Issue link: http://georgiancollege.uberflip.com/i/445832
Dr. MaryLynn West-Moynes, President and CEO At Georgian College, we know the success of our students rests with our ability to provide timely and relevant programs that meet the needs of employers today and anticipate the jobs of tomorrow. It's why we have renewed our commitment to entrepreneurship and innovation. Our goal is to produce a new kind of graduate – one who is not just a job seeker, but also a job creator. Findings from a survey conducted by Pollara in July for the Bank of Montreal reveal that 46 per cent of postsecondary students see themselves starting a business after graduation. For inspiration, these students need only look to Georgian alumni who are unleashing their entrepreneurial spirit across our province and country. Ten of them are featured in this issue of our magazine. They are making their mark as successful business owners, intrapreneurial thinkers and social entrepreneurs. Entrepreneurship is one key element of Georgian's five-year strategic plan which we recently had the opportunity to refresh. Focus 2015 builds on and strengthens the college's commitments. Four priorities are currently guiding our work: pathways, extraordinary experiences, community connections and operational excellence. We are continuing to advance student access and increase postsecondary participation rates in our region by expanding pathways through our University Partnership Centre – the only one of its kind in Canada. We are also growing our own degree offerings, championing service and work-integrated learning, and leveraging technology across our seven campus locations. You can learn more about the centre in this special double cover edition of GeorgianView. Strong community, industry and international partnerships remain an integral part of the plan. We are fortunate to have tremendous support from our partners, many of whom you will read about on the following pages. Their support helps to ensure we deliver academic and training excellence while meeting the needs of the economy, students, graduates and employers. In fact, you'll hear more about several transformative projects underway this year as we begin the next phase of our Power of Education fundraising campaign and work toward significantly enhancing the Georgian student experience. I invite you to review Focus 2015 at georgiancollege.ca/president. We are confident it will help us continue to inspire, transform and connect the communities Georgian serves. Wishing you an enjoyable and successful year. FROM THE PRESIDENT AND CEO FROM THE AluMNI ASSOCIATION ExECuTIvE COuNCIl This past year, the Alumni Association introduced its first Executive Council (AAEC). These dedicated volunteers are using their student and professional experience to support the growth and evolution of Georgian College. Georgian holds a special place in each of their hearts. Some of them have shared their favourite Georgian memories. vIEw vIEw Owein Chivers – Business Administration – Marketing, 2012 "Getting involved by volunteering and working for the campus restaurant and pub." Jeremy Wyant – Business Administration – Automotive Marketing, 2008; Bachelor of Applied Business – Automotive Management, 2009 "I was fortunate enough to receive 22 awards and scholarships throughout my four years at Georgian which allowed me to focus my time on academics and getting involved in the school community." ShAun MCCrACken – Business Administration – Professional Golf Management, 2010 "Move in day at the residence. I was fortunate to be there for six of them. It was so amazing to see how excited everyone was." JenniFer ShereMetO – research Analyst, 1995; teaching and training Adults, 2004 "Spending time with my peers at the old TLC in the lower level of E building. Also, I enjoyed the Research Analyst program for it felt like a second family." AJ kirkPAtriCk – SAC representative Child and Youth Worker, 2014 "Working on SAC. I love connecting with students. I'm a fixer and I love when people come to me with problems to solve." Jake Vella – human resources Management, 2005 "When we celebrated the 10th anniversary of the Human Resources Management program. I have made and maintained many relationships through this program, and to catch up with a lot of these people during this exciting evening is something that I will always remember." StePhen rOth – electronic technician, 1978 "Graduation day back in 1978, going on stage to receive my diploma and realizing that I finally achieved my initial postsecondary goals and objectives which resulted in starting a career at Bell Canada." Go to the inspirational alumni tab at georgiancollege.ca/alumni to hear why nursing grads Dianne Martin, AAeC Chair, and Lisa McCarthy-tamblyn, AAeC member, believe Georgian helped shape their careers and lives. GeorgianView 2013/14 | 3