Recognizing Exceptional Leaders at Canadore College
February 8, 2023Minister’s Awards of Excellence honours faculty, staff and graduate students making incredible contributions to their communities
NORTH BAY – Vic Fedeli, MPP for Nipissing announced that an exceptional team from Canadore College has won a Minister’s Award of Excellence in the category of Equality of Opportunity for excelling at creating opportunities in postsecondary education for marginalized and underrepresented groups.
The following recipients were recognized for their delivery of the Nipissing Poverty Reduction through Education Program (NPREP) and the Indigenous Poverty Reduction through Education Program (IPREP) on February 6, 2023, at an awards ceremony hosted by Minister Dunlop at George Brown College in Toronto:
- Judy Manitowabi, Director of Canadore’s First Peoples Centre and Indigenous Engagement
- Ryan Drouin, Canadore College’s Manager of Career Development, Sport and Wellness
- Sarah Julian, Canadore College’s Manager of Community Based and Contract Training
“This award highlights some of the inspiring work happening right here in our community by local postsecondary leaders,” said Vic Fedeli, MPP for Nipissing “The NPREP and IPREP team at Canadore College truly stepped up and made a tangible difference in the lives of students and Ontarians.”
“Students come to Canadore from diverse backgrounds and experiences,” said President and CEO George Burton. “The Nipissing Poverty Reduction through Education Program (NPREP) and Indigenous Poverty Reduction through Education Program (IPREP) are helping Canadore break the cycle of poverty. The programs train, upskill and support low-income students in their journey through post-secondary education to the workforce.”
“Every year, the Minister’s Awards of Excellence provide an opportunity to spotlight the phenomenal work being carried out at our province’s postsecondary institutions, and every year, I am truly amazed by what is being accomplished,” said Jill Dunlop, Minister of Colleges and Universities. “The incredible achievements of the winners not only benefit Ontario’s students, but communities across the province.”
The NPREP and IPREP team won the award for establishing a myriad of unique tools to remove barriers and deliver wrap-around supports for each learner that they serve. Initially launched in 2017 as pilot projects, NPREP and IPREP have supported more than 300 learners. The collaboration relies on partnerships with the District of Nipissing Social Services Administration Board and 12 First Nation communities. Together, the team recruits learners to the College who are currently in receipt of Ontario Works (OW) support. Tuition assistance, housing support, childcare, personal coaching, and other supports are provided. The programs are focused on breaking the cycle of poverty by removing barriers to success. The efforts of the team have reduced OW caseloads dramatically while providing a return on investment in the millions of dollars. The programs are an integral component of the college service offering and the programs hold the potential to support many more Indigenous and non-Indigenous people in reaching their full potential.
The Minister’s Awards of Excellence highlight the achievements of individuals based on the following categories:
- Everyday Heroes: Faculty and staff who have stepped up and made a difference during the 2021-22 academic year.
- Future-Proofing Ontario’s Students: Faculty and staff who have led the way in adapting programs that support new ways of learning.
- Equality of Opportunity: Faculty and staff who have excelled at creating opportunities in postsecondary education for marginalized and underrepresented groups.
- Innovation and Entrepreneurship: Faculty and staff who are working with industry and business to drive economic development.
- Rising Star: Graduate students, faculty and staff who are under 35 and are making a difference in education, inspiring students or carrying out innovative research in the postsecondary education sector.
QUICK FACTS
- The Minister’s Awards of Excellence recognize the exceptional performance of faculty, staff and graduate students from colleges, universities, private career colleges and Indigenous institutes who made a difference during the 2021-22 academic year.
- A call for nominations was issued to all postsecondary institutions in Ontario on November 18, 2022. More than 540 nominations were received and 22 were awarded a Minister’s Award of Excellence.
- The Minister’s Awards of Excellence were created in 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic to spotlight incredible work being done on campuses, in local communities and beyond, by everyday heroes in the postsecondary sector.
ADDITIONAL RESOURCES