Burns named to city and national organizations
Lethbridge College President and CEO Dr. Paula Burns has been appointed to two important new roles. In March, she was named the Economic Development Lethbridge (EDL) board chair for the 2016 term, and in June, she was elected to the national Colleges and Institutes Canada (CICan) board of directors. Burns says she is looking forward to leading the EDL board with the same spirit of partnership and collaboration that is the foundation for this organization and the community. She added that Lethbridge College has established strong relationships with local industry and this role will help the college stay even more connected to the business community. As a member of CICan board, Dr. Burns will sit as an Alberta representative on the 16-person board. CICan is the national and international voice of Canada’s publicly supported colleges, institutes and polytechnics, and Dr. Burns’ election will help advance Lethbridge College’s profile among the country’s post-secondary education community.
Nursing educator honoured
Janet Lapins, a Clinical Nursing instructor here at Lethbridge College, is one of 100 nurses to receive a Centennial Award from the College of Registered Nurses of Alberta as the organization celebrates its 100th year. Lapins played a key role in establishing the Chinook Primary Care Network and served as director of Chinook’s health information and outcomes department. Lapins has now returned to the bedside, teaching and mentoring nursing students here at the college.
Williams named winner of 2016 Troy Reeb Internship
Meagan Williams, a 2016 Digital Communications and Media graduate, was chosen as this year’s recipient of the Troy Reeb Internship for its Digital Communications and Media program. Williams worked alongside the best in the business in Toronto and Ottawa for ten days in April. Troy Reeb, a 1988 Broadcast Journalist alumnus, is senior vice president of news, radio and station operations at Corus Entertainment. While on the internship, Williams spent time with the Ottawa news team as they covered Parliament Hill, the investigative news magazine 16x9, the national Morning Show and in the excitement of big city daily news at Global Toronto. Williams is the eleventh Lethbridge College student to take advantage of this unique internship opportunity. Past winners include 2014 grad Taylor Oseen, who now works at CTV Lethbridge, and 2009 grad Quinn Ohler, who now works at Global Edmonton.
Marcellus-Kerr wins award
Dianne Marcellus-Kerr (Secretarial Science 1980), the college’s board and external relations coordinator and former executive assistant to the president and board of governors, received the Governance and President’s Office Professionals Professional Achievement Award in June at the annual conference held by Colleges and Institutes Canada in Quebec City. This award recognizes those who have made significant contributions to the realm of higher education or who have achieved professional success due, in part, to their experiences as a governance or president’s office professional. In March 2008, Marcellus-Kerr was named executive assistant to the President and board at Lethbridge College. During her time in this position, she led a process improvement initiative, and with the help of team members, modernized the executive leadership office and its systems, established best practices, played a key role in external relations and helped the department embrace a forward-thinking adoption of technology.
College celebrates Pride with historic flag raising
For the first time in the college’s 59-year history, Lethbridge College proudly raised the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) rainbow Pride flag to celebrate and support Lethbridge Pride Fest and LGBT Pride Month, as well as to demonstrate the college’s strong commitment to diversity and inclusion. President and CEO Dr. Paula Burns raised the flag in a ceremony on June 20. “We hope that this action is seen as a symbol of the real work being done on the ground,” Burns said. “There are real plans, policies and support systems in place to support and encourage diversity at Lethbridge College, and we’re constantly working to improve on the great foundation of safety and support we provide.”
NSERC funds Enviro-Span videos
A Lethbridge College Digital Communications and Media instructor and his students received funding from the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC) to create five videos documenting each partner’s perspective of the benefits derived from a single applied research project - the installation of an environmentally-friendly stream crossing system, designed by Enviro-Span Modular Culvert Systems, in the Lethbridge coulees. The grant allowed for a video crew to document the installation before 12 college students, led by instructor George Gallant, ran the post-production, including conducting interviews and editing video. Participants included the college, the city, NSERC, Enviro-Span and the NRC-IRAP, with the videos tailored to highlight each of their roles.
Google creating virtual tour of Lethbridge College
The college was excited to take the next step in recruiting and welcoming students by creating a virtual tour of the college campus. Virtuo360 was on campus in May and June with a Google-trusted photographer to take photos of the college hallways for a Google Street View experience of the college. Implementing this new tour will provide greater accessibility for prospective students and families. The new virtual tour is expected to launch this fall.
Partnership with Kainai High School sees results
The dual-credit Early Childhood Education (ECE) program between Lethbridge College and Kainai High School is continuing to prove successful in helping students build a solid foundation for life after graduation. The program, which sees grade 11 and 12 students undertake two of the college’s ECE introductory courses, has given those enrolled a head start on building a successful career path. The college launched the unique program in 2015 and so far, 29 students have successfully completed the course offerings. Having guided 14 students through the first year of their program, ECE instructor Anita Cooper says they have been able to improve how lessons are delivered in order to gain more student engagement for the second class of Kainai students.
New student awards honour long-time Lethbridge business owner
Two Lethbridge College apprenticeship students have received a unique boost to their automotive careers, thanks to new awards created in memory of a well-known local business owner. The Brian Kaltenbruner Memorial Tool Award has been created by Beverly Kaltenbruner to honour the legacy of her late husband, who passed away in a motorcycle accident last year. Brian Kaltenbruner, the co-owner of Harold’s Auto Service, completed his Automotive Service Technician apprenticeship training at Lethbridge College, winning the 1997 AMA Automotive Apprentice Award for outstanding academic achievement. The new student awards will help those who are following in his footsteps. The awards are presented as gift certificates to Snap-on Tools for students in the Automotive Service Technician apprenticeship program. Abe Banman, of Rolling Hills is the inaugural winner of the third-year $2,500 student award, and Daniel Henrie, of Glenwood has received the first-year $1,500 student award.
Open House set for Oct. 27
Lethbridge College will welcome students, parents, counsellors, career practitioners and liaisons who work with students to campus for the Fall Open House from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Oct. 27 in the Val Matteotti Gymnasium. The event will include a Student Services and Information Fair; a Faculty Fair and Interactive Displays; on-the-spot admission; tours and more. Register by visiting lethbridgecollege.ca/openhouse.
Culinary research team receives organoleptic training
Members of Lethbridge College’s culinary research team are learning to use their senses to judge the quality of produce and fish produced in the college’s Aquaculture Centre of Excellence. The team, along with partners from Okanagan College’s Culinary Arts Team, underwent three days of organoleptic training in May on campus. Participants learned to use the senses of taste, texture, sight and smell to create protocols which allow testers to subjectively evaluate the quality of foods. This is a key step in the long-term plan of developing fish and produce for commercial use from the college’s Aquaponics program, supported by the Centre for Applied Research and Innovation. The organoleptic training is part of a grant the college received from the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada.
Ecosystem Management program receives accreditation
Lethbridge College is the first college in Alberta to have its Ecosystem Management program recognized by the province’s professional biology regulatory organization. The Alberta Society of Professional Biologists (ASPB) reviewed the college’s curriculum and ruled that the Bachelor of Applied Science degree in Ecosystem Management meets all of the criteria needed to allow grads to apply for Biologist in Training designation, the first step towards becoming a Professional Biologist - the highest possible designation in the province. This accreditation had historically been reserved for university programs, but the ASPB ruled the college’s program provides the necessary criteria for graduates to be considered. The college introduced the Bachelor of Applied Science degree in Ecosystem Management in 2015.
Ground broken on fourth year of College Home partnership
The Canadian Home Builders’ Association - Lethbridge Region (CHBA) and Lethbridge College celebrated the start of the fourth year of the College Home partnership in a ground breaking ceremony in June. Along with local builder Empire Homes, the partners broke ground on the next home to be built by CHBA builder members, suppliers and tradespeople to benefit the new trades and technologies facility at Lethbridge College. The first two years of the partnership were successful, raising $429,000 through the sale of the first four homes. The third year home sales are in the final stages with donation numbers expected to bring the total donation so far to over $600,000.
Student entrepreneur winner
Caylee Vogel (Exercise Science 2014, Business Administration 2016) won the first-ever Student Entrepreneurship Program forum in April at tecconnect. Five students – four from the college and one from the University of Lethbridge – completed the program. Funded and supported by the Regional Innovation Network of Southern Alberta (RINSA), students worked since January to develop their own business ideas with the help of mentors from Lethbridge-based tecconnect and Innovate Calgary. Vogel’s winning idea is titled Fitness Convenience, a practical approach to achieve desired health results and benefits with ultimate convenience. She now works as a P.E. building assistant at the college.
