RRC instructor David Blicq (Chemical and Biosciences Technology) talks to students at this year’s Open House event.

Congratulations to the RRC students, staff and instructors recognized by our Open House Secret Shoppers, who went “undercover” at this year’s event in search of examples of exceptional service.

The Secret Shoppers had their eyes peeled for staff and volunteers who went above and beyond in their interactions with Open House visitors, whether by presenting themselves (or their respective programs/departments) in an engaging, approachable manner, or by making efforts to take their tours and conversations to the next level.

Those singled out received complimentary RED Cards; a full list of winners is below. Read More →

From left: AWMAC President Curtis Popel, RRC apprentice Leonard Derksen, and RRC instructor Todd Birtwhistle, at last year’s National Apprenticeship Contest.

Best of luck to the RRC students taking part in this weekend’s Architectural Woodwork Manufacturers Association of Canada (AWMAC) Cabinetmaking Apprenticeship competition.

The nine-hour event will unfold at RRC’s Notre Dame Campus this Saturday, during which time eight apprentices will compete for the top spot, and for prizes supplied by AWMAC and RRC’s Cabinetmaking Apprenticeship Fund.

The winner will advance to the nationals, where his or her project will be judged against winning projects from throughout Canada.

Last year’s provincial winner, Leonard Derksen (shown above), went on to take top honours at the National Apprenticeship Contest. The following RRC apprentices are competing in this year’s provincial round:

• Mike Baker
• Alicia Demare
• Travis Devisser
• Marcus Dyck
• Derek Friesen
• Adam Hajkowski
• Marc Lindenberg
• Julia Smith Read More →

Do you love sandwiches? (Of course you do. It was a rhetorical question.)

Kids from all over Winnipeg have been busy creating their most outrageous, nutritious and delicious sandwiches, as part of The Winnipeg Foundation’s inaugural Recipe for Success Video Cooking Contest.

Now it’s your turn to help decide the winner of the People’s Choice Award, by voting for one of 56 submitted video entries — in which groups of elementary school students assemble everything from healthy-sounding options (the Power Protein Pita, the Hummus and Veggie-Packed Panini) to surefire crowd-pleasers like the Jets Bagel, the Waffle Supreme, and the Chuck Norris Sandwich. (And yes, we assume that last one eats you.)

In addition to the People’s Choice winner, an overall winner and runner-up team will be decided by a panel of celebrity judges, among them Keith Müller, Dean of RRC’s School of Hospitality and Culinary Arts.

Prizes for the winning teams include three $500 grants to support healthy food initiatives at schools and community organizations, and five Junior Master Chef Culinary Adventures at RRC. The winning sandwich will also be featured on the menu at RRC’s Culinary Exchange.

Voting is open until March 28. For complete details or to cast your vote, visit wpgfdn.org/recipe-for-success.

Join us at the 2014 Rotary Career Symposium, taking place Tuesday, March 18 and Wednesday, March 19 at the RBC Convention Centre Winnipeg.

Explore the hundreds of full- and part-time degree, diploma and certificate programs available at RRC. Instructors and academic advisors will be on hand to answer questions and provide insight on the many career and educational options awaiting RRC students.

Billed as the largest and most comprehensive career symposium in Canada, the Rotary event runs 9am-3pm and 6-9pm on Tuesday, and 9am-3pm on Wednesday.

This year’s theme is “Your Future Trending”; click here for more information, including exhibitor and speaker lists, and registration forms.

Red River College student Andrew McLean, a former soldier with a long history of philanthropy, will be honoured this month by Macdonald Youth Services for his commitment to making a difference in the lives of at-risk youth.

McLean, currently in his second year of RRC’s Disability and Community Support program, will be honoured with MYS’s prestigious Sir Hugh John Macdonald Memorial Award, which recognizes those who demonstrate values of respect and fairness towards youth, and practical assistance in helping them develop life skills for a better tomorrow.

In addition to fundraising for such charities as Children’s Hospital and The Terry Fox Foundation over the years, McLean is also the co-founder of Soldier On, a program that employs sports and athletic therapy to help rehabilitate Canadian soldiers suffering from physical and psychological injuries.

A former warrant officer who retired from the Canadian Forces after 22 years of service, McLean recently donated $25,000 of his own money to start the Canadian Torch Foundation, which provides annual scholarships and awards to students with physical or developmental disabilities across Canada.

McLean is well-known to MYS — for years, he’s been donating new winter clothing and backpacks filled with gifts for those staying at the organizations Youth Resource Centre/Shelter.

He’ll be honoured at MYS’s annual Spring Fling, taking place Thursday, March 20 at Paterson GlobalFoods Institute. The event raises money for MYS’s Education Trust Fund; tickets are $100 per person.

Visit the MYS website for more information, or to purchase a ticket or make a donation.

Red River College’s (RRC) 2014 winter convocation saw 107 students graduate from the inaugural Bachelor of Nursing (BN) degree program.

“Red River College is proud to offer this degree program, designed by us for the benefit of Manitoba students and the provincial health care system,” said Stephanie Forsyth, RRC’s President & CEO.

“I congratulate the staff in RRC’s Nursing Department and the leadership of Dean Louise Gordon and Program Chair Karen Wall for developing and implementing this innovative program.”

RRC first launched its Bachelor of Nursing program in 2010, in order to provide an accelerated alternative to the four-year programs offered at universities. RRC’s first class of graduates completed their studies in August 2013, and crossed the stage during winter convocation ceremonies held Tuesday, February 4, 2014.

Read More →

Festival du Voyageur celebrates the history and culture of our Franco-Manitoban community with an amazing two weeks of great food and some of the best music you can find. It’s a party you don’t want to miss, and this year RRC is getting into the Festival du Voyageur spirit!

Head down to the Voyageur Dining Room at lunch and make sure you’re hungry!

We’re featuring special Franco-Manitoban lunch items in the Voyageur Dining Room all week long. Everything from sugar pie to tourtière to pea soup will be offered, so come hungry. There might even be some live entertainment!

Show your Festival du Voyageur spirit to win free passes!

Wear red or get creative to show off your Festival du Voyageur spirit in the Voyageur Dining Room and you might be lucky enough to win a couple of passes to the event.

Make sure to follow RRC on Twitter for more updates.

Find out more about the Festival du Voyageur →

Tell us what you love about Red River College and you could win a $50 gift card for Jane’s and delicious handmade chocolates from RRC’s Culinary Arts students!

How to Play

Participating in this month’s Valentine’s Day contest is easy! All it requires is some creativity, a camera or smartphone, and a Twitter or Instagram account.

1. Follow RRC on Instagram (@RedRiverCollege) or on Twitter (@RRC).
2. Take a picture showing us what you love about RRC! Use your imagination, it can be anything.
3. Post it to your Instagram or Twitter account making sure you use the hashtag #iloveRRC and @redrivercollege (if you’re using Instagram) or @RRC (if you’re posting on Twitter).

So, how do you win?

The contest starts today and all posts need to be made before the end of the day on February 13, 2014. We’ll make the draw at noon on February 14 and announce the winner on Twitter and Instagram.

The contest is open to all staff, students and RRC alumni.

Good luck!

RRC grad Sandra Sukhan, who currently serves as a curriculum consultant and teacher-educator for the College, will be on campus this week reading from a newly-released book about her childhood experiences in Guyana, and her sometimes difficult transition to life in Canada in the 1970s.

In Search of the Blue Lotus tells Sukhan’s story of growing up in Guyana during the 1960s, a time of political upheaval and racial unrest resulting from British efforts to colonize the nation. It also documents her arrival in Canada in 1970, following her move here at the age of 16 for an arranged marriage.

From the official bio: “Through a first-person reflective narrative, Sandra takes you on her very personal journey of her arrival in Canada to complete high school, her work as a hairstylist, her efforts to challenge systemic injustices of schools, and in later years during her academic studies toward a doctoral degree, her growing awareness of some of the issues of her youth that affected and impacted her life.”

A professional hairstylist with a doctorate in Environmental Studies, Sukhan is also a graduate of RRC’s Teacher Education program. Her story will be of interest to anyone working in the field of technical and/or vocational education.

RRC’s Library is proud to host two readings from the book, both of which will include conversation and refreshments:

• Wednesday, Jan. 29: Notre Dame Campus Library 3-4pm
• Thursday, Jan. 30: Exchange District Campus Library, 3-4pm

Click here for more information on In Search of the Blue Lotus, and here to register for one of the readings.

Research shows the best way to convince kids to eat healthy food is by getting them involved in its preparation. That’s why Red River College is proud to support The Winnipeg Foundation’s Recipe for Success Video Cooking Contest, which aims to nourish the potential of Winnipeg kids by getting them talking about, preparing and eating healthy sandwiches.

The contest encourages kids in Grades 4-6 to create their most outrageous, nutritious and delicious sandwich and share it in a video entry to win.

Up for grabs is one of three $500 grants to support healthy food at a school or community organization, plus one of five Junior Master Chef Culinary Adventures at RRC’s School of Hospitality and Culinary Arts. As well, the winning sandwich recipe will be featured at RRC’s Culinary Exchange.

Winning teams will be determined by a panel of judges, including Keith Muller, dean of RRC’s School of Hospitality and Culinary Arts. (An additional People’s Choice winner will be determined by public votes.)

“We’re honoured to be partnering with The Winnipeg Foundation on such an important initiative,” says Müller. “It’s important to start talking about nutrition early but it’s also important to show kids how easy it is to make healthy choices using the right ingredients. I can’t wait to see what these students will come up with.”

Here’s how to enter the Recipe for Success Contest:

• Grab a group of two to four kids in Grades 4-6.
• Create the most outrageous, nutritious and delicious sandwich.
• Make a video – up to three minutes in length – demonstrating how to make the sandwich.
• Submit the video  by March 14, 2014.
• Visit wpgfdn.org/recipe-for-success for complete contest details. Read More →