Red River College continues to expand the scope of its international reach, through recently-signed partnership agreements with a trio of post-secondary institutions in China.

In September 2012, RRC President Stephanie Forsyth took part in a Canada Trade Mission with the Province of Manitoba and other Premiers and delegates from across the country. During the trip, she took time to further relationships with existing partner schools, and to sign new Memorandums of Understanding (MOUs) with three new institutions — Xi’an University, Bangde College, and Shanghai Medical Instrumentation College (shown above).

The MOUs outline the College’s intent to work towards the development of program partnerships and students and staff exchanges.

“As more interest in the College is generated through our international endeavors, the work of the International Project Team gains in importance,” says Forsyth. “This Team will ensure we have the necessary supports and infrastructure in place to receive students and faculty from other countries, as well as open the door for increased opportunities for RRC students and staff.”

Red River College’s winning streak continued at the North American Occupational Safety and Health (NAOSH) Awards this month, where its safety and prevention efforts won Best Overall honours at both the national and provincial level.

The national award was handed out on Sept. 11, 2012, at the annual Canadian Society of Safety Engineering (CSSE) Conference in Niagara Falls, Ont. The provincial award was received on Sept. 17, at the Workers Compensation Board in Winnipeg.

“NAOSH Week provides us with a valuable opportunity to celebrate our ongoing commitment to maintaining and improving a safe and healthy workplace,” said Daryl Nielsen (above, right), Manager, Environmental Health and Safety Services at RRC. “Our safety culture is promoted through senior management commitment, strong safety leadership and effective engagement with our employees, with a goal to instill the same commitment in our students to carry high standards and values into other workplaces.”

This marks the second year in a row RRC has won a double-dose of honours, having picked up a national award in 2011 for “Best Representation of a Theme,” and a provincial nod in the “Most Innovative” category.

Plans are already underway for next year’s NAOSH Week, which will be celebrated across Canada May 5-11, 2013. Next year’s theme is “Safety & Health: A Commitment for Life! Are You As Safe As You Think?”

RRC’s Joint Workplace Safety and Health Committee, NAOSH Planning Committee and Environmental Health and Safety Services department wish to thank everyone who participated in NAOSH Week events, and who continue to demonstrate their commitment to safety in the workplace and at home.

Click here for more information about this year’s awards, and here for more information about NAOSH Week.

Members of RRC’s Plane Pull 2011 team.

Red River College is proud to play host to United Way Winnipeg’s ninth annual Plane Pull.

The event, taking place Friday, Sept. 21, at RRC’s Stevenson Campus, will draw more than 40 workplace teams, whose members will attempt to pull either a 191,000-lb Boeing 727 or a 90,000-lb DC-10. Red River College will have teams competing in the Plane Pull, so feel free to show your support!

The competition gets underway at 11a.m., following the announcement of this year’s fundraising goal by United Way Campaign Chair Doug Finkbeiner.

Click here for more information on Plane Pull 2012.

Red River College’s Student Services department will host an informational fair in the library hallway (mall level) of the Notre Dame Campus on Wednesday, Sept. 26, from 11:00 am to 1:00 pm.

Students are encouraged to come by to learn more about the services and supports available to them. They can also enter their names in draws for great prizes — just for stopping by the tables.

Representatives will be on hand from RRC’s Academic Success Centre, Student Employment Services, Counselling & Accessibility Services, Academic Advising, Recreation Services, Health Services, International Education, Indigenous Education, Diversity & Immigrant Student Support Services, and the Red River College Students’ Association.

Join us at the Exchange District Campus next Thursday, Sept. 6, as we celebrate the launch of Changing People’s Lives: An Illustrated History of Red River College.

Written by former RRC Dean Dave Williamson, Changing People’s Lives traces the College’s development from a small industrial training centre in the 1930s to one of Canada’s leading institutes of applied learning.

Along the way, Williamson (shown in grey, with RRC Board member Don Robertson) shares stories and photos of the many important people and projects that have driven the College’s growth.

Changing People’s Lives is available now for $34.95 from RRC’s Bookstores, at both the Notre Dame and Exchange District Campuses.

Date: Thu., Sept. 6, 2012
Time: 6pm – 7:30pm
Location: Roblin Centre Atrium, 160 Princess Street

Join the event page on Facebook.

Red River College is pleased to announce that Kim Jasper has been appointed as its new Chief Development Officer. In this position, she will manage our development and alumni relations staff, direct capital campaigns for projects like the new Skilled Trades and Technology Centre, and lead the creation of a comprehensive fund development plan.

A 1979 graduate of RRC’s Creative Communications program, Kim has extensive experience in the communications and marketing field, working with organizations like Friends of the Canadian Museum for Human Rights, United Way of Winnipeg, Workers Compensation Board of Manitoba, Teachers Retirement Fund of Manitoba, and Boeing Canada Technology. Most recently she has been the Director of Brand and Business Development for the Canadian Museum for Human Rights, responsible for visitor services, earned revenue, special events and brand development.

Kim was instrumental in the development of the University of Winnipeg’s continuing education communications program and taught strategic planning and communications writing for the program for several years. She is currently a board member for Manitoba Film and Music and is Past-President of Skills Canada Manitoba. She was the Marketing Chair for Manitoba Homecoming 2010 and a member of the Task Force for the Human Rights City initiative of the University of Winnipeg’s Global College. In 2008, she was named (together with Gail Asper) Communicator of the Year for the Canadian Public Relations Society of Manitoba.

Kim will begin her new position on July 2nd, and will be located at the Notre Dame Campus.

Red River College’s Aboriginal Student Support & Community Relations department will host an event to connect Aboriginal LGBTT* people and RRC in a meaningful way that honours the voices of Indian Residential School Survivors.

On Thursday, May 17, 2012, the department will partner with Two Spirited People of Manitoba Inc., and the organizers of RRC’s LGBTT* Initiative, to host “Gakina Awiiyaa — We Are All Related,” an event celebrating both communities’ participation in post-secondary education.

The event will feature presentations by Kelly Houle, a two-spirited residential school survivor, and the University of Saskatchewan’s Dr. Alexandria Wilson, a member of the Opaskwayak First Nation who will speak about the effect of residential schools on Aboriginal gender identity, as well as the repercussions on education, communities and ceremony.

Held to coincide with the International Day Against Homophobia, the event stems from earlier presentations organized by Aboriginal Student Support & Community Relations for RRC students and staff, exploring the impact of Western viewpoints on Aboriginal gender identities, as well as an overview of pre-colonial roles of Two-Spirit (LGBTT*) people.

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Wayne Doerksen, Business Development Manager; Brennan Taniguchi, Logistics Manager; and Chris Boreski, Operations Manager at World Wise Distribution.

A trio of Red River College grads have teamed up to launch a new company that could soon become the leading distributor of specialty foods in Central Canada.

Chris Boreski (Business Administration, 2004), Wayne Doerksen (Red Seal Chef, 2001), and Brennan Taniguchi (Business Administration, 2010) are the driving forces behind World Wise Distribution, a new Winnipeg-based company that was launched to meet the growing demand among retailers and restaurants for natural, organic, gluten-free, kosher, vegan, locally-grown and other specialty food products.

“It’s a great feeling to see the amazing reaction from our wholesale customers when they see our wide assortment of products,” says Boreski, operations manager at World Wise Distribution. “They know they can purchase them here — from a local company.”

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Microsoft Corporation has recognized a Red River College instructor for using technology to forge social and cultural connections between high school students in Winnipeg and their counterparts in northern Manitoba.

Teacher Education instructor Eva Brown (shown) served as head of the Technology department for the River East Transcona School Division, for whom she developed a collaborative, cross-cultural exchange between Grade 12 students from River East Collegiate and Grade 11 students from Charles Sinclair School on the Fisher River Cree Nation.

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It’s one of the largest industrial training facilities in Manitoba, and it’s also now officially one of the province’s most environmentally-friendly buildings.

Red River College is happy to announce its Heavy Equipment Transportation Centre (HETC) has become one of the first education centres in Manitoba to receive LEED® certification from the Canada Green Building Council (CaGBC).

Located on the College’s Notre Dame Campus, this 60,000 square foot complex combines academic and industrial functions, with nine classrooms available for theoretical instruction, and a large shop area that replicates a typical work environment in the transportation and trucking industry.

“HETC is a model for development of new learning facilities, “,” said Stephanie Forsyth, President of RRC. “It provides us with modern, flexible space for training programs and applied research, while simultaneously minimizing our impact on the environment.” Read More →