Fleming College Introduces New Continuing Education Language Courses

Fleming College is expanding its in-person Continuing Education language course offerings at its Frost Campus in Lindsay and Sutherland Campus in Peterborough.

Photo courtesy of Fleming College.

Starting in January, both campuses will offer Conversational French (Level 1 and Level 2, with Level 3 launching in spring), Conversational Spanish (Beginner and Intermediate), American Sign Language (Level 1—Part A, with Part B arriving in spring) and Conversational Italian (Level 1 and Level 2).

All classes are taught by faculty who are native speakers of the language.

The French, Spanish, and Italian courses are focused mainly on building conversational skills.

Students who complete both parts of the American Sign Language course will have reached Level 1 proficiency of ASL, as recognized by the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages (ACTFL).

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Fleming College Introduces FastPass to Grant Credits From Prior Education or Experience

Fleming College has introduced FastPass to determine whether credits are based on prior education, work or volunteer experience, certifications and licenses, traditional or organizational learning, or life experience apply to their programs.

Photo courtesy of Fleming College.

Students can easily check their eligibility for Prior Learning Assessment and Recognition (PLAR).

“PLAR can kickstart a new student’s program by giving them credits for skills and competencies they’ve earned elsewhere,” says Sherry Gosselin, Fleming executive vice president, information technology. “That way it shortens the duration to graduation, can reduce the money they spend, and can get them to the workforce faster.”

The FastPass tool also boasts helping decide which program is the best fit according to Fleming. The FastPass credit predictor can identify which program would match up best with a diploma after uploading a résumé.

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Trent University Establishes New Doctor of Pharmacy, Optometry Pathways With Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences

Doctor of Pharmacy and Doctor of Optometry degrees have become more accessible to Medical Professional Stream (MPS) students at Trent University after a new agreement offering direct pathways into these programs at the Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences (MCPHS), announced on Monday afternoon.

Dr. Stephen Kerr (left) of MCPHS and Dr. Michael Khan of Trent shake hands at the signing of the MOU. Photo courtesy of Tret University.

“We know how competitive the admissions process is for undergraduate students to gain entry into professional medicine programs both in Canada and abroad. Just a few years ago, the success rate for entry was about ten percent,” said Dr. Michael Khan, Trent provost and vice president Academic. “With this agreement, and a few others like it at Trent, we are making it easier for high-performing and high-potential students in Trent’s unique MPS program to pursue their dreams of becoming a health professional in their desired specialty and, ultimately, help increase access to medicine and care for people in Canada and the United States.”

The new agreement between Trent and MCPHS streamlines the admission process for Trent’s MPS graduates applying to MCPHS’s Doctor of Optometry (four-year), Doctor of Pharmacy (four-year) or Accelerated Doctor of Pharmacy (three-years) programs at the College’s campuses in Boston, Worcester, and Manchester says the University.

MPS graduates will receive various benefits through this partnership, including a guaranteed interview, preferential admission review, and financial support. The agreement will also establish several student awards, including renewable merit scholarships, one-time tuition, and housing awards ranging from $15,000 USD to $32,000, depending on campus and program.

“We are especially excited with this affiliation and thrilled to have the Medical Professional Stream students from Trent University matriculate into our doctoral programs. We feel the knowledge, confidence and preparedness of these students are particularly well suited to enter our university which, for over 200 years, has been training students for careers in health and life sciences,” said Dr. Stephen Kerr, professor and associate provost of Academic and International Affairs at MCPHS University. “MCPHS has thousands of Canadian alumni and the vast majority return and practice in Canada. This agreement certainly helps sustain our vision of empowering our community to create a healthier and more equitable world, and I’m confident will immensely benefit both of our institutions and countries.”

“I am a proud alumna of Trent and look back fondly on my experiences there. I was fortunate enough to participate in Trent’s Thailand Year Abroad Program, and this experience has had lasting effects, both personally and professionally. It was this immersive, applied learning experience that made me want to dedicate my 25+ year career to higher education, specifically in the internationalization and global engagement areas,” said Krista LaVack, associate director of International at MCPHS, who helped initiate the articulation agreement between the two institutions.

Applications for the 2025 intake at MCPHS are now open to eligible students currently enrolled in Trent’s Medical Professional Stream. MCPHS will host an information session at Trent in January 2025 for MPS students interested in learning more about the pathway.

“I’m so pleased to see our articulation agreement come to fruition. We look forward to witnessing Trent student success in our professional degree programs in the very near future,” said Lavack. “We’re confident they will come with the right academic foundation to succeed in our curriculum and in their chosen professions down the road.”

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Trent University Launches Traditional Handcrafted Birchbark Canoe On the Otonabee River

Trent University has launched its traditional handcrafted birchbark canoe which was done on campus on the Otonobee River and showcased to the public on Monday.

Alex Labelle's canoe sit on the banks of the Otonabee River at Trent University. Photo courtesy of Trent University.

The month-long project marks the culmination of a project that has increased the visibility of and engagement in Indigenous culture among the campus community. Named Enheh, the canoe was officially launched by Métis canoe builder Alex Labelle. This name is an affirmative response that complements the expression of gratitude in Miigwech and honours the connections made during the building and the profound appreciation for the gifts and lessons provided by the people involved, nature, and the Creator according to Trent University.

“The birchbark canoe is more than a vessel – it is a vital piece of technology that has sustained Indigenous peoples for generations,” said Dr. Dawn Memee Lavell-Harvard, director of First Peoples House of Learning at Trent. “It enables trade, travel, hunting, and the gathering of food and medicine. By bringing together people from across the University and the community, this project has demonstrated what reconciliation looks like in action: doing hands-on work, thinking about knowledge holders in a different way, and showing that these knowledges are just as important now as they ever were.”

Labelle constructed the canoe from scratch in the atrium of Trent’s Bata Library. Students, faculty, and visitors had the opportunity to engage directly with the project by trimming roots, splitting cedar and forming ribs, gaining insight into the artistry and skill behind traditional canoe-building.

“Part of reconciliation is creating space for Indigenous knowledge in places, like libraries, which have long marginalized it,” said Emily Tufts, Trent librarian. “Over the past month, Alex has shared his knowledge in a way that is physical, embodied, and deeply meaningful. This project brought the work of reconciliation out of the theoretical and into the practical and material, giving students and staff a chance to connect with Indigenous traditional knowledge firsthand.”

Following the naming, Labelle launched Enheh from the west bank of the Otonabee River and paddled the canoe to the east bank of campus. It was carried to the Gathering Space in Trent’s First Peoples House of Learning for a celebratory feast to be displayed permanently.

“It’s great to know that FPHL and Trent students will put this canoe to use. Often people will put them up as museum pieces, but we're trying to bring canoes like this out of museums and back to into life,” said Labelle. “My time at Trent has been great—great people and lots of interest in the project. I hope this has shown people that you can go into the bush and find all the materials you need to build a canoe.”

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Clarington Trustee Re-elected for Third Term As PVNC Catholic Board Chairperson

Clarington trustee Kevin MacKenzie has been re-elected as chairperson of the Peterborough Victoria Northumberland and Clarington (PVNC) Catholic District School Board for the 2024-2025 term during their annual meeting at the Catholic Education Centre on Tuesday.

Photo courtesy of PVNCCDSB.

MacKenzie has been a trustee since 2018. He previously served as vice-chairperson from 2021 to 2022 before being appointed chairperson for the 2022-2023 term.

Peterborough County trustee Jenny Leahy was also re-elected vice-chairperson for a third consecutive year. Leahy joined the Board in May 2022 as an appointee and was later elected in the October 2022 municipal election.

For Peterborough trustee Loretta Durst, the meeting marked three years since her November 2021 appointment to the Board. Durst was re-elected during the October 2022 municipal election.

Tuesday’s annual meeting marked the two-year milestone for trustees Joshua Glover (Clarington), Mary Ann Martin (Kawartha Lakes), and Kathleen Tanguay (Northumberland), all of whom were elected in 2022. 

This annual meeting also marked the second for trustee John Connolly (Peterborough), appointed to the Board in September 2023.

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St. Joseph Catholic Elementary School Unveils New Accessible Playground

It’s been a long time coming for everyone at St. Joseph Catholic Elementary School in Douro but they finally have a new accessible playground to play, announced on Thursday.

Photo courtesy of PVNCCDSB.

Construction began in the late summer for the playground. It was made possible after years of fundraising, securing grants and community support to secure its costs for $154,000, according to Sarah Bass, St. Joesph’s School Council parent and member.

“In 2021, after our existing structures started having age-related safety concerns, the children at the school implored the staff at the school and their parents to look at options for replacement,” she said. “Our parents, local businesses and people who call Douro home, raised funds through a community yard sale, sponsorships, Fresh from Farm, quilt raffles and Christmas craft sales.”

There was $8,000 raised from a community yard sale as well as sponsorships from local businesses. The project also received a federal grant for enabling accessibility totaling $70,000 and $10,000 from the AgriSpirit Fund.

“The excitement was palpable when construction began in August, and the joy is still on full display at recess and beyond. Thank you to everyone who supported this project,” said Bass.

The playground can be enjoyed year round.

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New Students With 95 Per Cent Average Can Earn Trent University Full Tuition Scholarship

Trent University has introduced full-tuition scholarships for new domestic students entering with an average of 95 percent or higher for their first year, announced on Thursday.

File Photo.

“Rewarding academic excellence of our students is a top priority at Trent,” said Dr. Cathy Bruce, Trent president and vice-chancellor. “When students work hard and demonstrate a strong commitment to their studies, we must recognize and nurture that dedication, especially in a way that has meaningful material benefit to their life on campus and their life outside of academics. By increasing renewable entrance scholarships, we hope to inspire our students toward even greater achievements here at Trent and beyond.”

Trent also offers increased and renewable scholarships of up to $30,000 over four years to recognize top scholars' academic and community achievements.

The scholarship is renewable up to $4,000 yearly at Trent, with a maximum potential of over $18,000. Trent also increased guaranteed and automatic entrance scholarships for students entering with 80 per cent or above with renewable scholarships that can total between $6,000 to $12,000 over four years.

The University has also boosted its prestigious scholarships: 15 annual awards with potential funding up to $30,000 over four years. One application can permit students to be considered for all major awards including the Champlain Scholarship, Board of Governors Scholarship, Special Admissions Scholarships, Canada Wide Science Fair Scholarship and the Michael Treadwell Scholarship.

Trent University has also increased scholarship support for international students, introducing renewable entrance scholarships for top international scholars. International students also have access to International Prestigious Scholarships, nine awards recognizing students for academic excellence, community service, leadership, and many other qualities and some valued up to $136,000 over four years.

“We are thrilled to be able to support our international students who travel far from home and benefit greatly from a range of supports and services,” said Glennice Burns, associate vice president of Trent International. “Enhancing our international entrance scholarships will help ease the transition to university life in Canada and support students as they excel in their studies here.”

For both domestic and international students at Trent, no application is required for Trent's entrance scholarships. Scholars with an average of 80 per cent or higher automatically receive an entrance scholarship and are automatically considered for renewable scholarships as they complete their studies.

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CUPE and Trent University Reach Tentative Agreement

CUPE Local 3908 Unit 2 and Trent University reached a tentative settlement on a new Collective Agreement, pending ratification, effective Sept. 1.

CUPE represents over 550 part-time academic workers registered undergraduate and graduate students at Trent University. File Photo.

Both teams have agreed to recommend the tentative settlement to their respective parties. CUPE will provide details regarding a meeting for members to ratify the agreement. The settlement is also subject to ratification by the University’s Board of Governors.

Details of the tentative agreement will be released through a joint communique after ratification.

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Seven Community Garden Boxes Rebuilt For Prince Of Wales Public School Through Partnership With BWXT

To help students continue their hands-on learning experience of gardening and sustainability, seven new community garden boxes have been installed by BWXT volunteers for Prince of Wales Public School through a community initiative project on Wednesday morning.

All photos by David Tuan Bui.

BWXT purchased the materials and assembled the boxes, They were brought over by hand to be installed by BWXT volunteers.

“We've been looking to revitalize our gardens through the parent council school community and that was a perfect start,” said Brad Conlin, Price of Wales vice-principal. “The original boxes were constructed by GE Peterborough so it was a great connection to bring that back together as our new opportunity.”

GE Peterborough made the original boxes and have been in place since 2014. They typically hold flowers and plants and plan to add vegetables soon. According to Conlin, the gardens allow the students to learn about gardening, sustainability, and teamwork as they are responsible for their maintenance.

“We have a garden club within the school so they work to learn about new plant species and learn how to have sustainable gardening,” explained Conlin. “We do have classes come out, often in the spring, to learn about how to start planting right from seed and gives them the opportunity to do that right on site and see the progress that's made here.”

The gardens also help revitalize the school so students can be educated in a pleasant atmosphere and take pride in their institution, said Conlin.

“What we like about it too is that it's showcasing the beauty of our awesome school and having pride in it in making it so nice out here,” he explained. “They like to have that experience to be out here doing that.”

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Arts Advocate Made Honorary Fellow of Traill College

David Goyette was made an Honorary Fellow of Catharine Parr Traill College at a ceremony at Trent University's downtown Peterborough campus.

One of the founding colleges of Trent University, Traill College is celebrating its 60th anniversary this year. Photo courtesy of Victoria Pearce.

Traill Principal Dr. Michael Eamon inducted Goyette as part of the annual Traill College Scarf Ceremony and was the only person to be inducted this year. An Honorary Fellow carries the status of College faculty and is recognized for exemplary service to the College or the community.

Goyette was recognized for his community service and long-standing support for the arts. In 2021, he was inducted into the Peterborough and District Pathway of Fame and named a Paul Harris Fellow by Rotary International in 2023.

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