And just like that, I'm nearly 100 days into my time at Humber College.

It’s been a whirlwind, and it’s been terrific.  As the saying goes, time flies when you’re having fun – and the fall term at Humber has flown by.

There is a great deal to review from my first 100 days. I have presided over my first Humber convocation, marked the official opening of the Humber International Graduate School, learned about our programs and facilities, and celebrated our Humber Hawks teams winning provincial and national championships.  

I was part of the launch of our transformative Digital Campus and Academic plans that will help guide the College’s future for the next several years. I attended Nuit Blanche with Lakeshore Campus serving as host for the first-ever Etobicoke hub for the contemporary art event and toured the ongoing construction of the Humber Cultural Hub. I also got to check out the expansion underway at the Centre for Skilled Trades and Technology and helped keep Humber at the centre of conversations on skilled shortages and building inclusive workforces by hosting a roundtable at the Ontario Economic Summit.   

This is just a sample of what I have experienced so far. I’m looking forward to discovering what the next 100 days and beyond have in store for me and the continued, transformative work that we can advance together for Humber.

One of the best parts of my job is seeing the amazing work that is being done by our students, faculty, and staff.  

There are many moments that are worth recognizing and celebrating from the past few months.  

Humber was recognized for its commitment to global citizenship with the Gold Award of Excellence from the World Federation of Colleges and Polytechnics. This adds to Humber’s recognition as a global leader after the College won gold in the Excellence in Global Engagement category at CICan’s annual Awards of Excellence ceremony earlier this year.

I also want to highlight our Early Childhood Education program’s Two-Eyed Land-Based Play course. It’s co-taught by Indigenous and non-Indigenous faculty, supported by Indigenous Elders and Knowledge Holders, and is the only one of its kind in Canada at the post-secondary level. This unique course was a finalist for the 2022 Nature Inspiration awards presented by the Canadian Museum of Nature in Ottawa.

While our sports teams have been achieving success on the field, there’s been recognition off the field as well. Humber’s Athletic Director Ray Chateau was named the co-recipient of the 2021-2022 CCAA Athletic Director of the Year Award while Sports Management program graduate Sierra Costa made history as the first-ever woman general manager in the Canadian Junior Hockey League after she landed the role with the Aurora Tigers.

On the Academic front, I was pleased to learn about the success our Bachelor of Industrial Design program students have enjoyed.

Students Charlotte Watkins and Thomas Ferreira won the 2022 spring semester Canadian Tire Bluehive design competition for their Home Interactive and Virtual Exercise device.  

Another group of students from the same program – Patrick Hui, Nathan Lildhar, Andrew Liu, and Han Yang – won first place in the Automotive Parts Manufacturers’ Association’s annual design competition that tasked entrants with creating a fully electric, autonomous concept vehicle designed for Canadians with a disability.

I also want to mention Baking and Pastry Arts Management program graduate Emma Kilgannon, who’s among the best in the world after returning home from the WorldSkills Competition 2022 Special Edition in Switzerland with a bronze medal in the Pâtisserie and Confectionery division. Emma had previously won gold in that division at the Skills Canada National Competition, which she qualified for after finishing first in the Baking division at the 2022 Virtual Skills Ontario Competition.

There is also student Melinda Komuves’ digital art piece “Catching Cupid” that was recognized with a Juror’s Choice award at the annual League for Innovation in the Community College International Art Competition.  

I’m also pleased to share that on November 28, alumni Mark Cameron was honoured with a Premier’s Award. Mark graduated from Humber’s Primary Care Paramedic program in 1989 and is the co-founder and co-president of the Canadian International Medical Relief Organization, an organization that provides medical supplies and training in war-torn Syria. Mark certainly deserves this recognition and is another wonderful example of our graduates going on to do great things after their time with us. Watching Mark receive his award was a wonderful experience and it was a treat to have Humber faculty Hilario Durán and an exceptional student ensemble from our Bachelor of Music program perform at the ceremony.

We have a strong group of talented people here at Humber. I have seen great things and I know even greater achievements are in our future. I look forward to celebrating more accolades and honours with you and seeing what we can all accomplish together in the future.

AMV