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Year in review: Celebrating achievements across the Seneca community

April 1, 2014 to March 31, 2015
The 2014-15 academic year was filled with noteworthy accomplishments for Seneca College. The following are some of our highlights:

Building a stronger Seneca

First Ontario centre dedicated to research in student mobility established
In July, Seneca established the first Ontario research centre focused on how and why students transfer between postsecondary institutions and programs – an important first step in building easier and better pathways between universities and colleges. The Centre for Research in Student Mobility investigates student movement within postsecondary education provincially, nationally and internationally to help inform policy, program and pathway development, student support services and institutional partnerships. Seneca is Ontario’s leader in credit transfer and college-university collaboration, helping hundreds of students each year pursue further education.

Named most entrepreneurial in the province
In April, Seneca was named among the most entrepreneurial postsecondary institutions in Ontario. The recognition came from Startup Canada, a national organization that serves as a voice for entrepreneurs. In 2014, the organization introduced its Startup Canada Awards to celebrate the individuals, communities and institutions in Canada that have demonstrated innovation, excellence, outstanding achievement and created an impact in advancing Canadian entrepreneurship. Seneca was named a runner-up in the most entrepreneurial postsecondary institution category, after Ryerson University and tying with Waterloo. More than 260 applications and nominations from across Canada were received.

Youth entrepreneur initiative launched
In September, Seneca launched a $200,000 youth entrepreneurship initiative that allowed students and youth to explore and develop their own business ventures related to personal health products or services. Called HELIX (Health Entrepreneurship and Lifestyle Innovation Xchange), this initiative was an opportunity for selected students and youth to develop entrepreneurial skills and take their business ideas to the next level with access to mentors, leading-edge incubator workspace and other business start-up resources. The program was funded in part by the Ontario government.

New Strategic Mandate Agreement signed
Seneca signed a new Strategic Mandate Agreement with the Ministry of Training, Colleges and Universities in August that outlines the role the College currently performs in the postsecondary education system and how it builds on its current strengths to achieve its vision and help drive system-wide objectives. The new 2014-17 agreement is available on the Seneca website.

Board holds strategic retreat
The Board of Governors, comprised of members from the community, Seneca’s President, elected college employees and a student held a strategic planning retreat in February. Board members and the Senior Executive reviewed Seneca’s strategic and academic priorities as well as progress against Key Indicators; discussed institutional strengths and opportunities; and explored issues in postsecondary education in Ontario and abroad.

First major step taken in King Campus expansion
In April 2014, the first major step in the expansion and renovation of King Campus was announced. The College and Infrastructure Ontario, on behalf of the Government of Ontario, issued a request for qualifications from teams to design, build and finance the project. The objective of this first step was to identify and select shortlisted teams with the required design and construction experience as well as the financial capacity to undertake this important project for the College.

New ERP system rolled out
A new ERP (Enterprise Resource Planning) system rolled out at Seneca in 2014-15 with Finance, Budget, Human Resources, Student and CRM (Constituent Relationship Management) tools being launched in phases throughout the year. The ERP system has been integrated across College departments and areas enabling sharing of information across systems and stakeholders. Seneca’s ERP system provides one source of information and reporting within the organization enhancing our operations and strengthening our processes.

New brand campaign launched
“Because it matters” was the new tagline used as part of Seneca’s brand campaign, which officially launched in October. The goal of the campaign was to encourage prospective students to come to Seneca to pursue what matters to them. Through a series of print ads, billboards and digital media strategies, the campaign highlighted the stories of nine Seneca students and their paths to success.

Building A+ received LEED Gold Certification
Newnham Campus’s Building A+ received a Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Gold Certification from the Canada Green Building Council in October. The certification was based on the potential environmental impacts and human benefits of the building. For the College, it has meant an environmentally sensitive building that resulted in an annual energy savings of approximately $90,000.

SenecaWorks launched
Seneca’s Career Services and the Co-operative Education teams launched SenecaWorks — a new job posting and career resource website in February. The site was accessible to all current students to search for full-time, part-time and seasonal opportunities posted by external employers and internal Seneca departments. Co-op students also gained the ability to search, apply and set up interviews for positions. Recent alumni could also make use of SenecaWorks’ job listings and could sign up for workshops along with current students.

Senecans of Distinction honoured
The 2014 Senecans of Distinction Awards were handed out in November. Recipients included alumni, who excelled in their careers and maintained a strong connection to the College. Also receiving awards were volunteers, donors and community partners, who made significant social and economic contributions to the Seneca community.

This year’s recipients included:

  • Bijan Minbashian, Alumni
  • Brookfield Properties Management Corporation, Industry Partner
  • Cindy Hazell, retired Seneca Senior Vice-President
  • Gordon Scheel, Alumni
  • Henry Zhang, Alumni
  • Jully Black, Alumni
  • MBNA, Industry Partner
  • Nursing Jamaica Outreach Program, Industry Partner
  • Piyush Gandhi, Alumni
  • Seneca Security – David Mitchell, John Curley and Taylor Unwin
  • Susan Horne, retired Seneca Academic Chair

School spirit celebrated on social media
To celebrate the end of another successful semester at the College, staff and students at Seneca@York created a video to spread a little happiness on campus in April. The YouTube video, which was shared on Twitter and Facebook, included several staff and students from different academic areas showing off their dance skills to the popular Pharrell Williams hit Happy. The video received more than 2,000 views and was retweeted multiple times. As part of the campaign, employees were encouraged to share what makes them happy about being at Seneca on social media using the #SenecaProud hashtag.

Google 360 tours of all campuses launched
In May, the College began the rollout of virtual tours of its campuses across Toronto, York Region and Peterborough. Seneca is the first GTA College to provide prospective students the opportunity to tour our campuses virtually via Google 360 tours. Prospective students were able to get virtual looks inside Newnham, Seneca@York, Markham, King and Peterborough campuses. Using Google’s street view technology, viewers could “walk through” those campuses. The 360 tours included still images of the campuses and were made available on Seneca’s website.

Strengthening our community

Sexual Assault and Sexual Violence Policy launched
In March, Seneca strengthened its commitment to maintaining a healthy and safe learning, living, social, recreational and working environment for everyone – students, employees and visitors, with the launch of our Sexual Assault and Sexual Violence Policy. The policy expressed Seneca’s promise to support those who experience sexual violence, and the College committed to work hard with its partners inside and outside of our institution on sexual violence programs, policies and resources, including prevention and education.

Website launched to take stand against abuse
In April, Seneca and Yellow Brick House partnered to create the Students Supporting Students — Taking a Stand Against Abuse website. With information and links to Seneca and community resources, the website is meant to assist those suffering from abuse or those who know someone suffering from abuse. As part of a federally-funded project, Seneca and Yellow Brick House worked together with students, employees and community organizations to conduct surveys, focus groups and identify ways to engage young people to prevent violence against women on postsecondary campuses.

New initiative launched to direct young adults to postsecondary education
In March, the School of Workforce Skills Development launched “Youth to Postsecondary” — an initiative aimed at young adults who are out of school and work and live in northwest Toronto. Delivered in partnership with the Toronto District School Board, the initiative helped youth transition to postsecondary education by improving their math, English, self-direction, self-management and computer skills. Once the program is completed, students can advance to pre-apprenticeship or bridging programs such as Seneca’s College Opportunities initiative. Additional funding for the program was provided by the Meighen Foundation.

Electionfest hosted with York Region and Toronto partners
In partnership with the Markham Board of Trade, Toronto Real Estate Board and York Region Media Group, Seneca hosted an event entitled “Electionfest” in September at Markham Campus. All Markham candidates running for Mayor, Regional Councillor and Ward Councillor were invited to attend and make a 90-second pitch to members of the community. The event had an exceptional turnout, with 46 of 55 the candidates participating, and more than 300 members of the community in attendance.

$224,046 raised for students with financial need
In April, the Seneca community once again came together to invest in student potential.
The 2014 Campaign for Students raised $224,046 with contributions from Seneca employees, students, alumni and retirees. This included a gift of $50,000 from the Seneca Student Federation and an anonymous donor who matched contributions made by first-time donors or gifts of $200 and above. During the eight-week campaign, students and employees held 35 fundraising events.

$157,204 raised for the United Way
In November, the College surpassed its fundraising goal of $155,000 in support of the United Way. In 2014, students, faculty and staff raised $157,204. Staff and students at the College hosted various fundraising events during the campaign. The money raised benefited the United Way in Toronto and York Region.

Dual Credit bursaries awarded
In October, Seneca presented 15 Dual Credit bursaries worth $1,000 each to secondary school students who successfully completed a dual credit course and were enrolled in a full-time program at the College. The Dual Credit program — part of the School-College-Work Initiative — allows high school students to earn a credit toward their secondary school diploma and a Seneca subject to encourage college pathways.

Strengthening our partnerships

Partnered with York University on new expansion application
In April, Seneca partnered with York University to submit an application for a new York Region campus with joint and collaborative degree programs under a provincial program to expand postsecondary education in Ontario. Under the expansion program, universities submitted proposals for new or expanded campuses in underserved areas. Seneca and York have been working on an expanded list of joint and collaborative programs in engineering technology, digital media, business and human services that could be offered at the new campus and existing campuses. In June, Markham had been chosen as the proposed site of the York University campus in York Region in partnership with Seneca.

Agreement signed with global technology leader
Siemens President and CEO Robert Hardt joined Seneca President David Agnew at Newnham Campus in February to sign a memorandum of understanding (MOU) to strengthen the relationship between Siemens and Seneca. The MOU serves to continuously improve programs and opportunities for students in the Science, Technology, Engineering and Math disciplines.

The MOU signing also focused on Mechatronics programs at the College enabling students to study the design of computer-controlled electromechanical systems. The Siemens Mechatronic Systems Certification Program is a comprehensive industry skills certification offered together with partner schools worldwide.

New agreements forged with global partners
Seneca signed a number of new agreements with global education partners, most notably in China and India.

An association of nursing schools in China signed an agreement with Seneca in June that saw greater cooperation in nursing education, including Chinese faculty and students studying at Seneca. The first group of teachers arrived in Canada in summer 2014 to study our pedagogical approach, and students attended postgrad certificates in a variety of advanced subjects.

A new agreement was signed in September between Seneca and the Mangalam Group of Institutions, a leading education provider in South India. The agreement provides qualified students who are studying computer applications the opportunity to further their studies in Seneca’s Bachelor of Technology - Software Development program.

In January, President Agnew formed new academic partnerships with other Indian institutions.
A memorandum of understanding was signed with the EMPI Business School to develop a joint post-graduate program in social media and business. It would allow qualified MBA and post-graduate students from EMPI to study in Seneca’s Social Media graduate certificate program during their second year.

President Agnew also expanded Seneca’s partnership with the College of Engineering Pune (COEP) and signed a letter of intent with Indian Institutes of Technology Alumni Canada (IITAC) to collaborate on entrepreneurship development activities. The letter of intent between Seneca and IITAC engages the two organizations to work collaboratively to facilitate partnerships and linkages between Seneca and Indian educational institutions while promoting Seneca programs among Indian Diaspora.

Representatives from Seneca and the Government of Saint Christopher (St. Kitts) and Nevis signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) in December to provide the country’s citizens with the skills and education to pursue careers in fields such as construction, technology, trade and tourism. The Honorary Consul General of St. Kitts and Nevis, John Allen, joined President Agnew at Newnham Campus to officially sign the agreement on behalf of the Prime Minister of St. Kitts and Nevis.

Seneca is one of the most internationally diverse postsecondary institutions in Canada, where 5,500 students are welcomed from around the world each year to study across a broad range of programs.

CDOT and Firefox collaborated on new web video functionality
A new way to display subtitles for online video was developed at the Centre for Development of Open Technology (CDOT) and announced in July. The Centre worked with Mozilla to include WebVTT in its web products including the Firefox web browser and the Firefox OS for smartphones. WebVTT allows captions, subtitles, translations and other text to play at the correct time during a video. That means videos hosted online can include this information without the need for further programming and the captions/subtitles are accessible. A number of students and faculty began this work as an applied research project in the classroom. It was later completed by CDOT alum Rick Erye through a research grant between Seneca, Mozilla, and the Canadian government.

New province-wide transfer agreement signed
In November, Ontario’s 24 colleges signed the first province-wide agreement to recognize all credits from previous years, when a student in a business diploma program transfers to the same program at another college. The agreement applies to students in accounting, business administration, human resources and marketing programs.

Collaborated on cloud system for storing medical information
In July, Seneca was involved in a collaborative partnership with the aim of allowing people’s health information to be easily accessed from anywhere through a smart phone or laptop. Sixteen Ontario private sector, academic and not-for-profit research partners came together for the Connected Health and Wellness Project — a new people-centred and technology-enabled system that makes it possible for patients to keep health information from different hospitals or clinics in one place using cloud-based tools. The project was partly funded by the Federal Economic Development Agency and was spearheaded by York University, NexJ Systems (which specializes in cloud-based software) and McMaster University.

Seneca’s involvement in the project was focused on using Bluetooth technology to connect medical devices with mobile devices, allowing for data and results to be instantly loaded onto a patient’s phone. Students and faculty from the Centre for Development of Open Technology (CDOT) worked on this aspect of the project, while the Faculty of Communication, Art and Design (FCAD) developed a series of videos that provide individuals of any age with useful tips and practices to promote and sustain a healthy lifestyle.

Celebrating student achievements

Aviation student recognized as Canada’s top amateur pilot
Sebastien Leduc was named Canada’s top amateur pilot in June. The Bachelor of Aviation Technology student was the winner of the 2014 Webster Memorial Trophy Competition, which is considered one of the country’s most prestigious events for amateur aviators. Sebastien and eight other of the top amateur pilots in Canada took part in a week-long series of flight tests, flying exercises, written exams and simulator exercises as part of the competition. By claiming the top prize in the competition, Sebastien received a bronze medallion, and had his name added to the trophy which is on display permanently at the Canada Aviation and Space Museum. He was also offered a position as a flight instructor with the Brampton Flight Centre.

Sports teams captured championship medals
Badminton athletes Suzy Yan and Yan Zhou capped off their dream varsity season as national champions in March. The women’s doubles team captured gold at the Canadian Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) badminton championships. Suzy and Yan advanced to the nationals after sweeping the competition at the Ontario Colleges Athletic Association (OCAA) championships.

Seneca’s women’s soccer team captured the CCAA bronze medal at the national soccer championships in Medicine Hat, Alberta in November. The Sting advanced to the nationals after defeating Algonquin at the provincial finals to win the OCAA gold medal. The bronze was the first CCAA medal in the history of the women’s soccer program at Seneca.

The women’s rugby team also ended the season on a high note by taking home the OCAA silver medal. It’s the second silver in four years for the team that only lost twice all season.

ACCE Scholarship awarded to Business Management students
Two Seneca students won the Association of Chinese Canadian Entrepreneurs (ACCE) Scholarship Award in March. President Agnew attended the ACCE Gala awards dinner to congratulate Lu Tao and Melody Chang from the School of Business Management. They received $1,000 each for their academic achievements and student leadership. The annual scholarship is presented by the ACCE to foster entrepreneurship training.

Valedictorian named Seneca Cup winner
Alysia Harji, who graduated from the Business Administration – Marketing advanced diploma program in June was named Valedictorian and winner of the Seneca Cup at her Spring Convocation ceremony. The Seneca Cup is the College's most prestigious award. A student must show excellence in academic achievement and demonstrate an active commitment to improve the quality of student life at the College. It is presented only when there is a candidate of suitable quality.

Student leaders honoured
The Seneca Student Leadership Awards were presented at a ceremony held in The Great Hall in March. Student Services co-ordinates the Leadership Awards, which are given to students to recognize outstanding contributions to student life, leadership roles, and excellence in academics. More than 30 students from across the College community were honoured at the Leadership Awards.

Marketing students claimed gold at provincial marketing contest
Seneca students took care of business at the Ontario Colleges Marketing Competition in November. The competition consisted of exercises that emulate real-world business challenges. Twenty-one students from the School of Marketing competed against students from 14 other colleges across Ontario. Sabrina Nizamuddin and Daniel Giacomello won gold in the integrated marketing communications category.

Social Change students and professor recognized for fraud awareness campaign
Students from Professor Paul Shecter’s Design for Social Change course received Community Member Awards at a ceremony held at Toronto Police Headquarters in April. The awards are presented annually to members of the community to recognize unselfish acts of bravery, courage and assistance to the Toronto Police Service. In 2013, Paul’s Graphic Design students developed the official Fraud Prevention Month campaign for the Toronto Police Service. The Fraud, Know It Before It Knows You! campaign focused on educating senior citizens, their loved ones and caregivers, so they could avoid becoming victims of fraud. As part of Design for Social Change, the students created posters and other marketing collateral to support the campaign.

Nursing students traveled to Jamaica to put training to use
Seneca Nursing students at King Campus put their professional training to the test on a visit to Kingston, Jamaica in May. Eight students and two alumni from the School of Health Sciences took part in the annual trip, which was organized by Professors Marcia Brown and Hyacinth Jackson. Over the course of two weeks, the students volunteered at several clinics and social agencies, including the Sickle Cell Unit and Clinic at the Tropical Medicine Research Institute where they provided basic nursing services to patients. While on the island, the group also organized a community health fair to raise awareness about diabetes, hypertension and sexual health. The one-day fair saw nearly 100 residents get assessed and referred for further treatment. Seneca’s team of volunteers also donated more than $15,000 worth of medical supplies to at-need clinics and medical facilities. Students, faculty and alumni from the School have been taking part in the Seneca Nursing Jamaica Outreach program since 2008.

Centre for Advanced Technologies students won awards
Two Mechanical Techniques - Computer Numerical Control (CNC) Programming students
won medals at the Ontario Technological Skills Competition (OTSC) in May. Marcelo Luongo captured gold, while Aaron Lui took home bronze in the computer-aided manufacturing portion of the contest. OTSC is the largest skilled trades competition in Canada. More than 1,900 students from across Ontario tested their skills and abilities against industry standards in over 60 skilled trades areas.

Broadcasting-Television student recognized with National Broadcast Award
Alison Boudreau won a Broadcast Educators Association of Canada National Student Award in May. The then Broadcasting-Television student produced and directed “Blind Date: The Musical,” which took home the top prize in the best drama or comedy short category. Featured in Alison’s film were several of her classmates from the Broadcasting-Television program, including Tyler Erdelac, Ian Gablan and Shawn Zacchigna. The 10-minute short was a lighthearted musical comedy about the perils of dating. The Broadcast Educators Association of Canada is a national organization dedicated to promoting excellence in media education. Each year, the organization honours the outstanding work produced by Canadian students and recent graduates through its Student Awards Program.

Journalism students and faculty worked on Easter Seals Telethon
Seneca students, alumni and faculty played a big role in the success of the Easter Seals Telethon, which aired on the CBC in April. Seneca Journalism students were part of the production doing everything from scripting to standing-in for hosts during rehearsals. The students also answered phones on set, produced stories as well as crawls that ran along the bottom of the screen. The Telethon raised money to help children with physical disabilities. Recent Journalism alumni Perdita Felicien from CHCH Television and Patricia Jaggernauth from CP24 served as hosts, along with Seneca Journalism Professor and CTV News Anchor Bill Hutchison. Additionally, Seneca Professor Chris Rodgers from the School of Information and Communication Technology along with some of his students designed the “light circle” computer display, which showed viewers which phones were busy. The College has been part of the Telethon for nearly a decade.

Illustration student earned national recognition
Maureen Heibert was named one of the winners of the Canadian Association of Professional Image Creators illustration contest in May. The fourth semester Independent Illustration student earned second place for her illustration — “A Rose for Emily” — inspired by the classic short story written by William Faulkner. Hundreds of students from across Canada, representing the best illustrators in postsecondary programs, took part in this contest. The winners were determined through an online vote and were honoured at an awards gala in Toronto.

Independent Illustration student won province-wide design contest
For the fourth year in a row, a Seneca Independent Illustration student was the winner of the Ontario Library Association Super Conference Design Competition. Varinder Paul’s winning design earned her $3,000 and was used on all visual material and merchandise to promote the Conference — Canada’s largest library conference held annually in June. Several students and recent graduates at postsecondary institutions across the province took part in this annual contest.

Communication students recognized for website redesign
In June, a team of Seneca students who helped redesign The Regional Municipality of York’s website won a Toronto Ovation Award of Merit. The awards are presented annually by the International Association of Business Communicators to recognize communications excellence throughout the Greater Toronto Area. Technical Communication students Meghan Graham, Hailey Thomson, Olivia Gajadhar and Nicholas Chin, along with Corporate Communication students Eric Sisti, Olena Babiy and Cinthia Guizar redeveloped the York.ca website as part of their four-month co-op placements with the municipality.

Interactive Media Design students teamed up to promote Lake Simcoe
A group of Seneca students did their part in August to encourage Ontarians to visit Lake Simcoe. Interactive Media Design students Jason Pearson, Robert Ross, Tej Partap Singh Kahlon, Chalini Kulandaivelu and Dina Waluyo worked with the Lake Simcoe Splash Festival — an annual event that promotes water awareness and conservation in and around the Lake.

The Festival culminates in a one-day Beach Bash at De la Salle Park at Jackson’s Point. Under the guidance of their professor, Sumit Bhatia, the students created the entire microsite for the new rain garden that was unveiled during the Festival. This included design, development as well as video production. The students filmed over four days and created five videos, highlighting the creation of the rain garden in De la Salle Park. During the festival, interactive signage was set-up around the garden, featuring QR codes and mobile links that directed guests to the students’ work.

Paralegal students won provincial competition
Clifton Yiu and Christopher Gould set the bar high when they competed in the Paralegal Society of Ontario Student Moot Competition in November. The Seneca Paralegal students defeated 12 other GTA college teams to win the prestigious contest. This annual competition gives college students a chance to take part in an actual legal debate and was judged by legal professionals such as judges, lawyers and law professors. Clifton was also recognized with a prize for excellence in advocacy, he shared the award with Laura Vessy (another Seneca Paralegal student who took part in event).

Celebrating achievements of faculty and staff

Professor presented with national innovation award
In February, his Excellency the Right Honourable David Johnston, Governor General of Canada, presented Professor David Humphrey from the School of Information and Communications Technology with a Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC) Synergy Award for Innovation. The prize, which included a $100,000 research grant, allowed David — the first college professor in Canada to receive the award — and his team to invest further in their innovative work with Mozilla, the creators of the Firefox web browser. For more than a decade, David and his students have played an integral role in the creation of key features in multiple versions of Firefox through the Centre for Development of Open Technology. The Synergy Awards for Innovation are presented annually by NSERC to recognize examples of collaboration that stand as a model of effective partnership between industry and colleges or universities.

Continuing Education professor recognized with research award
In June, Andrew Thornton, a professor in the Faculty of Continuing Education and Training, was named the 2014 winner of the Outstanding Research Award for his study: The Perceptions of Self-efficacy of PhD Instructors Teaching Community College Students in Southern Ontario. The award is sponsored jointly by Central Michigan University (CMU) and Ontario College Administrative Staff Association (OCASA) to recognize the high quality of research being conducted in Ontario by CMU graduate students that influence the development of the colleges.

School of Media faculty honoured with broadcast educator award
Professor Ted Ambrose, School of Media, was named the 2014 recipient of the Michael Monty Memorial Award in June. The award is presented annually to a broadcast educator who has been nominated by his or her students. It was awarded by the Radio Television News Directors Association to honour Michael Monty who taught at Seneca and whose stories inspired, entertained and informed thousands of students.

Professor honoured by Associated Church Press
David Turnbull, a Professor in the Corporate Communications program, was named the 2014 recipient of the Award of Excellence presented by the Associated Church Press in Chicago in late April. David was recognized for his photo essay that appeared in the November issue of The United Church Observer including the cover, which also received an Award of Merit. The publication sent him to Vancouver to tell the story of the Truth and Reconciliation events regarding residential school survivors. In addition, David was honoured with a second Award of Merit in the in-depth coverage category for his images on the future of the church that ran in the September 2014 issue of the Observer.

Animated short film won grand prize
Subconscious Password, an animated short film, produced with participation from Seneca’s Animation Arts Centre and Copperheart Entertainment took home another honour in 2014-15. In June, the film won the grand prize at the New York International Short Film Festival. Since its release in 2013, Director’s Chris Landreth’s work has won Best Animated Short at the Canadian Screen Awards and the prestigious Annecy Cristal Award for best short film at the Annecy International Animation Film Festival in France. Representatives from Seneca, The National Film Board of Canada and other special guests gathered to recognize the achievements of Landreth’s award-winning film in April.

Professor honoured by Engineers Canada
Professor Nanda Lwin of the Centre for the Built Environment was honoured in February by Engineers Canada. He was named among the organization’s fellowship recipients, which recognizes noteworthy service to the engineering profession. In addition to his 10 years of teaching at the postsecondary level, Nanda is the Chair of the Professional Engineers Ontario Willowdale/Thornhill Chapter. He has also been an active volunteer with the Chapter since 2005, serving as both Vice and Program Chair.

Marketing professors named top users of Twitter internationally
Make it five years and counting. In January, Social Media Marketing Magazine once again named School of Marketing professors Bhupesh Shah and Anthony Kalamut among the Top 100 Marketing Professors on Twitter. This annual list looks at professors around the world who teach marketing and use the popular microblogging site to provide useful content and engage their student followers. Both Bhupesh and Anthony finished in the Top 30.

School of Aviation Chair presented at world conference
Lynne McMullen, Chair of the School of Aviation, spoke at the World Aviation Training Conference in April. She was part of a panel that discussed the need for greater pilot training. Lynne outlined new training programs developed at Seneca with industry partners that have been adapted to better train the next generation of pilots, including the cadet program with Jazz Airlines.

In September, Lynne was presented with the 2014 Elsie MacGill Northern Lights Education Award. The national award is presented annually to honour outstanding Canadian women in aviation and aerospace who have made a significant contribution in their field and who continue to lay the groundwork for other women to enter or excel in these industries. The award is named after Elsie Gregory MacGill, the world’s first female aircraft designer.

Professor nominated for prestigious nonfiction award
Independent journalist, lawyer and part-time Seneca professor Paula Todd’s Extreme Mean was nominated for the 2014 Hilary Weston Writer’s Trust Prize for Nonfiction in September. Extreme Mean examines the growing trend of cyber-bullying and the psychological damage it brings to its victims. The Weston Prize jury called the book “an essential eye-opening investigation of internet use, misuse, and abuse.” The book was also featured on the cover of Maclean’s Magazine in June.

Hosted “unconference” on innovative approaches to teaching
The Faculty of Communication, Art and Design, in association with Fulbright Foundation for Educational Exchange, hosted Creating Minds for the Future, an “unconference” at Seneca@York in May. Over the course of three days, Seneca faculty were joined by other design and art educators from across the province to participate in a series of thought provoking and reflective discussions with world-renowned master teachers from the United States. Attendees explored five themes: the creative mind, the disciplined mind, the constructive mind, the critical mind and the connective mind, while receiving hands-on demonstrations of the latest technology tools for teaching that can assist educators in their goals.

Celebrating achievements of alumni

Alumnus named Canada’s Business Newsmaker of the Year
In December, Marc Caira, a former member of Seneca’s Board of Governors and a graduate of the Business Administration Marketing program, was named the Canadian Press Business Newsmaker of the Year for 2014. The long-time and respected food industry executive earned the title for his role in negotiating the deal to sell Tim Hortons to Burger King Worldwide Inc. Mark joined Tim Hortons in July 2013 as the President and CEO. He stepped down in December once the deal with Burger King was done and is now the Vice-Chairman of the new entity named Restaurant Brands International, which oversees both restaurant chains. Before joining Tim Hortons, Marc served as the Global CEO of Nestlé Professional.

Hockey Hall of Fame honour bestowed on Seneca alumna
Geraldine Heaney was inducted into Canada’s Sports Hall of Fame in October. The Recreation Facilities Management graduate was one of eight new members to be officially inducted to the Hall in Toronto. Geraldine is often referred to as the “Bobby Orr of women’s hockey” and helped put the sport on the map. In 2013, she joined former teammate and fellow Seneca alumna Angela James as one of only three females to be inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame.

Broadcasting grad honoured at Oscars of advertising world
A Seneca Broadcasting - Television graduate who produced a documentary about a VW Beetle that was driven around the world three times and is still on the road won big at the Cannes Lions Festival in July. At the advertising industry’s biggest awards show of the year, Tom Evelyn won a silver medal for branded content and entertainment, and a bronze medal in the film category. Tom, who is a partner and Executive Producer at Untitled Films in Toronto, served as a producer on VW Beetle Once More: The Story of VIN 903847. The 30-minute documentary was directed by Oscar-nominee Hubert Davis and aired on Bravo and Discovery Channel. It chronicles the “life” of a 1955 Beetle, owned by a man named Wolfgang Paul Loofs, who transported the Beetle around the world to visit his brother who was an archaeologist. Tom graduated from the Broadcasting - Television program in 2006. Since then, he has worked on projects for some of the best known brands in the world including Budweiser, Nissan, Pfizer, Aspirin and WestJet.

Outstanding graduates recognized at Premier’s Awards
The 2014 Premier’s Awards were handed out in November recognizing the tremendous contribution Ontario’s college graduates make to the success of the province. Every year, up to six noteworthy Seneca alumni are nominated. The outstanding nominees for this year’s Premier's Awards were:

  • David Common (Broadcasting – Radio and Television)
  • Caroline Charter (Business Administration – Marketing)
  • Marina Siu-Chong (Independent Illustration)
  • Brenda Librecz (Marketing)
  • Steve Linthwaite (Aviation and Flight Technology)
  • Fazal Khan (Ophthalmic Dispenser)

Corporate Communications grad named top brand marketer
Andrew Bowins was named the 2014 Brand Marketer of the Year by PRNews in December. Andrew, a graduate of Seneca’s graduate certificate in Corporate Communications, is the Senior Vice President of Corporate and Digital Communications at MasterCard International and is based in New York. In this role, he is responsible for integrating and executing public relations and digital communications programming for the company worldwide. The PR People awards are presented each year to the top innovators and passionate professionals who are making communications matter in the marketplace.

Seneca grad’s editing featured on television
A documentary co-edited by a Seneca graduate had its broadcast premiere in January on CBC’s The Nature of Things. Amanda Strachan, who graduated from the Documentary Filmmaking Institute in 2013, served as an assistant editor on Monsoon, which premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival in 2014. The film looked at how the vast seasonal weather system permeates the culture of India and affects the lives of its billion-plus inhabitants. Amanda co-edited the made for television version of the film.

Grad’s film selected for screening by acclaimed program
An animated film made by a Seneca graduate had its world premiere online in March. Stephanie Braithwaite’s one-minute short, The Roommate, was created through the National Film Board of Canada’s acclaimed Hothouse program. Participants work at the National Film Board of Canada’s studio in Montreal where they create their own short work with help from animation and digital media experts. Stephanie’s film was about a girl who takes matters into her own hands when she’s fed up with her roommate’s incessant shopping. All of the films created through the Hothouse program, including Stephanie’s, are available online at the National Film Board of Canada. Stephanie is a graduate of not one but three Seneca programs — Art Fundamentals, Animation and Independent Illustration.

College Fast Facts

Students

27,500 full-time students annually

70,000 continuing education registrants annually

More than 8,000 students graduate from Seneca every year

International

More than 5,500 international students from 120 countries

Programs

With more than 500 career options and an abundance of program offerings, Seneca features over 150 full-time programs and 140 part-time programs, including:

  • 12 Degrees
  • 61 Diplomas
  • 28 Advanced Diplomas
  • 22 Certificates
  • 39 Graduate certificates

Pathways

Seneca is first among Ontario colleges to send graduates on to university through postsecondary partnerships

More than 60 partner institutions in Ontario and worldwide

Through Ontario’s School-College-Work Initiative, more than 1,000 dual credit students from nine local school boards are enrolled at Seneca each year.

Board of Governors

  • David Agnew, President
  • Fariba Anderson
  • Janet Beed (term effective September 1, 2014)
  • Doug Brooks, Vice-Chair
  • Thomas Carrique
  • Lois Cormack (term effective September 1, 2014)
  • Henry Decock, Administrative Staff Governor
  • Donna Duncan, Vice-Chair
  • Colleen Fleming, Chair
  • Richard Goyder, Vice-Chair (completed term August 31, 2014)
  • Zulfiqar Gilani (completed term August 31, 2014)
  • John Honderich
  • Warren Jestin (term effective September 1, 2014)
  • Alice Keung
  • Richard Lim (completed term August 31, 2014)
  • Case Ootes
  • Naki Osutei
  • Kevin Reinhardt, Faculty Governor (term effective September 1, 2014)
  • Frank Robbins, Faculty Governor (completed term August 31, 2014)
  • Mike Shaver
  • Ashif Somani, Vice-Chair (completed term August 31, 2014)
  • Fatema Somji, Student Governor (term effective September 1, 2014)
  • Ibrahima Sow, Student Governor (completed term August 31, 2014)
  • David Tsubouchi
  • Karen Webb, Vice-Chair
  • Stanley White, Support Staff Governor

Senior Administration Listing

  • President
    David Agnew
  • Vice-President, Academic
    Joy McKinnon
  • Vice-President, Finance and Administration
    Amy Tong
  • Vice-President, Strategy and College Affairs
    Daniel Atlin

New Program Offerings

New high-quality programs this year

Full-time programs:

Continuing Education certificates:

  • Applied BioChem Techniques
  • Digital Graphic Design
  • Environmental Management
  • Financial Services Essentials
  • Fundamentals of Natural Health Products
  • International Community Development
  • Medical Devices Reprocessing
  • Search Engine Optimization Analyst