga - 2pm | Mohawk Sports Park Field 1 contact Alex Paris - alex.paris@mohawkcollege.ca

27 27

2015 Alumni of Distinction Awards Dinner –

Community Reception begins at 5:30 pm and Dinner at 6:00 pm |$75/person or $600/table of 8 | Michelangelo’s Banquet and Convention Centre | Honouring nine incredible graduates who are the 2015 Alumni of Distinction recipients| Please reserve your seat online

17 17

Conflict & Leadership (B2B) – 6:30pm to 8pm | C066 | Learn to understand conflict, where it comes from, and how to cope with it. Learn about different personality types and how they interact with each other, then interact in hands-on interactive activities.

Etiquette Dinner – 6pm to 9pm | $30/person |

The Arnie – Business Attire please | Registration required - book your spot early, as this event sells out fast! Discount for current CE students, please contact mcaces@mohawkcollege.ca or 905-575-2176

December 5

5

Pictures with Santa – 10am to 1pm | FREE EVENT | Get your picture with Santa, watch Christmas movies, make Christmas crafts and much more |

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The Almost Perfect Interview (B2B) – 6pm to 8:30pm | C066 | Prepare for the upcoming Connect to Careers Job Fair and other important interviews by building on your interviewing skills. Learn the ins and outs of the job interview from an employer’s perspective. In this session, participants will examine work related competencies and how job descriptions may predict interview questions. Time will be allotted for practicing tough interview questions.

Mountaineer Hall of Fame Ceremony – 3pm to 5pm |DBARC | Reception to follow inductions as we cheer on the Women and Men’s Volleyball Teams | RSVP is required

Women’s Basketball Alumni Game – 10am | Contact Kelly Dunham - kelly.dunham@mohawkcollege.ca | Stay to watch the Double Header Basketball Games as our Mountaineers play Redeemer

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20

November 10 10

During the evening you will achieve confidence and individual style knowledge, maintain awareness on how you are presenting yourself to others, learn how to create a fantastic first impression, gain information on updating your style for all seasons and reaching and sustaining your ideal image.

20

Men’s Basketball Alumni Game – 11am | Contact

Matt Cupido – m.cupido@shaw.ca for more info.Stay to watch the Double Header Basketball Games as our Mountaineers play Redeemer

The Backpack 2 Briefcase (B2B) workshop series has been designed to help students and recent grads develop personal and professional skills to assist with the transition into a successful “life after Mohawk”. These fun and informative workshops help individuals develop important soft skills that are not typically taught in classrooms.

Register for all events at alumni.mohawkcollege.ca

Please visit alumni.mohawkcollege.ca for up-to-date events and activities

If you have any questions, please contact us at 905-575-2258 or alumni@mohawkcollege.ca

Reward yourself.

Stay connected with your alma mater.

Apply for a BMO®† Mohawk College Alumni MasterCard®* card by October 31, 2015 and earn 500 Bonus Miles after your first card purchase2. That’s enough for $50 towards your purchases like gas, grocery and pharmacy with AIR MILES Cash1!

You’ll also enjoy getting rewards faster with: • 1 Mile on every $20 in card purchases3 • No annual fee and 19.9% interest rate4 Apply today.

Redeem AIR MILES reward miles in the Cash balance of your AIR MILES Collector Account in-store in increments of ninety-five (95) reward miles for $10 off your purchases at participating AIR MILES Sponsor locations to a maximum of $750 per day and online at airmiles.ca/cash in increments of ninety-five (95) reward miles for every $10 value from participating AIR MILES eVoucher Partners to a maximum of $750 per day. eVouchers can be used at participating eVoucher Partners’ locations in Canada only. See specific eVoucher reward page for details and any restrictions. Visit airmiles.ca/cash to learn more. You must have accumulated sufficient reward miles in the Cash balance of your Collector Account to redeem reward miles towards in-store purchases and eVouchers. All rewards offered are subject to the Terms and Conditions of the AIR MILES Reward Program, are subject to change and may be withdrawn without notice. For complete details, visit airmiles.ca. 2 Bonus offer is limited to new accounts and will be applied to your Collector Account within forty-five (45) days after your first purchase, in accordance with your set balance preference (between AIR MILES Cash and AIR MILES dream balances) at the time of posting.

Applications must be received before October 31, 2015. Limit of one Bonus offer per Collector Account. If you cancel your card within thirty (30) days of opening your account, the Bonus reward miles will be cancelled. Existing BMO AIR MILES MasterCard cardholders or those who cancel their card before October 31, 2015, are not eligible. This offer is time-limited and may be changed, extended or withdrawn at any time without notice. 3 Award of AIR MILES reward miles is made for purchases charged to your account (less refunds and excluding cash advances, cash-like transactions, interest charges, fees, payments, credit or debit adjustments) and is subject to the Terms and Conditions of your BMO MasterCard Cardholder Agreement and AIR MILES Terms and Conditions. The number of reward miles will be rounded down to the nearest whole number. Fractions of reward miles will not be awarded. 4 Ongoing interest rates, payment grace days and annual fees are subject to change. See your branch, visit bmo.com or contact the Customer Contact Centre at 1 800 263-2263 for current rates and fees. ®† Trademarks of Bank of Montreal. ®* Registered trademarks of MasterCard International Incorporated. ®TM Trademarks of AIR MILES International Trading B.V. Used under license by LoyaltyOne, Co. and Bank of Montreal.

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