Category Archives: News

Teacher Education Grad Helps Students Raise $100,000 for Charity

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A rockin’ power chord salute and a round of flying windmills go out to the students at Ecole Selkirk Junior High, who under the tutelage of RRC alum Kris Hancock (Industrial Arts/Technology Teacher Education) have raised more than $100,000 to help support the Canadian Museum for Human Rights.

The students raised the scratch through their wildly successful B.O.S.S. (Building on Students’ Success) Guitar Works program, in which kids are taught to make functioning electric guitars after school. Once built and painted, the guitars are sent to visiting rock stars and other high-profile celebrities for signatures (among them, Bon Jovi, Fleetwood Mac, Gene Simmons and The Tragically Hip), before being auctioned off to the highest bidder.

Last week, ESJH students presented the Friends of the Canadian Museum for Human Rights with a cheque for $68,421, the proceeds from two guitar auctions — one online, the other live — held in May 2013. That amount, in combination with the $32,579 raised during the program’s inaugural auction in 2011, brings B.O.S.S.’s total CMHR donations to $101,000. Continue reading →

RRC Hosts High-level Delegation from Nigeria

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Red River College continues to expand the scope of its international partnerships, having recently met with a high-level delegation from the African nation of Nigeria.

Delegates toured RRC’s Notre Dame and Exchange District Campuses on Tuesday, June 4. Among the visitors were representatives from the Nigeria Employers’ Consultative Association (NECA) — the umbrella organization of employers in the organized private sector of Nigeria — and the Industrial Training Fund (ITF), a federal parastatal under the Ministry of Industry that provides direct training, vocational and apprentice training, human resource development information, research and consultancy service to industry and senior government officials from Lagos State.

The group was accompanied by Jimmy Agbayani, Senior Program Officer, International Partnerships for the Association of Canadian Community Colleges (ACCC). During the visit, delegates and RRC officials explored a number of collaborative opportunities in the areas of Hospitality Management, Trades and Technology.

Province Announces New Ultrasound Training Program at Red River College

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New funding in Budget 2013 will create an ultrasound training program at Red River College to help ensure patients can access the vital diagnostic tests they need, Advanced Education and Literacy Minister Erin Selby and Health Minister Theresa Oswald announced today.

“Ultrasound technologists help expectant families know their babies will be healthy and improve doctors’ ability to diagnose conditions such as breast cancer and heart problems,” said Selby. “With the creation of this new training program, our government continues to put health care first by ensuring that patients can get the tests they need, when they need them, for years to come.”

The Manitoba government is investing $500,000 to create the new 16-seat ultrasound training program, to be offered at Red River College, and an additional $500,000 to build a new clinical simulation lab. The new training program will replace the existing 13-seat ultrasound course available through Health Sciences Centre, which will move to RRC this January. By increasing the number of ultrasound graduates, hospitals will be able to fill vacancies and continue improving access to these vital diagnostic tests, Selby added. Continue reading →

Stella Blackbird — Elder, Healer and Medicine Teacher — Awarded RRC Honorary Diploma

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20130509_Stella_Blackbird_0008Each year, Red River College awards a Red River College Honorary Diploma to an individual who demonstrates high standards of excellence in their personal and professional achievements, and whose involvement in the community is widely recognized.

Known and respected throughout Canada for her wisdom, gentle spirit and tireless dedication to the community, Stella Blackbird has a special ability to build trust and understanding across cultures and nations.

An Elder and Red Eagle Woman from the Turtle Clan, Stella has served as an Elder, Traditional Healer, Medicine Teacher and facilitator for healing programs and teachings across Canada and the U.S. She has devoted years to the women of Keeseekoowenin First Nation (where she resides), and to women and men in neighbouring First Nations communities, providing counselling and healing and leading traditional ceremonies. Stella also provides teachings at Medicine Eagle Camp, which she helped establish on the sacred ceremonial grounds of the ancestors near Riding Mountain National Park.

Stella has a vast knowledge of traditional medicines, which she shares with those from all nations and backgrounds. Earlier in her career, she served as Resident Elder for the Ontario Native Education Counselor Association in Sudbury, and provided health services for the Ojibway Tribal Family Services Sacred Circle in Kenora. She also served for years in the Third Canada Rangers of the Canadian Armed Forces, providing traditional teachings and survival skills to youth and adults at Camp Borden. Continue reading →

German Delegates Explore Automotive and Biogas Technologies at RRC

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RRC’s International Education office hosted a delegation from Germany on Thursday — the second such group to visit the College this week.

The delegation was comprised of four representatives from Germany’s Ministry of Education, who were here to learn how RRC delivers training in vocational fields relating to Automotive and Biogas Technologies.

Members also visited local high school, colleges, Manitoba Hydro facilities, and a farm that utilizes biogas technologies.

Earlier this week, the College played host to a delegation from Finland. That group was comprised of instructors and administrators from five Finnish colleges, and included representation from the fields of Vehicle Technology and Information Communication Technology, Student Guidance and Counselling, and International Affairs.

Dental Assisting Grads Gear Up for Clinical Mission to Guatemala

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RRC Team 2013

From left: Dental Assisting grads Chelsea Bezditny, Katharina Seibel, Kaitlyn Bezditny, Jillian O’Donnell and Lee-Anne Sabourin.

Dental Assisting graduates from Red River College’s Winkler Campus are gearing up for a summer trip to Guatemala, where they’ll provide free clinical care for local residents in five different locations.

As part of their fifth annual summer mission to the region, five recent RRC grads (now registered dental assistants), as well as a dentist, a dental therapist, and a dental instructor from the College, will provide free dental care to approximately 2,540 Guatemalans — double the number they provided care for during their last trip in 2012.

This year’s team will spend a day and a half attending to locals at San Marcos Church, before travelling to Nuevo Chuatuj, La Felicidad and San Martin Chile Verde in subsequent days. The trip takes place June 30 to July 10; students have been fundraising for months to offset their travel costs.

“Past team members have personally gained a lot from their experiences, and feel blessed by having worked with the people they encountered,” says Athena Wilford, Dental Assisting Coordinator at Winkler Campus. “In spite of poverty and meagre living conditions, the people we met were very gracious.” Continue reading →

RRC Welcomes Delegates from Finland

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Red River College is pleased to welcome a delegation from Finland, whose members are visiting Winnipeg to discuss possible international partnerships.

The delegation is comprised of instructors and administrators from five Finnish colleges, and includes representation from the fields of Vehicle Technology and Information Communication Technology, Student Guidance and Counselling, and International Affairs.

The visitors are in Winnipeg until Thursday to establish relationships with RRC, and to explore new possibilities for faculty, staff and student exchanges between the respective institutions. While in town, delegates will shadow instructors from RRC’s Automotive and Information Communication Technology programs, visit the educational fields they represent, and give presentations on their work in Finland.

 

CreComm Ad Majors to be Honoured for Campaigns Promoting Canadian Charities

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Advertising students from Red River College’s Creative Communications program will pick up five national awards next month, when they head to Toronto to receive cash prizes for their work promoting Canadian charities.

Sponsored by Imagine Canada and Alberta’s Muttart Foundation, the Students Verb Charities contest rewards exceptional promotional campaigns exploring how charities ensure, improve and reflect our quality of life. A total of $100,000 is up for grabs next month, and with five out of a possible six awards going to RRC students, the odds are clearly in their favour.

Working in teams of two to four people, the RRC advertising majors developed creative concepts and videos, for which they’ll receive awards ranging from $2,500 to $50,000. They’ll travel to Toronto next month with their instructors; the Muttart Foundation is covering the students’ travel expenses, as well as putting up the prize money.

In other CreComm news, student Terry Proveda picked up the Best Film and Best Documentary awards for his video Going to Extremes at last week’s University of Winnipeg’s 2013 Student Film Festival, while classmates Katy Slimmon, Owen Swinn and Brian Wrede picked up Best Editing honours for their documentary Living in Harmony, about a local Hutterite colony.

As well, this year’s Broadcast Journalism class won first place in the Video Studio Newscast category at this year’s Broadcast Educators Association of Canada (BEAC) National Student Awards. That award will be handed out this weekend as part of the BEAC Annual Conference in Banff. Click here to view the winning newscast.

RRC Students Sweep 13 Categories at Skills Manitoba Competition

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Culinary student Randy Grieg, who won a gold medal in the Cooking category at last month's Skills Manitoba Competition.

Culinary student Randy Grieg, who won a gold medal at last month’s Skills Manitoba Competition.

Congratulations to the 48 Red River College students who won medals at last month’s Skills Manitoba Competition, many of whom will go on to represent the province at the national contest in Vancouver next month.

The 16th annual Olympic-style competition was held April 11 at RRC’s Notre Dame Campus, with students competing in 40 different categories aimed at showcasing their hands-on expertise, talent and determination in a variety of skilled trades and technologies.

RRC students swept the podium in 13 different categories, and earned medals in six more. Those who won gold medals who will go on to compete as Team Manitoba at the 19th Skills Canada National Competition in Vancouver, June 5-8.

More than 500 students from across Manitoba took part in the provincial trials. See below for a full list of RRC winners. Continue reading →

RRC Staffer Recognized as Outstanding Support for those with Intellectual Disabilities

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Linley James (second from right), with Christine Crowe (Vice-President, Community Development, RRC), Tom Trottier (RRC Recycling Team), and Lori Walkow (RRC Student Services and Community Development Services)

The purchasing agent for RRC’s Paterson GlobalFoods Institute has been recognized for his role in supporting those with intellectual disabilities as they find and maintain meaningful employment in the community.

RRC staffer Linley James received the “Outstanding Natural Support” award at this week’s Sweet Success 2013 reception, hosted by Connect Employment Services to honour the achievements of Connect clients and supports over the past year.

In his prior role as Supervisor of Campus Services at the Roblin Centre in the Exchange District, James worked closely with members of RRC’s Recycling Team, supporting them in their day-to-day tasks and researching products and equipment used in the course of their duties.

The Sweet Success reception, held Thursday at the University of Manitoba, included a dessert-tasting and auction, and was attended by the Rt. Hon. Ed Schreyer, former Manitoba premier and governor general of Canada. The event was presented by Connect Employment Services and the Workers Compensation Board of Manitoba.