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On Feb. 22^nd and Feb. 23^rd, Red River College will open its doors to prospective students from throughout the province, as part of annual Open House events aimed at showcasing the best the College has to offer.

From noon – 3 p.m., and 5 p.m. – 8 p.m. on Feb. 22^nd, and again from 9 a.m. – 2 p.m. on Feb. 23^rd, attendees will have the chance to learn about the wide variety of programs and services available at RRC, by touring our Winnipeg campuses, speaking with staff and instructors, and taking part in information sessions and other interactive events.

“There really is something for everyone at Open House,” says Student Recruitment Officer Jennifer Powell of the event. “Visitors will learn that an education at Red River College is an excellent way to launch their career, whether they are students coming directly out of high school, or those wishing to further their careers or change direction.”

The Open House is aimed not just at potential students, but also parents, teachers and guidance counselors, all of whom are invited to seek the resources they need to assist in making decisions about post-secondary and career paths.

“Making the decision of where to go to school is sometimes tough,” explains Student Recruitment Officer Clint Thiessen. “I feel that one of the best ways to find out if Red River College is the place for you is to attend Open House and meet with an academic advisor, or take a personalized campus tour. Red River College staff are here to help you with you transition into college, and then into the workforce.”

At RRC’s Notre Dame campus, attendees can head to the North Gym to peruse displays and kiosks representing more than 110 full- and part-time programs. Scheduled tours of the Notre Dame, Exchange District and Stevenson Campuses will also take place throughout the duration of the event, with complimentary shuttle services available to transport students from campus to campus.

For more information, visit www.rrc.ca/openhouse.

Centre, foreground: Neil Cooke, Chair of Transportation, Math & Science at RRC; and Joyce Sobering, Vice-President, Sobering Automotive Centre Ltd., with the team that assembled the 1965 Cobra.

Students from Red River College's Automotive Department have found a new way to re-invest in the community, by using their skills to raise money for a local philanthropic group's scholarship fund.

Over the last year and a half, a team of students and instructors from RRC's Automotive program used their combined mechanical know-how to assemble a 1965 Cobra AC Replica Kit Car, which was supplied by the Red River Exhibition Foundation (the philanthropic arm of the Red River Exhibition Association).

The Foundation, in turn, was able to raffle off the car, putting the more than $40,000 in proceeds towards a scholarship program that helps individuals complete their post-secondary educations. Scholarship funds are used to support five industry sectors: Aerospace, Agriculture & Agri-Food, Automotive, Business, and Tourism.

On Tue., Dec. 14th, 2010, staff and students at the College were joined by Joyce Sobering of Sobering Automotive Centre Ltd., one of the Foundation's founders. Sobering said the Cobra project had a number of objectives: To showcase the skills and achievements of RRC students and instructors, to serve as a recruitment strategy for the automotive industry, and to raise funds to support all five of the Foundation's industry sectors.

"I think both the instructors and the students did a phenomenal job," said Sobering. "I was very impressed, not only with the finished product, but also with the time they committed to the project, and with their enthusiasm and skills."

Click here for more information about the Red River Exhibition Foundation.

Instructor Bob Chamberlain (left), accepts the School of C+DE's first-ever Teaching Excellence Award, as Raeann Thibeault, Dean of the School of C+DE, looks on.

Red River College shone a spotlight on some of its most important contributors last week, during the School of Continuing + Distance Education’s annual Instructor Appreciation Reception.

The event, which drew close to 200 attendees, gave staff members at the College a chance to pay tribute to C+DE’s pool of instructors, many of whom balance their teaching responsibilities with real-world industry jobs during the day.

“Tonight is our opportunity to say thank-you and to show appreciation for everything that our instructors do throughout the year,” said Raeann Thibeault, Dean of the School of C+DE.

“You help our students achieve their goals, and you help our students to be successful.”

Thibeault was joined at the speaker’s podium by David Leis, Vice-President of Business Development at RRC, and Stephanie Forsyth, the College’s President and CEO. Both spoke of the significant impacts that RRC instructors have on the lives of their students.

“This side of the College is so filled with that entrepreneurial spirit of creativity and integrity that is so great to be around,” said Forsyth.

“It’s like there’s this secret side of the College — a shadow side of the College — that comes alive at nights and on weekends. You’re really making a difference — both to students, and to industry here in Manitoba.”

As part of the reception, organizers paid tribute to instructors marking their 10^th, 20^th and 25^th year of service with the College. They also honoured longtime instructor Bob Chamberlain — described by students as a “toasted marshmallow” (crusty on the outside, but soft and warm on the inside!) — with the first-ever Teaching Excellence Award.

Those recognized at the event included: Clara Baricz, Carlos Clark, Arnold Evans, Sandie Foster, James Hayes, Nancy Hughes, Suzanne Kelly, Phillip Klassen, Harold Klause, Daniel Larson, Dennis Mitchell and Bradley Schellenberg (10 years); Wayne Bemister, Leon Wartzaba and David A. Bibby (20 years); and Otto Gebhardt and Maureen Olafson (25 years).

Click here for more information about the School of Continuing + Distance Education.

Stephanie Forsyth (left), RRC's President and CEO, with Jhon Pinto (centre), a Civil Engineering student from Colombia.

Red River College's 6th Annual Welcome Party for Immigrant and International Students, held Fri., Nov. 26th at the Notre Dame Campus, was an entertaining — and welcoming — event that drew over 380 student, staff and family members.

The party featured Bhangra dances by Sher-E-Punjab; French Canadian folklore courtesy of Ça Claque, African rhythms from the Casimiro Nhusi Band; and the Latin American energy of Cubanisimo and Papa Mambo.  Children in attendance also enjoyed caricatures, face painting and amazing balloon shapes.

Greetings were offered by a number of individuals — among them, Stephanie Forsyth, RRC's President and CEO; Nadia Mahmood, Acting Manager for Diversity and Immigrant Student Support; Levinia Brown, Elder; Stevenson Alloso, Director of International Education; and Danielle Funk, President of RRC's Students’ Association — all of whom touched on the importance of welcoming immigrant and international students to the College.

“Manitoba welcomed more immigrants last year than at any time in its recorded history — 13,520 people from around the world decided to make this province their new home," Forsyth said in her address. "As immigration to Manitoba increases each year, Red River College has seen significant growth in the number of immigrant and international students on our campuses. We've responded to that demand with more programs and services catered to you, and I'm proud to say that we are a leader in Canada when it comes to innovative ways to support immigrant and international students.

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Here's the full version of the Q+A with Red River College's new President and CEO Stephanie Forsyth that was excerpted in the most recent issue of RED magazine.

1. What led you to a career in post-secondary education?

Prior to my first job in PSE, I was working in the hospitality industry and it was a challenge to get highly qualified people. Selkirk College approached me to develop and initiate programs for the hospitality sector. Over the next several years I worked both within the college sector and in the hospitality industry. I became engaged in assisting the more marginalized to obtain an education and employment and realized the power of education to transform lives. It has been inspiring and deeply gratifying. There was a time I would have never imagined I would be in education; now I’m completely devoted to this work.

2. What drew you to Red River College?

It’s perhaps the only college in Canada that could lure me out of B.C. It’s located in a “big small town,” it has an excellent reputation and its values and strategic directions fit with my interests and background, such as: working closely with communities, industry and the province in social and economic development; seeking to enhance access and success of Aboriginal learners and the chronically underemployed; leading in applied research and innovation; aspiring to be a green college; and the list goes on!

Additionally, I was very interested in learning about the lifestyle and culture of prairie Canada. So far, my impression is that Winnipeg is a great place to live that’s greatly misunderstood by the rest of Canada. It’s an accessible, affordable city with a lot to offer! I’m very impressed with the arts and culture, the amenities, and the warm and welcoming spirit of so many people, from shopkeepers to college staff.

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Several decades’ worth of accolades and achievements were celebrated in style last week, as former students and current faculty — along with a host of community partners — gathered at Red River College’s 2010 Alumni Dinner.

The event — held Friday, Nov. 19th at The Fairmont Winnipeg — gave those in attendance a chance to pay tribute to their peers, among them entrepreneur John Gale, the recipient of this year’s Distinguished Alumnus Award.

Gale, a 1980 graduate of RRC's Mechanical Engineering Technology program, was one of the driving forces behind the creation of a diamond drill bit that revolutionized the drilling industry in the mid-1980s. He’s currently overseeing a development plan that aims to turn the city of Kenora into a world-class business and tourist destination.

“It was definitely the most successful alumni dinner to date,” says Dale Oughton, RRC’s Alumni Coordinator, of the event, which drew more than 400 attendees.

“John Gale had the entire room in stitches, He was absolutely priceless, and very eloquent.”

As always, the event helped RRC raise awareness of its Alumni Program, the purpose of which — as Oughton explains — is to maintain relationships between the College and the graduates, while celebrating the achievements of alumni.

Emceed by Creative Communications instructor Steve Vogelsang, the event also featured tributes to RRC students Nikki Brown and Andre-John Camara, winners of this year’s Alumni Spirit Awards.

Money raised by the event will be used to support RRC’s Alumni Scholarships. A portion of the funds raised will also go towards the Paterson GlobalFoods Institute, the rooftop deck of which will be reserved for Alumni Association functions.

From left: Mario de Negri, Al Richards and Ryan Ratushniak, winners of RRC's inaugural Chili Cup.

Staff and faculty at Red River College found a novel way to beat the winter blues last week, by engaging in some five-alarm fun at the College's first-ever Chili Cup.

The cook-off, held Nov. 16th at RRC's Notre Dame Campus, saw 13 teams putting their culinary skills to the test. Upwards of 150 students and staff members took part in the "tasting" component of the event, which helped to raise nearly $400 for RRC's Students' Association Food Bank.

The event boasted two award categories: the President's Choice Award (determined by Stephanie Forsyth, Cathy Rushton and John Reimers), and the Chili Cup Award (determined by the tasters).

The competition was close, but in the end, the following teams emerged victorious:

Chili Cup (First Place): Rebels Burning Fire Chili — Ryan Ratushniak, Mario de Negri, Al Richards and Dan Gilbert. The Rebels' chili wowed the tasters with its unique flavour and surprising undercurrent of cinnamon. It'll be served up in the voyageur Dining Room on Thu., Nov. 25th — aka "A Chili Day in November."

Chili Cup (Second Place): Tammy's Revenge — Tammy Kowerko

Chili Cup (Third Place): Piementas de Chili Caliente — Garry Giesbrecht

President's Choice: 33 Miners Trapped in Chili — Colin Fast

Congratulations also go out to staff and students at RRC's Winkler Campus, who also participated in the event. With six entries, the Winkler competition was similarly fierce, but the aptly named El Scorcho dish (courtesy of Shane Dubyk) eventually took the top prize.

A member of the Red River College Rebels was named Male Athlete of the Week by the Manitoba Colleges Athletic Conference (MCAC) on Nov. 16, 2010.

Mike Kozoway, a starter on the Rebels mens' volleyball team, was honoured for his excellent play. In a recent match against Assiniboine Community College, Kozoway had seven kills on 12 attempts, with only one attack error for a 58% kill percentage and a 50% attack efficiency. He also had a team-high five blocks.

The Rebels will battle to retain first place in the MCAC with two matches against a fellow undefeated squad, the 3-0 Canadian Mennonite University Blazers, on Fri., Nov. 19 at 8 p.m., and Sat., Nov. 20 at 3:30 p.m. Both matches will take place at RRC's Notre Dame Campus.

For more info, please click here.