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Student and faculty group is sponsoring a refugee student

A group of students and faculty at Algonquin College are helping to bring a student refugee here to the college, beginning in the fall term. Victoria Zaremba, 27, and Amy […]

Nathan Drescher

Photos: Nathan Drescher

April 19, 2022
Revised: January 30, 2024 3:37pm

Photo: Nathan Drescher

Amy Winterburn, right, and Victoria Zaremba, left, are students in the social service worker program and volunteers on the WUSC local committee.

A group of students and faculty at Algonquin College are helping to bring a student refugee here to the college, beginning in the fall term.

Victoria Zaremba, 27, and Amy Winterburn, 30, are students in the social service worker program. They also sit on the local committee of the World University Service of Canada, a Canada-wide organization that sponsors refugees to come and study at Canadian institutions.

“WUSC has been around since 1978, and there are over a hundred universities and colleges that work with WUSC to sponsor refugees,” said Zaremba. This year marks the first time Algonquin College has been part of the program, and the local committee is excited.

“Carleton started this in Ottawa in 1978, and then uOttawa really got a hold of it,” Winterburn said. “Now Algonquin would like to put our hand in the basket. It’s our first time, from the ground up, doing this.”

The local committee is composed of students and faculty, although right now there are more faculty than students. “The committee formed in 2019, right before COVID hit,” Winterburn explained. “The faculty stepped up and did a good job keeping it alive for two years, and now we’d like to see more students get involved.”

Winterburn explained how a dozen faculty and staff from all around the college managed the committee for the past two years. Now they’re hoping students can take over.

It’s not easy to sponsor a refugee to Canada. When a private organization like WUSC undertakes sponsorship, they become legally responsible for the person’s health, well-being, housing, and financial stability. The federal government plays a minor role in the life of a sponsored refugee.

Julie Lafortune, a spokesperson for Sean Fraser, minister of immigration, refugees, and citizenship Canada, said the sponsoring agencies have an agreement with the government to support refugees from the moment they arrive in Canada.

“We recognize that governments have a core responsibility to refugees and that the right balance needs to be found between the use of Government resources and private sector resources,” Lafortune said. “Through the PSR [Private Sponsorship of Refugees] program, we are able to engage with citizens, civil society and service providers to ensure resettled refugees have social supports in place once they arrive in Canada.”

The person who will attend Algonquin College in the fall hasn’t been selected yet, although the list of candidates is down to four people. WUSC works with the United Nations Human Rights Commission to access refugee camps and other settlements where refugees are found around the world. Each candidate has to apply and include their personal story. WUSC sends those applications to the local committees, who then narrow down their selections to a few candidates.

Myriam Thanasse, a physics professor with the pre-health sciences program at Algonquin College, is the chair of the WUSC local committee. She said the local committee doesn’t have final say in who will attend. Instead, college admissions and WUSC will choose the final candidate, and then the local committee will take over when they arrive in Canada.

“This year, across the country, at about 110 institutions, they’re looking at welcoming about 130 students,” Thanasse said. “Then each local committee kind of picks up one or two of them.”

Sponsoring a refugee student isn’t cheap. The cost for one year can reach as high as $40,000. The local committee is responsible for this, and is looking at various fundraising options, including a $2 a year fee per student.

“To get the fee approved, we need to show the Students’ Association that students support the fee,” Zaremba, one of the students on the local committee, said in an email. “So we are collecting student emails, signatures and numbers.”

Ultimately, any request for a $2-a-year levy will need to be voted on in a college-wide referendum. Thanasse explained the committee is responsible for everything the sponsored refugee will need.

“We need to make sure everything is covered, be it health care, and glasses, or dental treatments, or any kind of other medical treatment that might come up in addition to the other costs,” she said. “There’s all sorts of things you have to prepare for.”

A referendum for the $2 levy has yet to be announced by the Students’ Association. Students interested in joining the WUSC local committee can contact Prof. Thanasse at thanasm@algonquincollege.com

Featured Story | News

Refugees | Studentsassociation

Nathan Drescher

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Learning how to grocery shop in Canada on a budget

Grocery shopping in Canada and preparing food on a budget as a newcomer can be tough at first. To help students navigate these challenges, the International Education Centre and Health […]

Lara Lopes Faceroli

Photos: Lara Lopes Faceroli

April 17, 2022
Revised: April 17, 2022 6:36pm

Photo: Lara Lopes Faceroli

Food for Thought webinar provides students with helpful information and resources on how to best grocery shop on a budget.

Grocery shopping in Canada and preparing food on a budget as a newcomer can be tough at first.

To help students navigate these challenges, the International Education Centre and Health Services created Food for Thought: Grocery Shopping and Eating Well in Canada.

The webinar provides students with information and resources which show where to find the best deals at grocery stores, cheap recipe ideas and how to maintain proper nutrition on a budget.

“The IEC started running this event last semester, as we recognize how challenging it is for newcomers to any country to figure out the tips, tricks and cultural nuances of grocery shopping on a budget,” said intercultural programming support officer, Kaitlyn Poisson.

“Understanding the basics of nutrition is essential in helping us make good choices at grocery stores and while preparing food,” said Poisson, who welcomed Caprise Perrineau, health promotion and education co-ordinator, to talk about the fundamentals of a balanced diet.

According to the webinar, the least expensive grocery stores in Canada are Walmart, No Frills, Food Basics and FreshCo. They offer great variety for the cheapest price. Some also have small sections of halal, kosher and vegan products.

Specialty stores, such as Dollarama and Bulk Barn, don’t offer as much variety as grocery stores, but they are cheaper.

“Sometimes you pay for convenience,” said Poisson.

If you have a bigger budget, stores such as Loblaws, Real Canadian Superstore, Metro and Independent offer good quality products and variety.

A good idea when shopping on a budget is to prepare meals for the week. Planning out your meals beforehand can save you money, because it makes you less likely to purchase things spontaneously. Make a list before going to the store and keep an eye on the best deals.

“I have started choosing protein based on what is on sale at the grocery store,” said Poisson. “If fish is on sale, I’ll buy it and put it in the meal. If chicken is on sale, I’ll buy that. If it’s a really good price, I buy a few and then I put them in the freezer.”

There are stores which offer pre-made meals, such as Farm Boy and Whole Foods, but they can be more expensive.

You can find coupons for grocery stores in the mail and in online apps such as Flipp, Save.ca, Swagbucks, Reebee, Caddle, Checkout 51, Flashfood and SaveaLoonie.

Stores also offer students a 10 per cent discount on certain days (usually on Tuesdays). Students may be required to show some form of school identification.

If you’re trying to eat healthier, always look at the nutrition facts in the products you buy. UnlockFood.Ca is a great resource when it comes to understanding food labels in Canada.

“When it comes to food, what is considered healthy or unhealthy is just a label that you’re putting on a food . . . ” said Perrineau. “Ensure that you’re getting enough food to eat, that you are satiated, so that your brain is functioning and you’re able to focus on your classes.”

For those struggling to get enough food, Poisson and Perrineau encourage students to reach out to them.

“We have a team here at Algonquin that will be able to support you,” said Perrineau.

Students are also welcomed to go to AC’s food cupboard. It was created by the Students’ Association in December 2014 to support students in need of food and necessities.

Life | News | People

Food

Lara Lopes Faceroli

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Student musicians do their own take on a Saturday service to help Ukraine

The usual sounds of organs and the harmonic singing of the choir at church were replaced with loud drums, guitar riffs, loudspeakers blasting heavy 808s and auto- tuned vocals on […]

Liam Fox

Photos: Liam Fox

April 14, 2022
Revised: January 30, 2024 3:37pm

Photo: Liam Fox

Nathan Zinck, a music industry arts student, performs "Mirror DNA" for the Saturday Service event at Rothwell United Church.

The usual sounds of organs and the harmonic singing of the choir at church were replaced with loud drums, guitar riffs, loudspeakers blasting heavy 808s and auto- tuned vocals on April 9 at Rothwell United Church.

As an initiative to raise funds and awareness for the Ukrainian refugee crisis as well as promote original music from emerging Ottawa-based artists, students from the music industry arts program at Algonquin College hosted a multi-genre concert called Saturday Service on a Twitch live stream.

The show spotlighted 20 performers, the majority being from the MIA program, varying in style from electronic dance music to ballads. The diverse group of Ottawa-based musicians featured over three hours of original music.

The stream peaked at 87 viewers and averaged around 65 people throughout the three hours. Now, the video recording of the stream on the Saturday Service Twitch channel has over 1,500 views.

After seeing the views on the Twitch recording of the Saturday Service hours following the show, an ecstatic Aidan Elliot-Perreault, 19, the head coordinator of Saturday Service, immediately jumped out of his seat and began calling his father, mother and younger brother.

“My idea worked, my idea worked,” he exclaimed with a shocked wide grin on his face. “How does this even make any sense?”

Artist, LPI, performs his song Yves for the Saturday Service event at Rothwell United Church. — Artist, LPI, performs his song "Yves" for the Saturday Service event at Rothwell United Church. Photo credit: Liam Fox

Although surprised by the overwhelmingly positive reception, Elliot-Perreault feels it is well deserved.

“I feel like it’s a testament to the talent of the artists. I just knew the fact that all this music is very very good and all it needs to do is just get out there, and I found an interesting concept to do it,” he said.

The initial idea for Saturday Service came about when MIA students Nathan Zinck, Aaron Crozier, Jack Abbott, Colin Bracken and Elliot-Perreault had to host a virtual event for a project in the concert promotion course. The group decided to take it a step further, organizing a full-scale concert, independent from the MIA program as a way to promote original music for artists in the MIA program or talent outside of the program.

“The original idea just came from a bunch of guys in a concert promotion class that just thought that we could do a show that could be bigger and involve a lot of people in the program,” said Elliot-Perreault.

Although the style of music was constantly shifting throughout the show, the organizers of the Saturday Service said it flowed well together.

From the fast, heavy hip-hop music, that made the crowd jump around and bump their heads, to the slow and angelic singer-songwriter music that made the crowd wave their arms in unison, the audience was always into it. With the changes of pace and energy the viewership remained consistent.

Artist, Faraja, performs his song Sober for the Saturday Service event at Rothwell United Church. — Artist, Faraja, performs his song "Sober" for the Saturday Service event at Rothwell United Church. Photo credit: Liam Fox

As for the venue, Elliot-Perreault’s father, Rev. Mike Perreault, is the minister of Rothwell United Church and was instantly on board with using the church as the main stage for Saturday Service.

And the free venue fit perfectly with Saturday Service’s goal of low-budget but high-quality events with a niche concept.

The group’s ambition for Saturday Service grew into a way to do good by raising awareness for those affected by the war in Ukraine.

“After hearing about what is happening in Ukraine, we came up with the idea to put our talents to work to support the people of Ukraine. What started as a little concert has now grown to feature 20 musicians,” said Elliot-Perreault.

All donations from the Twitch stream go towards the United Church of Canada Ukraine Emergency Appeal to provide help to Ukrainian refugees fleeing the country. During the stream, Saturday Service raised $200 and on the day of the show, the United Church of Canada raised over $3000 for the emergency appeal.

An influx of the donations likely came from the link on the Saturday Service Twitch channel after the video recording of the show gained over a thousand views.

Artist, Rayleigh, performs her song 'love letter' for the Saturday Service event at Rothwell United Church. — Artist, Rayleigh, performs her unreleased song "Love Letter" for the Saturday Service event at Rothwell United Church. Photo credit: Liam Fox

Elliot-Perreault always wanted to have a charity component to the Saturday Service livestream, so he reached out to the United Church of Canada to use its organization’s platform to raise funds; he was elated to see it wanted to collaborate.

Everyone involved in the Saturday Service was thrilled to associate their music with a good cause. In between every performance, performers would take a break to endorse the charity.

“Music has always been a great way to heal and bring people together and I feel like in a time where that is so desperately needed, I feel like it is very necessary to try and combine the two,” said Elliot-Perreault.

Aaron Crozier, the publicist of the Saturday Service, agrees.

“It was a really cool experience to not only get the experience but to have anything and everything that gets raised from it go to a good cause. It’s a good feeling,” said Crozier.

Artist, Sky Luna performs song 'PICTURE PERFECT' with LPI and IMK MITCHY for the Saturday Service event at Rothwell United Church. — Artist, Sky Luna performs song "Picture Perfect" with LPI and IMK MITCHY for the Saturday Service event at Rothwell United Church. Photo credit: Liam Fox

Trisha Elliot, the annual-giving lead for the philanthropy unit of the United Church of Canada, says the organization was pleased to see the group of musicians’ goals to do good.

“We work with partners all around the world and right now we have partners on the borders of Ukraine helping out with food and shelter and water and medical supplies, so that’s where those donations go,” said Elliot.

On behalf of the United Church of Canada, Elliot said the church was proud to be involved with the initiative.

“We were delighted to hear that the students wanted to help and raise money.”

And, as a mother, Elliot is very proud of her son for his hard work organizing the concert.

“I am so so proud of him,” she said. “It’s a huge effort to gather together 20 musicians, who all have their own schedules and coordinate them. And then to find the people that have the skills or talents to be able to do sound and live-streaming.”

She said she was impressed by everyone involved in the event.

“I’m just proud of all of them actually, not just my son but all of them, who really lent their skills to be able to pull this off.”

Elliot-Perreault credits his parents for their support and their help with using the church venue and organizing the charity to support Ukraine.

“My parents have been incredible. At one point in the show my mom even helped me save a (drum) stick that I dropped, my parents have been incredibly supportive,” said Elliot-Perreault.

This was the first show that the Saturday Service pulled off. Other than a few technical slip-ups and a few issues with the mics and amps, the show went smoothly and according to plan, said Elliot-Perreault.

Although delivered for a virtual audience, the pew benches at Rothwell United church were filled with the large group of performers and their friends.

The reception of the show was positive and encouraged another event.

“I was engaged in the entire performance for the entire six hours, both the dress rehearsals and the actual concert, and I’m not connected to the program,” said Owen Tracey, one of the few non-musicians attending the show in-person.

Looking forward, Saturday Service has many potential plans to do more livestreams, release promotional videos, start a podcast with guest musicians, make merchandise and hopefully do live shows in front of an audience.

Arts & Entertainment | Featured Story

Charity | Music industry arts | Ukraine

Liam Fox

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A wheelchair backpack transfer device designed by Algonquin College students

A project sponsored by Algonquin College and the Tetra Society of North America, based in Vancouver, will help those with disabilities reach their backpack or bag. Jackson Gourgeon is the […]

Sebastian Menendez

Photos:

April 14, 2022
Revised: April 19, 2022 1:12pm

The prototype device has been designed by mechanical and electrical engineering technology students at Algonquin College.

A project sponsored by Algonquin College and the Tetra Society of North America, based in Vancouver, will help those with disabilities reach their backpack or bag.

Jackson Gourgeon is the team leader of the project called Accessibility at Forefront of Wheelchair Backpack Transfer Device.

The prototype device has been designed by mechanical and electrical engineering technology students at Algonquin College and is currently in its final stage of development.

“The design is a little too complicated to make it out of metal like aluminum or steel, so 3D printing allows us to create complex structures of shapes a lot cheaper,” Gourgeon said.

The process of designing and creating the device started at the beginning of October 2021.

“They gave us the scope of what we needed to do, and our scope was to design a backpack transfer device for the wheelchair mostly to be universal on all wheelchairs and to be as compact as possible so it doesn’t affect the surroundings or the other objects in the room,” Gourgeon said.

The device has a unique track design that runs across the back of the wheelchair and connects to either the left or right armrest using a joystick that controls the motor via a Bluetooth chip and is small enough to not bother the user while holding up to 30 pounds.

The project is financed in part by Algonquin College, matching the initial budget of $500 proposed by the Tetra Society of North America.

“We are very happy with the design so far and you might be able to see an actual production model when this project is passed to next year’s level six mechanical engineer task, and they can refine the design a little more and set up the support system to connect it to the wheelchair,” Gougeon said.

A device like this may not be seen as a game-changing feature to some at first glance, but to those that have been injured or disabled, this means a lot in terms of how they handle their everyday life. This is only one example of the work that has to be done to make the lives of people with health problems easier.

The project was initially intended to be presented at the RE/ACTION Showcase on Friday, April 8 of the current year, but other projects made it to the final five.

Life | News | Off Campus | People

Sebastian Menendez

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Algonquin College to lift COVID-19 restrictions on May 1

As of May 1, Algonquin College will be lifting its vaccine and mask mandates to align with provincial regulations. In an email sent to students and faculty, President Claude Brulé […]

Rory Friend

Photos: Rory Friend

April 14, 2022
Revised: January 30, 2024 3:37pm

Photo: Rory Friend

Screening checkpoints are among the measures set to disappear on May 1.

As of May 1, Algonquin College will be lifting its vaccine and mask mandates to align with provincial regulations.

In an email sent to students and faculty, President Claude Brulé announced the incoming changes. “The change is based on recent lifting of most provincial restrictions, advice from our public health and government officials,” he wrote.

These changes will see the college return to life prior to the enactment of COVID-19 regulations. All doors to the school will be open for the first time since the start of the 2020 school year, allowing students to enter and exit through whichever door they prefer.

With the lifting of restrictions on entering and exiting the buildings, the active screening measures in place at entrances will end and the self-screening mobile application will be discontinued.

While the screening checkpoints will no longer be in place, community members are still encouraged to self-screen for symptoms and to stay home if they are feeling unwell.

Despite rising case numbers in Ottawa, the latest relaxing of restrictions includes the lifting of the mask mandate. Masks may still be required in certain instances such as health care or clinical settings within the college.

While there will be no requirement to wear masks, the email reminds the community to “respect individuals’ personal choice in this regard.”

The college will continue to closely monitor the situation and Brulé notes any signs of a new wave or a change in provincial regulations could result in the reimplementation of these health measures.

Brulé closed his email with a message of hope.

“These are encouraging signs and I have been really pleased to see many more employees and learners on campus since the mid-term break,” he wrote. “I look forward to seeing an even more vibrant and lively atmosphere on our campuses with the advent of our spring-summer term.”

Featured Story | News

Algonquin | Covid | Covid-19 | Masks | Vaccine

Rory Friend

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National Muay Thai champion teaches classes at the ARC

Three times a week, Muay Thai classes are offered in studio A at the Jack Doyle Athletics and Recreation Center. Every Monday, Tuesday and Thursday from 6 p.m. to 7:30 […]

Sahlym Florestal

Photos: Sahlym Florestal

April 13, 2022
Revised: January 30, 2024 3:37pm

Photo: Sahlym Florestal

At the end of a class, Muay Thai students pay their respect to their teacher.

Three times a week, Muay Thai classes are offered in studio A at the Jack Doyle Athletics and Recreation Center.

Every Monday, Tuesday and Thursday from 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. sensei Warwick Fluke, a national Thai boxing champion teaches a martial art and combat sport that uses stand-up striking along with various clinching techniques.

For students who are martial arts amateurs, this is a great place to learn. “I was heavily invested and was delighted that the gym here actually had practice,” said Noah Montgomery, a first-year student in the heating refrigeration and air conditioning technician program.

It’s also a great place for students who are new to the discipline and want to learn how to defend themselves.

“I saw the schedule and wanted to try it out,” said Allan Russel, a second-year electro-mechanical engineering technician program student. “It’s a good opportunity to practice self-defense.”

To get better you need to be invested and practice over and over.

“Practice doesn’t make perfection, but perfect practice makes perfection,” said sensai Fluke.

Some students are heavily invested and have never missed a class.

“I usually go three times a week and I’ve only missed one practice,” said Montgomery who wants to eventually be able to compete but is only in it for the health benefits, strength and endurance until he is ready to take it to the next level.

And others just have smaller objectives, “It is fun and a good opportunity to meet people,” said Russel. Others like Mohamed Wazzi Moukahal, a first-year in the electrical engineering technician program come three times a week with the goal of getting to his potential while learning how to fight.

Others who have heavier schedules such as Jun Sleede, a lab technician for the paramedic program, the goal is to get back in the practice of martial arts train once a week.

The classes are not just open for students but also for staff and teachers at Algonquin. “I would recommend this class to anyone because the teacher is highly technical,” said Sleede.

According to one of the partitioners Montgomery, Muay Thai is not just an exercise, something for your body but also for your mind.

“I found so many benefits, it boosted my self-confidence. I feel like a million bucks leaving here,” said Montgomery.

Featured Story | Sports & Recreation

Arc | Exercise | Martial arts | Students' association

Sahlym Florestal

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Algonquin Times print edition makes a comeback

Campus newsstands were stacked with the first physical edition of the Algonquin Times in two years, as staff distributed the newspaper in mid-March. The Times has been the college’s community […]

Elio Elia

Photos: Aadil Naik

April 13, 2022
Revised: January 30, 2024 3:37pm

Photo: Aadil Naik

Mayor Jim Watson with the latest copy of the Algonquin Times.

Campus newsstands were stacked with the first physical edition of the Algonquin Times in two years, as staff distributed the newspaper in mid-March.

The Times has been the college’s community paper for around four decades, with its first edition ever coming out on Sept. 17, 1986. Produced by the students in the journalism and advertising marketing program it’s been delivering news to student, faculty, staff and neighbouring communities ever since.

Although the Times has been delivering community stories online for some time, it had always continued to publish physical copies of the paper.

That all changed in March 2020 when the COVID-19 pandemic forced the staff and faculty to shut down publication of the print edition.

Midway through fall 2021, it became clear to faculty that the students would enjoy making the editorial decisions on the paper. They’d also enjoy being able to show it off to family and friends.

“I couldn’t be happier,” said Julie McCann, journalism professor and program coordinator. “I couldn’t be more excited for the current students to experience a newspaper to hold. Finding a way to produce this paper with the current students has been extremely rewarding.”

For Magan Carty, journalism student and the editor of the Algonquin Times, being able to bring back the print edition of the paper makes “normal” feel closer than ever. Having it in hand helps create a sense of community.

“It feels super special to be a part of the team making the first print edition of the paper since March 2020,” said Carty.

Other members of the college community are enthusiastic about the return of the paper too.

“It’s a welcome return,” said Karen Kavanagh, coordinator of the Algonquin College advertising and marketing communications program. Kavanagh’s students sell the ads in the newspaper, run community events and produce marketing content.

Algonquin Times staff with Mayor Jim Watson — Some members of the Algonquin Times staff visited with Mayor Jim Watson at Ottawa City Hall.

Lydia Peever, a former professor in the journalism program and currently the paper’s graphic designer, says print editions can be be helpful for keeping new students and alumni informed – but they can also make people smile.

“Having the newspaper as a touchstone in the halls may be more important than we suspect,” said Peever.

The return of the print edition of the paper wasn’t just noticed on campus. After the city’s mayor, Jim Watson, shared his congratulations with students on Twitter, staff members visited his office to deliver an edition.

“When I saw the paper issue come out, when I read about it on Twitter,” said Watson. “I thought this was great because we need to encourage papers to stay in business and help support them anyway we can.”

“Not everyone is going to go electronically to find the news. They like to have something in their hands,” Watson said. “I’ve always found that the community paper sticks around your house longer, you take it and read it more like a book.”

Watson admitted to being an avid reader of the Times for many years, and that its return is a sign that we are getting back to our regular lives pre-COVID.

“Pick up the paper. Read it,” he said. “Appreciate all the work that’s been into it, and let’s hope that next year you get out to ten issues.”

For the Times staff, the hope is that reading the print paper might help to bring the community closer together.

“You are lucky enough to be a part of a rich, diverse , interesting college community,” said McCann to would-be readers. “Read your own stories, read about the people who graduated, about current students and about faculty members in your community.

“You will not be disappointed to know about the company you keep.”

Featured Story | News

Algonquin times | Jim Watson | Pandemic | Print

Elio Elia

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Public relations students launch campaign to support victims of sexual assault

During a launch event held on April 6, 2022, in the Student Commons, students of the public relations program announced their new campaign to raise money for victims of sexual […]

Garrett Empey

Photos: David Rotel

April 12, 2022
Revised: January 30, 2024 3:37pm

Photo: David Rotel

Tejah-Mae Davis, a public relations student and team lead, is fundraising with her classmates on behalf of the Sexual Assault Support Center of Ottawa.

During a launch event held on April 6, 2022, in the Student Commons, students of the public relations program announced their new campaign to raise money for victims of sexual assault.

The organizers are hoping to collect around $10,000 on behalf of the Sexual Assault Support Center of Ottawa. They are optimistic that they may even make more as most of their events have already sold out.

“Tonight we have a paint night, tomorrow we’ve got our gala,” said Tejah-Mae Davis, the team leader of the public relations campaign. “Coming up, we’ve got a ball hockey tournament, a family barbeque, karaoke, and, finally, we have a drag show.”

Over the years, Stephen Heckbert, a public relations professor, has worked with students on 15 different charity campaigns. “We have been changing the way we fundraise,” he said.

They have mostly changed from on-campus fundraisers to off-campus events.

“More than anything, our goal from the beginning has been to raise funds because this is an incredible program that provides an invaluable service, but also to raise awareness of this issue,” said Davis.

The public relations class had discussed various different charities before settling on the Sexual Assault Support Center of Ottawa, due in large part to the fact that several women on Davis’ team have been sexually assaulted.

The SASC offers services such as peer support, individual support, advocacy, workshops, public education on issues facing young women, accompaniment to courts and other services, as well as empowerment groups.

Featured Story | News

Fundraiser | Public Relations | Sexual Assault Support Center of Ottawa

Garrett Empey

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Music Industry Arts graduate Elijah Woods returns to campus

When musician Elijah Woods, who has amassed over 590,000 streams on Spotify alone, needed quality guitar strings for a late-night recording session a few months ago, he knew just who […]

Rory Friend

Photos: Aadil Naik

April 12, 2022
Revised: January 30, 2024 3:37pm

Photo: Aadil Naik

Elijah Woods visited the CKDJ studio on campus in March to talk about his time at the college, his early days with Jamie Fine and the future.

When musician Elijah Woods, who has amassed over 590,000 streams on Spotify alone, needed quality guitar strings for a late-night recording session a few months ago, he knew just who to call: his former Algonquin College professor, Colin Mills.

“I was in a pickle,” Woods said. “We had to get this song done by 6 a.m the next day and all the stores were closed. I was like who can I call at 11 p.m. at night who will have guitar strings and who I know will have good ones? So, I text Colin I was like ‘hey man, been a while. Do you have guitar strings for me?’ and he was like ‘for sure come-over.’”

Woods, who found success soon after his graduation in 2015 with fellow Algonquin graduate Jamie Fine, is now recording his own solo music and is set to appear at music festivals this summer. The pair would go on to win the Canadian music competition The Launch with their rendition of “Ain’t Easy” originally by Ryan Tedder and Camila Cabello.

After their amicable breakup in 2020, which Woods says came down to different musical interests, he branched out and began singing and writing his own songs. His first solo song called “Lights” which was certified gold, remains a fan favourite months after its release.

Woods continues to be connected to the college. Along with connecting with Mills, he visited the CKDJ studio on March 21 to sit down with Liam Fox, an Algonquin Times reporter about his time at the college, his early days with Jamie Fine and the future.

The interview was a production of both the journalism students, as well as students in the advertising and marketing communications management program. in collaboration with the radio broadcast team. It was broadcasted on CKDJ 107.9 and simultaneously streamed on Zoom.

During the interview, Woods said that not only did he learn a lot during his time in the program, it was also valuable to him because it’s where he met Fine. “For a couple of years we made music together and that was kind of the start of my musical journey,” he said. “I had an amazing time at the college. All the profs, all the people, I really enjoyed my time here.”

During the interview, Woods reacted to a story from his former professor and 11-p.m. -phone-friend, Mills, spoke about his entry into the program

“I told him to not waste his $90 with Ontario Colleges and apply because he is not going to get in,” Mills had said to Woods when he’d first reached out to him.

Mills says he told Woods there was no way he’d be accepted for the upcoming academic year. The wait list was too long. He should try again next year. Woods’ reaction? He applied anyway.

“I feel really privileged that he did get in but it’s one of those things where we almost missed that connection,” Mills said. “It’s one of those things everything happens for a reason, and I am glad he didn’t listen to me and not apply.”

Upon hearing his professor’s story, Woods laughed.

“I haven’t thought about that story in forever. That’s kind of just how I live my life when someone tells me no. I’m like, ‘no fuck you. I’m going to do this anyways,'” he said, with a laugh. “Love you, Colin.”

Woods is slated to perform at Ottawa’s BluesFest music festival on July 17. He is also currently working on his first solo album, with a release date to be announced.

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Ckdj | Elijah Woods, | Jamie Fine | Music industry arts

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Mamidosewin hosts virtual show teaching budgeting and cooking skills

The Mamidosewin Centre, located at the Ottawa campus, will host the next Kiinwi Jiibakwe or “We Cook” virtual cooking show for students to learn budgeting and cooking skills on April […]

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Photos: Stephane Gunner

April 11, 2022
Revised: January 30, 2024 3:37pm

Photo: Stephane Gunner

Jason Kicknosway, the Mamidosewin Centre's retention support worker and event coordinator, hosted the We Cook virtual cooking show and made beef stew.

The Mamidosewin Centre, located at the Ottawa campus, will host the next Kiinwi Jiibakwe or “We Cook” virtual cooking show for students to learn budgeting and cooking skills on April 12, 2022, from 12 p.m. to 1 p.m.

Indigenous Counsellor Jackie Tenute, will host the session where she will make lentil soup.

The last Kiinwi Jiibakwe event happened on March 16, from 2 p.m. to 3 p.m.

Jason Kicknosway, the Mamidosewin Centre’s retention support worker and event coordinator, hosted the We Cook virtual cooking show and made beef stew.

Kicknosway said the Mamidosewin staff wanted to do something they could do on a monthly basis for the students and in the past, they would often cook for the students during the week.

“We Cook is what we started at the beginning of this term, but what we are doing is all the staff members take a turn preparing a meal,” Kicknosway said. “We do this virtually until we have the permission to come back on campus.”

By doing it all virtually right now, he said the students can sit down and see them prepare an entire meal.

“We are not a professional cooking show,” he said. ” So the students can see how an average everyday person cooks and how an everyday person goes out and shops and gets through groceries. And what we do with those groceries is the main focus.”

Kicknosway said that he liked how the students have been latching to the idea and seeing how they cook, as most of the cooking ideas came from the students themselves.

The goal is to teach students how to save money as they go out and do their shopping, go through recipes and teach them to cook because some new students do not necessarily know how to cook or maintain all the groceries they buy and will expire without them knowing.

“It is everything from picking up a bag of five-pound potatoes,” said Kicknosway. “Students do not know how to use all five pounds of potatoes. So we teach them what they can use and how to use all of the food they buy and create meal plans for the students—simple ones that are easy to follow, things that they can make week after week and for a low cost.”

He explained that their goal is to teach students to prepare a meal and save money as they get through their post-secondary studies.

Kicknosway said normally the event participation is about 12 to 25 students. In their efforts to help students, they issue a $25 gift certificate to every participant. And they will be able to use it once they sign up for the event and go buy the necessary items they need to purchase.

“I am very happy the students are responding because we, in the first attempt, just had our laptop cameras,” Kicknosway said.

“It has been a learning stage for us, and as I said, we are not a professional cooking program. So we are constantly being creative to find better ways to showcase to our students.”

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