Paul Armstrong, Chief Operating Officer, Mohawk College and Cheyanne Hammell with her award at the Colleges Ontario Higher Education Summit in Toronto.

Cheyanne Hammell completed an Architectural Technology diploma in 2007 and is the third Mohawk alumnus to win in the technology category since 2018.

Cheyanne Hammell, who graduated from Mohawk College’s Architectural Technology program in 2007, says it was a shock and honour to receive a 2023 Premier’s Award in the Technology category. 

It is the third win for a Mohawk College graduate in that category since 2018. 

The Premier’s Awards recognize recent and past college graduates in seven categories who have made outstanding social and economic contributions. They were presented at the Colleges Ontario Higher Education Summit in Toronto in November. 

Hammell, a Special Projects manager at PCL Construction, Canada’s largest construction company, says she went to the large gala not expecting to win. 

“I looked at the list of nominees ahead of time, and they were all so impressive. I honestly went there assuming it was not going to be me. So when they said my name, I was definitely shocked to say the least.” 

Hammell says she’s proud that her win reflects well on Mohawk College, her employer and women in technology and trades. 

She has been dedicated to opening doors for women throughout her career through mentoring, speaking to students and volunteering with a variety of women in trades groups. She is only the third woman ever to win in the technology category, including fellow Mohawk College alumnus Kathy Lerette, who won in 2019. 

At PCL, Hammell leads highly customized and unique projects for premiere clients in the Toronto area, overseeing a team of 40 people undertaking 25 to 30 complex projects at any time. She led the design of the $135-million Lakeridge Gardens in Ajax, the first long-term care home built under Infrastructure Ontario’s Accelerated Build Pilot Program. It was completed in just 13 months during the pandemic and was recognised with local and global industry awards for from the Toronto Construction Association and Engineering News Record. 

She also led PCL’s implementation of a complex, $200-million baggage handling and sorting system for the Greater Toronto Airports Authority and a $16-million renovation of the CN Tower observation level in 2017. 

Hammell says her education at Mohawk prepared her with technical skills but also the leadership qualities that have helped her succeed. 

She was the PCL Toronto recipient of the prestigious Robert Stollery Leadership Award in 2020, given to one rising project management star per year who models excellence and inspiration for all of PCL. 

In 2022, she was named to On-Site Magazine’s Top 40 Under 40 in Canadian construction and is a Toronto Urban Land Institute (ULI) Women’s Leadership Initiative Champion. 

Hammell, who says she is inspired by her mother, a retired commercial pilot who also broke down gender barriers, is grateful for her time at Mohawk College. 

The College’s history of wins in the Premier’s Awards in the technology category, she says, “is a testament that we're well prepared to enter the industry and the way that we've been educated and prepped for that workforce entry has allowed us to set an example and start off on the right foot and work towards success and helping make a difference.” 

Rebecca Beatty, Program Coordinator of Architectural Technology and Architectural Technician, says the three-year technologist co-op program offers a broad and deep education. It covers all the building disciplines – architectural, structural, and building systems, and incorporates building science and sustainability, history of architecture, and management. 

Students choose from a design and construction management stream in their final year. 

“In the world of construction, there are fewer women. It's great that Cheyanne has been able to smash through that glass ceiling,” says Beatty. “I also think there's an acknowledgement among employers now that having diverse voices is beneficial and helps them grow.” 

Beatty believes Hammell’s Premier’s Awards win will encourage girls and women to join the sector and demonstrates that Mohawk provides the skills to achieve senior role. 

“It highlights the fact that we're producing graduates that have a set of skills that they can ladder up into management and senior roles. All of our Architectural Technology graduates complete a capstone project. And they have to each take on and lead one aspect of that project. That's where they develop some of those leadership, time management, communication, and presentation skills.” 

The three-year Architectural Technology program includes three terms of paid co-ops and that leads to 95 per cent of graduates being employed in the field within six months or pursuing additional credentials through our educational pathways, says Beatty. 

“We have very high employment rates compared to other architectural technology programs in the province right now.” 

This story originally appeared in Momentum Magazine.

Amanda White, Acting Director, Centre for Indigenous Relations, Knowledge and Learning, and Kerry Wabange, Human Resources Strategic Partner and Indigenous Specialist.

Mohawk College launches new Centre for Indigenous Relations, Knowledge and Learning and commits to embed Indigenous learning outcomes into all programs.

Mohawk College is making a deep and wide-ranging commitment to Truth and Reconciliation with the new Centre for Indigenous Relations, Knowledge and Learning (CIRKL) and an ambitious plan to embed Indigenous learning outcomes into each of its programs. 

Meaningfully advancing Truth and Reconciliation is among six aspirations contained with Mohawk College’s 2022-2025 strategic plan. 

CIRKL is a significant piece of achieving that aspiration and will lead the way in ensuring that all academic programs include land-based Indigenous ways of learning, says Amanda White, Acting Director, Centre for Indigenous Relations, Knowledge and Learning. 

“We have broad support and commitment from the College’s executive and senior leaders, and among faculty, staff, and students. There is acknowledgement that this is the right path to take,” she says. 

Building relationships is foundational to the work of CIRKL. 
 

The College’s approach to reconciliation, as well as its ambitious commitment to climate change action, is built on the framework of “Two-Eyed Seeing”. 

The concept is that faculty, staff, and students can learn to see from one eye with respect for the strengths of Indigenous knowledge and ways of knowing, and from the other eye with the strengths of Western knowledge. This dual understanding is meant to benefit all and find common ground, while upholding Indigenous perspectives as autonomous and equal. 

“We're not just looking to be included in the systems that are in place right now, we want to change the systems because those systems weren't built for us,” says White. “It’s really about different ways of doing things from that Indigenous lens.” 

Embedding learning outcomes 

A critical step forward is the establishment of seven Indigenous knowledge learning outcomes (IKLOs) that were developed through two years of deep consultation with Elders, Knowledge-Keepers and Indigenous leaders of Six Nations, Mississaugas of the Credit, and the urban Indigenous community, along with faculty, staff and students at Mohawk College. 

IKLOs will help all college learners, regardless of their field of study, better understand Indigenous peoples, histories, cultures, and realities by the time they graduate. They present an opportunity to decolonize curriculum and education and to make education safe for those who are underrepresented. 

“We know, through the work that was done through the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, that education has historically been weaponized against us,” says Carlie Myke, Acting Manager, Centre for Indigenous Relations, Knowledge and Learning. 

“We need to be able to see ourselves, our ways of knowing and our ways of doing things reflected in institutions. We need to be able to see our histories and our true history reflected in what is taught. Seeing that we have prioritized Indigenous ways of knowing and doing in content and curriculum, I think that that's very meaningful.” 

This work has also been heavily influenced by the success of similar learning outcomes developed by Confederation College. The CIRKL team was mentored by Confederation’s Indigenous leaders to learn about the challenges and opportunities in implementing the IKLOs. 

With support from CIRKL, consultations with each of the College’s academic areas have begun through the Centre for Teaching and Learning Innovation (CTLI), which will contribute to plans that will introduce and build content around such things as residential schools, treaties, royal proclamations, the First Nations principles of ownership, control, access, and possession, and wise practices around engaging with Indigenous communities. 

Also being closely examined is the College’s approach to research involving Indigenous people or communities. 

Too often, research focused on Indigenous people or practices or culture includes gathering and extracting data without the community understanding what has become of the information. 

“There must be understanding that we own and control how that information can be used, how it's protected, how we share it. It's meant to govern the idea of data sovereignty. As we say, nothing about us without us,” says White. 

The Hoop Dance Gathering Place at Mohawk College's Fennell campus.

Indigenous visibility 

CIRKL is located at the Fennell campus, where a new indoor Indigenous gathering place is to be opened this spring. It will be the site of meetings, gatherings, and events, in conjunction with the outdoor Hoop Dance Gathering Place, which opened in 2016. 

“It's important that our staff and students from our communities see themselves reflected at the College and that they belong here. These spaces are about visibility,” says White. 

That will be augmented with more representations of Indigenous language and artwork and extended to the Stoney Creek campus and the Institute for Applied Health Sciences at McMaster University. 

When it comes to faculty and staff, the College’s people strategy includes seven pillars and Truth and Reconciliation is at the heart of each, says Kerry Wabange, a Human Resources Strategic Partner and Indigenous Specialist. 

Her work includes developing and training HR staff and leaders in cultural fluency, reviewing all employment policies and practices to ensure Indigenous worldviews are included, and integrating Indigenous knowledge and practices into employment procedures. The goal is strong recruitment and retention among Indigenous candidates. 

“In order for HR-focused reconciliation to be meaningful it is imperative that as Indigenous employees, we see ourselves reflected in the work environment as well as the policies, procedures and programs. Additionally, there should be an authentic sense of belonging and cultural and psychological safety so that we can confidently bring our whole selves to work.” 

This story originally appeared in Momentum Magazine.

The Centre for Integrated and Advanced Medical Imaging solves clinical, educational and research challenges through deep institutional partnerships.

The new Centre for Integrated and Advanced Medical Imaging (CIAMI) will provide desperately needed MRI services in Hamilton, educate in demand MRI technologists through hands-on learning, foster innovation and new research discoveries.

Developed through a partnership between Mohawk College, McMaster University and affiliated hospitals, Hamilton Health Sciences (HHS) and St. Joseph’s Healthcare, CIAMI serves as a model for a new generation of healthcare.

It’s more than a place, CIAMI is an approach to improving MRI services in the community that addresses backlogs, educates the next generation of MRI technologists and conducts critical research.

Located at the Mohawk-McMaster Institute of Applied Health Sciences (IAHS) building on the university’s main campus, CIAMI includes a newly installed GE Healthcare Signa 3T advanced MRI suite, only the second of its kind in Canada. 

Long-time partnership

CIAMI builds on a long tradition of partnership in healthcare education between McMaster and Mohawk College that includes the province’s first collaborative degree in Nursing, the IAHS facility itself, which opened in 2000, and the first fully integrated diploma-degree program in Medical Radiation Sciences in 2004.

“Those early years of the Mohawk-McMaster partnership paved the way for exceptional successes in education and research. CIAMI is a great example of how strong partnerships and meaningful collaborations can succeed in amazing ways,” says Mohawk College President and CEO Ron J. McKerlie. 

“Both Mohawk and McMaster are committed to moving the region forward,” says David Farrar, President of McMaster University. “Individually, we have great capacity in that regard, but together we have massive power.”

According to Wendy Lawson, Associate Vice President Academic & Dean of the School of Health & Community Services at Mohawk College, CIAMI will revolutionize medical imagine training, discovery and care in the community.

“We envision a future in which front-line allied health professionals are actively engaged in research and one in which teams of clinicians, radiologists, academic researchers an technologists work together to solve problems and propel technological advances in the expanding field of diagnostic imaging,” she says. “Above all, we envision a future in which specialists collaborate across disciplines to train the healthcare professionals of the future, make exciting research discoveries, and provide better healthcare for all.”

Mohawk College’s commitment to producing Future Ready graduates through experiential learning, applied research and interprofessional education will flourish at CIAMI, says Lawson.

City-wide collaboration 

The partnership behind CIAMI is a true citywide collaboration, says Leslie Gauthier, Vice President of Clinical Support Services and Surgery at HHS.

“This will have a huge impact. It’s a different way of thinking about education and clinical needs.” 

Launching this initiative – which has been  about 10 years in the making – has taken the input of 19 working groups, more than 100 people and hundreds of meetings.

“With CIAMI, we are being responsive to community needs and we have connected with community partners on a level that is unprecedented,” says Laura Thomas, Associate Dean of Allied Health and Medical Radiation Sciences at Mohawk College. “

MRI: Standard of care

MRI provides a more in-depth anatomical picture than other forms of diagnostic imaging and is especially useful for imaging of the spine, joints and organs, such as the kidneys, liver and ovaries.

“There was just one MRI in Hamilton when I trained. It’s now a proven technology that many doctors rely upon for diagnosis,” says Dr. Karen Finlay, Chief of Diagnostic Imaging and Nuclear Medicine at HHS. Hamilton is now home to 10 MRIs, including the one at CIAMI.

But the need is much greater. Non-urgent patients are waiting up to a year to get an MRI.

The lack of health human resources, the most limiting factor, has long been one of the biggest challenges.

Under supervision of registered technologists, students get real-world training on clinical cases and the site will offer a space where existing healthcare staff in the city can train to add MRI to their skill set.

Mohawk College’s accelerated training for upskilling healthcare professionals – within the Centre for Professional Advancement – has already helped 82 existing diagnostic imaging staff fast-track their paths to learning MRI.

As well, Mohawk College’s first MRI technologist post-graduate certificate program launched this fall with a cohort of 24 students.

Improving efficiencies

The whole idea for CIAMI came about when  Mohawk College Chief Operating Officer Paul Armstrong, then Dean of Health Sciences, met McMaster University professor Mike Noseworthy for a coffee more than a decade ago. They hashed out a dream for an MRI at IAHS that would combine clinical, educational and research functions.

“It was a crazy idea but I’m elated to see what it’s become,” says Noseworthy, who is Director of Medical Imaging Physics and Engineering at St. Joseph’s Healthcare and a professor in McMaster’s Department of Electrical & Computer Engineering. “This is a unique model. McMaster and Mohawk College have a special relationship that has allowed this to happen.”

He’s been working MRIs for 35 years and always wished there was a dedicated MRI that could be used for research and education.

Noseworthy says the last piece of the concept came from radiologist Dr. Julian Dobranowski, who suggested the MRI should focus on nonurgent cases.

Dobranowski was chief of radiology at St. Joseph’s Healthcare and is now Chief of Medical Imaging at Niagara Health. He is also chair of medical imaging at McMaster University and an adjunct professor at Mohawk College. He serves as the provincial lead at Ontario Health for cancer imaging and for access to care for MRI and CT. His mission is to improve efficiencies and cut wait times.

The relevance of CIAMI is that it will cut wait times while still giving space for training and research.

“It’s important that CIAMI is outside the hospital system,” says Dobranowski. “The hospital is taking care of ICU, ER, ward patients and outpatients coming in for MRIs. We now have an option for lower acuity patients. When we take them out of the hospitals, it leaves more spaces for acute patients.”

The new MRI – a 3 Tesla unit that features a magnet 60,000 times more powerful than the magnetic pull of the Earth – has enhanced artificial intelligence features, an audio system, and a monitor that can stream television or a movie for patients who have to stay completely still up to an hour. It also features a wider bore that accommodates larger patients, along with those with claustrophobia.

When it’s in research mode, engineers and scientists can access the back end of the operating system to study and improve its operation and output, as well as design new components.

The MRI will be used to assess physiological processes such as muscle and brain activity or the behaviour of diseases. Researchers will be able to investigate new efficiencies within the MRI magnet as well as design hardware to support patient diagnosis.

Proof of concept

St. Joseph’s Healthcare’s MRI, which had been primarily used for medical research through the hospital’s Imaging Research Centre (IRC), stepped in to take clinical cases under the CIAMI program beginning in 2022.

“St. Joseph’s Healthcare was instrumental in the implementation of the proof of concept for CIAMI,” says Cheryl Livingston, Chief of Diagnostic Services at the hospital. “We worked out what patients would be suitable, the gains that could made through this model and the benefits to the overall hospital sector.”

By extending the working hours of the MRI and staff, St. Joe’s took on 1,500 to 2,000 hours of clinical MRI work a year or about 6,000 MRI scans under the CIAMI program, targeting those who had been waiting the longest.

As MRI proves to be increasingly useful as a clinical tool, that research directly leads to the growing demand for MRI services that far outstrips capacity and leads to long wait times. Dobranowski believes CIAMI will serve as a model of care for other communities struggling to manage demand. 

“The mindset here was our institutions coming together to do the right thing to solve a problem. All affiliations were just left at that door. There’s no reason this can’t be replicated across the country.”  

This story originally appeared in Momentum Magazine.

Mohawk College’s Applied Research Pathway, Centre for Emerging Research Initiatives and applied research training modules offer a suite of supports for applied researchers.

Fostering a culture of research is a key strategic priority of Mohawk College and that happens on a number of fronts: backing established researchers leading key campus centres of innovation; helping emerging researchers firmly get rooted in their field of inquiry; and growing the ranks of researchers by inviting new people into the fold.

The goals are to provide more opportunities for applied research to students, to collaborate with more industry partners and to improve the rigour and success of the research that is undertaken, says Cristina Gage, Dean of Applied Research.

Mohawk College is home to subject matter experts in a realm of fields, including remote sensors, internet of things, drones, artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, digital health, additive manufacturing and many others.

Converting that knowledge into an understanding of the demands, standards and rigours of research through Mohawk College’s Applied Research Pathway, a structured approach that builds the skills of new researchers – and the subsequent benefits to students and industry who can join that exploration – is a powerful model, says Andrea Johnson, who is general manager of the recently created Centre for Emerging Research Initiatives. 

“We know we have untapped resources of expertise amongst our faculty experts and we wanted to create more access to research training to develop their research skills and knowledge that can solve real-life challenges.”

Mohawk College, through IDEAWORKS, its applied research and innovation division, provides resources, support, mentorship and services to faculty, staff and students across the spectrum of research experience.

“Mohawk College has developed a flexible toolbox that supports researchers. The majority of our researchers work within defined innovation centres that employ professional staff,” says Jeff McIsaac, Dean of Engineering Technology & Aviation.

The Applied Research Pathway, developed by Johnson and McIsaac, operates in five levels, beginning with novice researchers, then emerging researchers and working all the way up to established researchers who are leading large projects and building a career in the field.

Researchers complete training and research activities and hit key milestones to move through to the next stage.

“We have researchers across the spectrum of experience, from someone just starting out who needs training and skills development and assistance in finding partners and building relationships to undertake their first project to those who have completed dozens of projects and are managing 10 to 20 researchers and a multi-million dollar budget,” says McIsaac.

“Those two researchers have a completely different set of needs, so with the Applied Research Pathway, we can identify where in the research journey they are and align our supports with that of the needs of 
the researcher.”

An element of the research pathway is a series of applied research training modules that are now open for enrollment to anyone, including individuals, industry and other institutions, and provide the resources for those who want to take on research activities but may be intimidated.

“How do you start? How do you pose a research question? How do you get funding? These are questions that someone new to research would have,” says Gage. “We know there are faculty and staff who 
are interested in research but haven’t had dedicated training.”

The modules also cover research ethics, how to protect intellectual property, how to apply for grants and how to achieve research objectives that create value for the region, province and country.

“The idea is to give back to the entire applied research community with training and knowledge. More applied research knowledge is better for everyone and makes the sector stronger. We really believe in the value of applied research and what it brings to businesses, community organizations and start-ups.”

Babitha Thampinathan, who teaches cardiac sonography part-time at the Institute for Applied Health Sciences, took the applied research modules earlier this year. She is exploring the integration of AI technology, such as a simulation mannikins to evaluate the impact of simulation-based learning.

“I have always planned to do applied research at the school and coming out of the pandemic, I renewed my commitment. I have participated in some clinical research but that’s different from finding an industry partner and funding.”

She said the modules were accessible, sequential and systematic and included videos, hands-on “drag and drop” activities, readings and self-assessments.

“I now understand the terminology of applied research, along with budgets and working with deliverables to research partners. I have referred my colleagues who don’t have a research background and they found it really helpful, too.”

Thampinathan credits the modules with helping her secure two grants, one through the IDEAWORKS Catalyst Fund and the other through an external funder. “I think it’s great Mohawk College has opened this up to external researchers. That is forward thinking and it shows the strength and value of applied research at the college.” 

This story originally appeared in Momentum Magazine.

Mohawk College celebrates faculty and staff who have published books for National Authors Day on November 1.

For the first time, Mohawk College is  recognizing the authors in its midst.  Dr. Lisa Funnell, Associate Dean of Creative Industries, figures it is long overdue.

She got the idea when Graphic Design professor and professional illustrator Leif Peng showed her his just-published book The Art of the REAL Tom Sawyer.

“I had no idea that he had published a book and it got me wondering how many others at Mohawk had written books,” she says. She reached out to fellow associate deans to compile a list of authors among faculty and staff. “I was excited and impressed by the number of names that came back. We need to recognize the talent at Mohawk College and they deserve to be celebrated.”

The result was a celebration honouring about 20 Mohawk College authors in conjunction with National Authors Day on November 1. They have written everything from course textbooks to adult fiction to children’s stories.

Funnell hopes that the creativity and thought leadership of Mohawk College faculty and staff become better known in the community, alongside its leadership in education and 
applied research.

Funnell knows first-hand what it takes to put a book out into the world. She has seven in print, two more under contract, and another in progress. Her work centres on representation and identity in the film industry and she is an expert in gender and feminism in the James Bond series.

“It’s so different from other forms of writing to write and publish a book. It’s a painful and arduous process. It requires deep contemplation, organization and a long period of edits and revisions.”

Peng’s book documents the impact of Thomas B. Sawyer, whose high-energy images of “happy people with happy problems” appeared in newspapers, magazines and on billboards, fridge magnets and TV. He worked for 30 years in obscurity before abandoning illustration to become an award-winning filmmaker and TV showrunner/screenwriter.

“Leif is so respected in his field,” says Funnell. “I am inspired by the success of these authors and I think others will be, too.”

Dr. Anne-Marie DePape

Title: Charlotte’s Shadow, 2022

Role at Mohawk: Coordinator and Professor in Brain Disorders Management and Mental Health & Disability Management 

I wrote this children’s book alongside Christine Quaglia, a Social Worker at the University of Windsor. We had the idea for almost 20 years to write this book and when COVID hit and others were baking and watching Netflix, we decided it was time.

The book is about a young girl named Charlotte and her dog Shadow. It is told from the perspective of Shadow, who sees Charlotte as larger than life. The book takes children on an adventure as Charlotte goes through her day: mailing a letter, returning a book to the library, and going to her grandmother’s house. It is not revealed until the end that Charlotte uses a wheelchair and that Shadow is her service dog.

I have a background in working with children with disabilities as part of my training as a Developmental Psychologist. Christine has lived experience with a physical disability in addition to her work of supporting students registered with Student Accessibility Services. We met in university and I noticed early on the way that children interacted with her. They had great curiosity about her wheelchair and just asked questions. Christine is so open and loves to show them how her wheelchair works and how she can elevate herself. It creates a teachable moment, and for some kids this might be the first contact they have with someone with a disability.

I had a couple full circle moments where graduates of our programs, now working in elementary schools, tell me how they have incorporated Charlotte’s Shadow into their curriculum. It was the first time that some children saw themselves represented in the books that they read. Disability is not often talked about in children’s literature. When it is discussed, characters with a disability are not always portrayed in a positive way or as primary characters of children’s stories. I think it is really neat that Mohawk College brought us together in a celebration of authors. There is so much talent here. This takes us out of our silos to form a community together.

There may be people thinking about writing a book and I hope this community inspires them to do so.

Carla LaBella

Title: The WOW Book – Ways of Optimizing Well-Being (to be published Fall 2023)

Role at Mohawk: Coordinator of General Arts and Science, Professor of Psychology

This will be an optional book in our Positive Psychology course. I co-created this course in 2018 with my colleague, Tulsie Raghubir-Mamouzellos. At the time, we wanted something to support our course but 
we weren’t happy with the books that were out there.

So I took the materials and my approach to Positive Psychology as I teach it, and turned it into a book. These are tools that I’ve applied in my own life and shared widely with my students and colleagues.

I started writing this book during COVID. That was really the motivation for the book because so many students and others, with and without a mental health issue, struggled during the pandemic.

The book includes a foundational introduction to Positive Psychology and the mind-body connection and explores the many ways we can enhance our wellbeing. Anxiety, sadness and anger are all part of being human. The goal is to help readers build a toolbox so they can better navigate these experiences.

This is my first book, so it’s been a challenging, vulnerable experience. It’s putting yourself out there and there is no way to know what the reception will be. But I’m excited about how it will be used and the impact it may have on others.

I am happy that Mohawk College hosted this authors event. It’s valuable because we have so many talented professors and staff members. It’s nice to have that recognition that people are doing great work. This might inspire people to take on some writing.

John Corr

Title: Eight Times Up, 2019

Role at Mohawk: Professor of Communication and Global Studies

Eight Times Up is my first novel. It’s children’s fiction, written about a boy who trains in the martial art aikido.

I trained in aikido for about 20 years. It’s given me so much. Aikido teaches students how to handle conflict assertively, but without aggression. It’s as much mindful as physical. You learn to defend against your own fear, doubt, hesitation, and surprise.

In Eight Times Up, the main character is a boy named Riley who struggles with anxiety. His father offers him the chance to try aikido, hoping it will help him build resilience and cope with the feeling of being overwhelmed.

The intended audience is readers aged 9-12, but adults enjoy it too. I showed the first draft to a writer-in-residence who encouraged me to send it out. The second publisher I sent it to picked it up. Even though the story is about resilience, I don’t think I could have persevered through 100 rejection letters before getting published.

Writing can be either the best feeling in the world or the worst. It’s so immersive. To me, writing feels like getting lost in a novel that only ends when you want it to. The best part of the two-year-long editing process was arguing with my editor about my characters’ feelings and actions. It meant so much that she cared about the characters as much as I did.

When it came out, I was afraid of two things: that nobody would read it and that anybody would read it. It’s such a personal book. But it’s opened up so many connections and relationships that wouldn’t have happened otherwise.

The book was short-listed for the Hamilton Literary Awards in 2020; was named a TD Summer Reading Club “Top Ten” selection (2020) and a CANSCAIP/Ontario Library Association “Best Bets” Book (2020); and was listed in the Bank Street College of Education “The Best Children’s Books of the Year” (2020).

This recognition for Mohawk College’s authors is vital. It reveals a whole layer of culture that can percolate through and inspire students. If you can’t see it, you can’t be it!

Dr. Sharon Kamassah

Title: Yielding: Life Unraveled, 2021

Role at Mohawk: Manager, Workplace Equity and Inclusion

I’ve always been a writer but I’ve always written in my closet. I’m an introvert. I teach and I have a business but I’m just as happy in my room with the door closed surrounded by books. During the time of COVID, I experimented with writing a book that isn’t fixed in time, that isn’t fixed in location and speaks in different voices. It also explores what it means to have aging parents.

The way my character deals with loss is totally different than how it came about for me. I thought her reaction would be how I would react in a similar situation but I was so wrong.

I self-published the book and dedicated it to my mother. It hurt me that she never knew me as a writer. When she passed in 2021, I just felt that I had to get it out there before 
the year ended.

During the editing stage, I gave it to my daughter to read. She was my first reader and she hated it completely. I felt totally decimated and was tempted to keep the manuscript in my closet. After losing my mother though, I decided that regardless of whether it’s everybody’s cup of tea or not, to just get it out there! Even if it reaches only one person, I’ve reached one person it resonates with and that’s success enough.

My mother had her first stroke at 58. It seemed like she never enjoyed a life beyond hard work up until that point. She is my template so I have to be careful and mindful of the decisions I make based on the lessons I’ve learnt from her. I don’t want any regrets.

I’ve done a lot in my life but I’ve never taken the time to reflect on it. Writing, however, is very reflective. It’s in your mind, heart and spirit. To have my words out there is to be exposed. Some of what I’ve written is me, but some of it is not and the reader doesn’t know which is which. I see continuing to write, doing this vulnerable work, as a step in the right direction. I know it’s part of my growth.

Knowing that there is this community of writers among my colleagues here at Mohawk College is affirming and a huge resource for our college community.

Stephen Metelsky

Title: Undercover: Stories from the Underworld of Law Enforcement, 2021

Role at Mohawk: Professor of Criminology

I had a 21-year career in policing and spent much of that in undercover work where I primarily worked as a handler. A handler is a supervisor who writes an operational plan, oversees safety and coordinates the investigative and surveillance teams.

Undercover really came about by accident. I was working with a collaborator on another project and we interviewed 30 to 40 people. As we kept editing down, I realized that five or six interviews would have to be cut. They were all undercover operatives and the stuff was incredible, but it didn’t fit in the project. So, I asked my partner if I could use the interviews. I was originally going to write a column, but then I decided it was a book.

I reached out to some friends in the undercover world and they came on board, too. My own connections and experience opened doors. There are about a dozen people in the book. It’s a nice mix of stories, timelines and geography.

This book puts readers in the front seat of some incredible stories. When you are infiltrating organized crime networks, gangs and drug dealing organizations, anything can happen in a millisecond. I think for some people in the book it was cathartic to talk about their experience. I want the public to know that the men and women who do this don’t get extra pay and they don’t get on the front page or the six o’clock news. They risk their lives to put really bad people in jail.

With this book, it was such an honour and privilege to tell these stories and such a responsibility to tell them right.

I’ve been writing crime stories for magazines and newspapers for years. Every aspect of my life has been true crime. I’ve lived it from the inside, I went to school for it and now I teach and write about it. I don’t glorify crime or criminals. I’m most interested in bringing cold cases back to the public domain. I’m a proponent of victim rights. I’ve seen the pain and suffering of families.

I am extremely humbled to be among the authors being recognized. It’s an honour to teach at Mohawk College.

This story originally appeared in Momentum Magazine.

Mohawk College’s transformational Climate Action Plan sets a net-zero target for 2035, along with advancing sustainability within student learning and applied research.

A Climate Action Plan releasing this fall is Mohawk College’s transformational roadmap to fight climate change and prepare for a low-carbon economy on three fronts: direct operations, education and training, and applied research and partnerships.

The plan’s target is to achieve net-zero carbon in direct operations – buildings and fleet – by 2035. The plan also focuses on embedding sustainability and climate action into curriculum across the college’s programming, providing extracurricular opportunities and encouraging a sustainability mindset.

“We are training our students to lead and participate in the coming transition to the low-carbon economy,” says Allison Maxted, Manager of Sustainability.

A new comprehensive School of Sustainability and Climate Action will advance education and training elements that are foundational to the Climate Action Plan.

“What sets our Climate Action Plan apart is that it looks at climate action in a holistic way,” says Maxted. “The impact of an educational institution extends well beyond its operations. We are critical to the workforce development and applied research that will move us forward.”

Mohawk College has made it a strategic pillar to make a measurable impact on climate change, says Henry Colyn, Chief Building and Facilities Officer.

“The Climate Action Plan is a roadmap to a destination. We have set aggressive targets for our operations, including an 85 per cent reduction in Scope 1 and 2 greenhouse gas emissions by 2030 based on a 2007 baseline. To achieve that, we are making a significant investment in technology.”

That includes an additional electric boiler, along with conservation efforts and systemic changes to campus practices. Every future deferred maintenance and capital decision will be guided by the plan’s targets. The multilayered strategy will focus on electrification, conservation, storage and on-site generation.

“Our targets are ambitious but they are achievable. It will require a great deal of planning,” says Colyn.

The Climate Action Plan also sets out a proposal to grow the college’s research impact in the realm of climate solutions.

Mohawk College is working with more than 25 companies on complex and challenging decarbonization strategies, along with a number of municipal governments, start-ups and small clean-tech businesses, says Kate Flynn, General Manager of the Centre for Climate Change Management (CCCM).

“The whole plan is about the successes we’ve had and how we will dive into the next deeper level and lead in this space. The next phase is about expanding our advanced research and doing more things better.”

CCCM is the centre of this research, along with the Energy & Power Innovation Centre, the Sensor Systems and Internet of Things (IOT) Lab, and the work of Tony Cupido, who holds a research chair in sustainable building technologies.

“There are so many facets because climate change touches many aspects of our economy,” says Flynn. “We are engaging in more research across the college in interdisciplinary spaces.”

Each of the Climate Action Plan’s pillars has a sponsor from the College’s Senior Leadership Team. A college-wide Steering Group will oversee the implementation of the plan and provide knowledge and expertise to ensure commitments to sustainability and climate action are reflected in planning and decision-making.

Working groups will advance specific areas and the plan identifies guiding principles for incorporating Indigenous concepts of relationships and sustainability.

The Climate Action Plan builds on a longstanding legacy in sustainability. Mohawk College has had a comprehensive environmental management plan in place since 2011 – the first college in Ontario to do so – and has prioritized climate action within its overall strategic plan.

It has been named one of Canada’s greenest employers 10 years in a row and holds a STARS® Gold rating from AASHE (Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education) for sustainability achievements.

Mohawk College has also founded Canadian Colleges for a Resilient Recovery, a national coalition of 14 colleges, cégeps, institutes and polytechnics that is leading the transition to a low-carbon economy, and opened The Joyce Centre, Canada’s first net-zero carbon institutional building.

“Mohawk College serves as a model of what an institution can look like as it moves into the next phase on climate action,” says Flynn.

Five years of The Joyce Centre for Partnership & Innovation

The Joyce Centre for Partnership & Innovation, Canada’s first net-zero institutional building, has inspired many other such buildings and has welcomed thousands through its doors since it opened five years ago.

That includes everyone from local elementary school children to engineers and scientists from across the world, says Tony Cupido, Mohawk’s Research Chair in Sustainable Building Technologies.

He’s led hundreds of tours and the building has hosted numerous conferences for organizations that promote zero-carbon, lowenergy buildings, as well as engineering and architecture groups.

“With respect to its design and construction, this building was ground-breaking. Nothing on this scale had been done before. From a knowledge point of view, this building has contributed a great deal. I think it’s fair to say that virtually every Ontario university and college, and many others, have visited The Joyce Centre.”

Cupido recently led a tour for Hamilton Mayor Andrea Horwath and her team who are searching for efficiencies in the city’s operations of fire halls, police stations, arenas, community centres and other public buildings.

The Joyce Centre has served as a “backbone for student learning” within curriculum, capstone projects, and applied research, says Cupido.

Students have analyzed the performance of the water quality produced by the rainwater harvesting and filtration system, the building’s system of solar panels, the green roof, and its geothermal heating and 
cooling system.

“The thrill is the interest of students in this building, the projects they do and the outcomes they find. Seeing students learn from this building is very rewarding. They will have better knowledge about what buildings can be because they’ve lived and breathed in this building.”

There is now five years’ worth of data on the building’s performance, says Henry Colyn, Chief Building and Facilities Officer. Data is submitted each year to the Canada Green Building Council in order to maintain the building’s zero-carbon certification.

“We have an amazing team of people who operate that building. It’s very technically advanced and it requires technically advanced people skilled in energy, electrical, mechanical and building automation to operate it. It’s not just built and left to run, it needs constant monitoring and adjustment. The ongoing success of this building is 100% due to amazing facilities team we have assembled to operate it.” 

This story originally appeared in Momentum Magazine.

Canadian Colleges for a Resilient Recovery’s Quick Train Canada is providing a suite of upskilling, reskilling options for workers across the country.

Canadian Colleges for a Resilient Recovery (C2R2) is a nationwide effort led by Mohawk College to coordinate, amplify and accelerate the training and research necessary for the transition to a clean economy.

That foundational organization of 14 partnering colleges, cégeps, institutes and polytechnics from across Canada with strength in climate action and sustainability has now launched Quick Train Canada, a fully funded suite of microcredentials. They cover a wide variety of sectors, including agriculture and agri-food, transportation, natural resources and environment, clean technology, construction and industry development.

Through in-person, virtual and hybrid offerings, learners can choose from microcredentials offered at institutions across Canada. The goal is to train 10,000 people.

“As smart technology advances and the clean economy rolls out across the country, existing industries are adapting to remain competitive and new industries are gaining a strong foothold in the economy,” says Mohawk College President and CEO Ron J. McKerlie. 

Mohawk College founded C2R2 in the fall of 2020 and now acts as its coordinating secretariat.

“Quick Train Canada offers short, agile training targeting those already in the workforce. For some individuals, it might not be feasible to go back to school for a diploma or degree, but with the flexibility of microcredentials it is possible to upskill into a new position or a new industry,” says Adrienne Madden, Coalition Manager of C2R2.

In November 2022, the coalition received $46.5 million in funding from Employment and Social Development Canada under its Sectoral Workforce Solutions Program to support an education solution for all Canadians.

“The power to make a large impact quickly is 100 per cent the reason for the coalition,” says Paul Armstrong, Chief Operating Officer for Mohawk College and C2R2 Steering Group Co-Chair. “The members share an honest commitment to removing barriers and applying a national approach so that we can respond quickly to match the needs of a quickly changing economy.”

Each member institution leads in curriculum development, training and applied research within its own realm of expertise.

“That kind of coordinated effort on this scale has never been applied within the college system before. It’s a very efficient model because it eliminates duplication and the unnecessary expenditure of resources. Fourteen institutions are acting as one,” says Armstrong.

A key pillar of C2R2 is one of fostering inclusion, diversity and equity to ensure equitable access to opportunities. In order to ensure that C2R2’s work reflects the needs of business and industry, the coalition has established a national industry advisory council that brings together the voices of large industry sectors, Indigenous peoples, youth and other underrepresented groups.

So far, more than half of Quick Train learners identify as being among an equity-deserving group, which includes women, Indigenous people, racialized and visible minorities, people with disabilities, 2SLGBTQIA+ and newcomers.

“There is strength in this shared mission, this shared vision to work together and in the commitment to EDI (equity, diversity and inclusion),” says Christine Watson, Vice President, Academic at Red River College Polytechnic (RRCP) in Manitoba, one of C2R2’s founding members.

RRCP offers microcredentials in electric vehicle (EV) technology, EV communications and computer systems, building envelope science and working in social innovation andconsultation with Indigenous communities. It will soon roll out courses in hydrogen production, diesel exhaust emission reduction systems and hydrogen fuel cell vehicles.

“We know other colleges have expertise that we don’t have so it’s an opportunity to leverage our strengths and to call upon the capacity, resources and expertise of all the other colleges,” said Watson, who co-chairs the C2R2 steering group alongside Armstrong.

“This is the right time and these are the right offerings. Demand has been high for our training options. The majority of our learners are employed and are looking for shortburst training for new jobs or new fields. And because the federal government has backed this model, Canadians have access to training in a way they never have before,” she says.

“We are so impressed by the vision and leadership that Mohawk College and Ron and Paul brought forward. We cannot take this on individually. It has to be a collaborative, collective response.”

The need for this type of skills training is enormous.

The C2R2 secretariat team centred at Mohawk College is made up of nine people, including staff seconded from four member institutions. That secretariat provides administrative, communications and government relations support to the coalition and its associated groups, leads all grant applications, handles all day-to-day operations, and drives business development opportunities. 

This story originally appeared in Momentum Magazine.

It was a banner year for Mohawk’s Advertising students, who earned almost two dozen nods in national and global competitions.

The industry awards piled up for Advertising students at Mohawk College in 2022.

“I think the industry has a lot of respect for our students. Awards are a way of validating what we do at Mohawk,” says Professor Jef Petrossi.

Striving for awards changes the standard of student work, he says.

“They are always reaching for a better idea. It adds an extra level of competitive thinking. That’s great preparation for the industry. Awards prove that you think differently.”

In last year’s One Show student competition, Mohawk College had 11 finalists and Gold Pencil winners in third-year advertising students Catherine Looy and Jan Benavente. The school finished tied for 26th globally.

“Powerhouse ad schools from around the world enter,” says Petrossi.

In Canada’s biggest award show, the Ad and Design Club of Canada (ADCC), Mohawk College also came away with Gold Medal winners in Nick Kidd and Amaris Branco, along with four Silver and three Bronze winners.

In the Applied Arts awards, Mohawk amassed three wins and in the National Advertising Challenge, which asked students to develop concepts for the Toronto Zoo, Nichole Fazzari won Gold.

Kidd and Branco converted a win for their Sleep Country campaign at the ADCC awards into internships and a job offer to join a large agency in Toronto as a team.

“We were over the moon to be named as finalists and to get to go to the awards show. It was so cool to get to see amazing industry work,” says Kidd. “When they announced we had won, we thought we had misheard. We were in shock.”

They got to accept their award on stage and Branco shouted, “Take that, imposter syndrome!”

“It was a fate-changing moment for the both of us,” she says. “I still struggle with imposter syndrome but winning that award definitely helped. I’m here for a reason.”

The College is choosy about the awards programs it enters into, says Petrossi.

“We really focus on the awards that will get us eyeballs in the industry.”

What sets advertising apart is that its awards programs bring industry and student awards together. It is a tremendous opportunity for students to make connections with potential employers, says Petrossi.

Petrossi, who has taught at Mohawk for 15 years, says the college encourages its students to build portfolios that show a diversity of ideas, sectors, brands and platforms.

“Advertising is a thing without a right answer. Portfolios are often received differently by different people. But if something has won an award, people will look at that work differently, even if they didn’t like it, because they know a team of judges has liked it.”

Anisa Rouhani has earned five awards in industry competitions, along with a faculty award. Her honours include a win at the 2022 Applied Arts Awards for a Grey Poupon campaign called “Hip Hop’s Favourite Condiment.” She also earned two Silvers in the ADCC awards in 2022.

Now in her last year, Rouhani is serving as junior art director at an agency in downtown Toronto.

While Rouhani appreciates the awards, it is her instructors who stress that they will open doors in the field.

“It’s great to get the recognition that what I’m doing is good.”

Both Kidd and Branco have high praise for Mohawk’s program, which is split into two streams: creative and business/strategy. Students have a common curriculum in first year and choose their stream for years two and three.

“I feel lucky to have enrolled in the best Advertising program in Canada that anyone can find,” says Kidd.

“For an exceptional advertising education and portfolio building experience, I highly recommend Mohawk College,” says Branco. 

This story originally appeared in Momentum Magazine. 

Through innovations in teaching and learning and a priority placed on learner choice, Mohawk College is changing the landscape of its program offerings. 

Learners have individual needs, depending on their educational and employment background and goals. A range of credentials, from micro-credentials, continuing and professional education courses, certificates and programs, to more traditional post-secondary diplomas, advanced diplomas, degrees and post-graduate certificates, provides options to suit any learner. 

Today, the life cycle of learning is broad and continuous. Mohawk’s new Digital Learning Strategy and its growing delivery options will ensure the college meets all types of learners where they are, says Janet Shuh, Dean of Continuing Education and Academic Development. 

“Whether it’s a student coming directly from high school into a diploma or degree program or a mid-career professional seeking upskilling, reskilling or co-skilling through a short-cycle micro-credential, we offer an agile, flexible and comprehensive credential landscape across the life cycle of learning.” 

Optimal flexibility 

Mohawk recognizes that learners have demanding schedules and different learning styles. Some prefer the experience of in-person learning, while others want or require fully online curriculum delivery. Still others prefer a hybrid approach. 

A new HyFlex academic delivery modality provides choice of how a learner wants to learn and where. Mohawk has equipped its first three classrooms to offer all three modalities in a course or program at once: face to face (on campus), synchronous (live real-time) online, and asynchronous (at the learner’s own pace) online. 

A learner can choose one modality throughout the credential’s duration or choose different ones each day or week to suit their work and personal schedules. 

“This requires more equipped classrooms and some training for faculty in moderating delivery in this way. Faculty may also need to re-think how hands-on activities and assessments are administered in a HyFlex environment.” 

HyFlex uses classroom technology, such as Zoom rooms, tracking cameras, high quality speakers, and large monitors to facilitate interaction between faculty, students learning virtually, and those face-to-face in the classroom. 
 

This delivery modality also leverages the college’s robust Learning Management System (LMS) to provide an asynchronous (at their own time) learning experience for students who prefer or need to learn outside of scheduled class times. 

About six Mohawk programs—including Civil Engineering Technology – Transportation and Urban and Regional Planning – Geographic Information Systems (GIS)—are delivered in high-flex mode, says Shuh, but that will grow.

This innovative teaching approach enables out-of-region and out-of-province students to enroll in programs that have traditionally been in-person. That is proving to be popular.

With minimal promotion, Urban and Regional Planning – Geographic Information Systems (GIS) has already attracted 24 registrants in the new online intake for the current fall 2022 semester, in addition to the 27 students in the traditional in-person intake.

Many of these students were from areas far outside of Mohawk College’s geographic catchment. 

Micro-credentials: short-burst learning 

A growing field of learning is micro-credentials that deliver learning in shorter durations than traditional post-secondary programs, often in less than 12 weeks. The college works with industry partners to identify, develop and implement micro-credentials that meet employer needs. 

“They are short-burst, targeted learning programs to meet specific training and skills needs. They are delivered in flexible delivery modes to suit the needs of our learners.” 

They are often delivered online, but may involve experiential on-campus learning components. Many are developed asynchronously (no live classes) so learners can learn when and how they want. 

Some micro-credentials are one-off, while others are designed in “stacks” that combine into a larger credential and digital badges that can be added to a 
LinkedIn profile or curriculum vitae. For the stacked micro-credentials, students are awarded a “milestone” badge to show stacked program completion. 

Mohawk College offers stacked credentials that have been built by industry, including IBM, as well as those that have been designed, developed and delivered directly by the college in human services, technology, manufacturing, business and other areas of specialization. 

“The engagement of industry ensures micro-credentials deliver highly targeted and relevant skills training that meet the emerging and future needs of the workforce,” says Shuh. 

A great example is a new 3D Visualization for the Built Environment micro-credential that develops skills in building information modeling (BIM), 3D rendering tools, GIS and CAD techniques, digital twins and virtual reality/3D printing applications for design, presentation, construction and ongoing operations and maintenance of buildings and spaces. 

“Our industry partner worked closely with us to identify key competencies needed in the building field and to develop the curriculum needed to support those in-demand skills in construction and trades, city planning, facilities management and architecture,” says Shuh. 

“If a picture is worth a thousand words, 3D models and VR/AR is the next step in the architectural, engineering and construction industry,” says Tage Crooks, lead developer of the micro-credential and a zoning examiner with the City of Mississauga. 

“Interest groups, politicians, residents and other stakeholders do not want to read page after page of policy on a particular development - they want to know how that development will impact their lives through the visualization of the project. Mohawk’s new micro-credential in 3D visualization is a game-changer in teaching industry professionals how to create stunning 3D models to convey design intent for their projects in the real world,” says Crooks, who is a part-time professor with the Urban and Regional Planning Technician – GIS program and one of the expert facilitators for the new micro-credential. 

Strategic digital direction 

On the other end of the spectrum, Mohawk College offers two standalone degrees in Digital Health and Business Administration (Trades Management). A Bachelor of Analytics and Data Management (Honours) will launch in fall 2023. 

The college intends to develop more career-ready degrees over the coming years, says Shuh. 

All program development will be guided by a new Digital Learning Strategy that accounts for all the shifts and pivots that came out of the pandemic. 
“We know that the needs and wants of students have changed. While some students still want the traditional on campus learning experience, others have a desire for more flexible learning options,” says Shuh. 

This story originally appeared in Momentum Magazine.