Loyalist College 2019 milestones – a year in review

Belleville, Ontario, December 20, 2019 – The end of the Fall semester marks an opportunity for the Loyalist College community to reflect on what it has accomplished in the past year while looking at its vision for the future. As Ontario’s Destination College, Loyalist’s accomplishments and goals represent collective aspirations to be a destination that inspires students, staff and faculty to pursue their own direction in an engaged and caring culture while supporting innovation, industry and community partners.

Loyalist continues to accept applications for more than 20 diploma and certificate programs starting this January. Rather than waiting until September, January intakes offer students the opportunity to build on their credentials immediately in order to change or advance their careers.

2019 Milestones

Enrolment & Key Performance Indicator Results

• Loyalist College student enrolment increased seven percent in September 2019, with day 10 registrations totalling 3,518. Greater student retention and increased international enrolment of 1,356 students, contribute to a larger student population.
• According to the Key Performance Indicator (KPI) results, released by Colleges Ontario in September, Loyalist College exceeded the provincial average in all five KPIs, including Graduate Employment, Graduate Satisfaction, Employer Satisfaction, Student Satisfaction and Graduation Rate.

 Applied Research

• In December, Loyalist College and Northeastern University announced a partnership to develop cannabis research projects for students to work collaboratively under the supervision of faculty members from both institutions. The Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) was designed to benefit Biosciences and Cannabis Applied Science students, and advance applied cannabis research at both institutions.
• In October, Loyalist entered into a four-year partnership with MediPharm Labs for education, training, development and applied research projects in collaboration with the College’s Cannabis Applied Science post-graduate program. Students and researchers at Loyalist’s Applied Research Centre for Natural Products and Medical Cannabis – Technology Access Centre will focus on cannabis product development, inform process optimization, and address natural product quality, consistency and safety.
• In June, Loyalist received a $1,750,000 Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC) College and Community Innovation (CCI) Program grant over five years to launch Canada’s first Technology Access Centre (TAC) for natural products and cannabis. In addition, Loyalist received $1M through the Canada Foundation for Innovation’s (CFI) College-Industry Innovation Fund (CIIF) to add specialized equipment to the TAC.

 Partnerships & Program Updates

• In November, the Honourable Ross Romano, Minister of Colleges and Universities, visited Loyalist College to announce that the Government of Ontario has introduced a new policy to support innovative public college-private partnerships that allow colleges to be more financially competitive.
• In November, the Ontario Government announced an innovative training partnership between Loyalist College, the Quinte Economic Development Commission and the Military Family Resource Centre at CFB Trenton that will help members of the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) transition to civilian life. The pilot project, known as Elevate Plus – Military, will teach former CAF personnel soft skills, such as conflict resolution, and technical skills, in addition to providing paid job placements.
• In July, Loyalist’s Practical Nursing Ontario College diploma program received its third consecutive Approved (Category 1) status for a five-year term, the highest rating conferred by the College of Nurses of Ontario (CNO), the province’s regulating body for registered nurses (RNs), registered practical nurses (RPNs) and nurse practitioners (NPs).
• In May, Loyalist received accreditation from Chartered Professional Accountants of Ontario (CPA) under the CPA National Accreditation Standards to deliver the Advanced Certificate in Accounting and Finance (ACAF) program and applied courses. In addition, Métis, Inuit and First Nations students are now able to pursue AFOA Canada’s Certified Aboriginal Financial Manager (CAFM) designation, which will help them prepare for senior financial management positions within their communities.
• In April, Rillea Technologies recognized Loyalist for advancing the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals with the presentation of UN Sustainable Development Pins. Through partnership with Rillea Technologies, a local tech company, and Rillea’s digital platform, SDS RiskAssist™, Loyalist achieved several milestones in responsible chemicals management.
• Loyalist and YMCA Northumberland announced a partnership in April that provides YMCA employees with access to the College’s online, part-time Early Childhood Education diploma program, required to become Registered Early Childhood Educators (RECE) and to deliver various YMCA-specific children’s programs.
• In March, Loyalist signed a curriculum partnership agreement with Grace Schools in Lagos, Nigeria, the first of its kind between an Ontario college and a Nigerian secondary school. Under the agreement, graduates of Grace Schools can earn the first year of a Loyalist Business diploma in Nigeria before transitioning to the College‘s Belleville campus to complete their program.

New Programs

• Advertising & Marketing Communications – Creative Design
• Care of Vulnerable Populations (post-graduate)
• Law Clerk Advanced
• Pre-Service Firefighter Education & Training

 Pathway Agreements

• In September, Loyalist and the University of Toronto Scarborough signed an MOU to facilitate a College to University Pathway and a Redirect Pathway with Loyalist College’s General Arts & Science diploma program.
• In February, Loyalist and Supply Chain Canada, Ontario Institute announced an agreement that provides an efficient path for graduates of the College’s Supply Chain Management – Global Logistics post-graduate certificate program to pursue their Certified Supply Chain Management Professional (CSCMP) designation.

 Awards

• Ten students from Loyalist College’s Interactive Media Development – Film & Television Production and Broadcasting – Radio programs received Canadian Media Educators (CME) National Student Awards for producing outstanding work, at the CME Awards Gala in Canmore, Alberta on May 31.
• In April, 12 Loyalist Photojournalism students and graduates received 2018 National Pictures of the Year (NPOY) awards and placed in 13 of the 17 award categories.

Outstanding Varsity Athletes and Teams

• Three Lancers were named OCAA All-Stars
• The Men’s Basketball team is currently ranked third in the East Division and sixth provincially.
• The Women’s Basketball team is currently ranked fifth in the East Division.
• First-year Lancer Riley Litwiller from the Men’s Volleyball team is in the OCAA top five for total service aces.

Goals for 2020

“Delivering an outstanding student experience that offers choice and opportunities within and beyond the classroom and through which students are enabled by an engaged and supportive culture is top priority for Loyalist – Ontario’s Destination College,” said Dr. Ann Marie Vaughan, Loyalist College President & CEO. “As outlined in the College’s new Strategic Plan 2025, Loyalist’s mission is to empower students, faculty, staff, and partners through experiential economic cluster-based education, training, and applied research programs that prepare career-ready graduates for, and knowledge transfer to, industry and the community.”

2020 Upcoming Events

• Career Fair – Wednesday, March 11
• Open House – Saturday, April 4
• Convocation – Wednesday, June 10; Thursday, June 11; and Friday, June 12

About Loyalist College
Loyalist is Ontario’s Destination College, empowering students, faculty, staff, and partners through experiential, industry cluster-based education, training and applied research programs. The College provides career-ready graduates for, and knowledge transfer to, industry and the community. Of 2017-18 Loyalist graduates, 88.5 percent were employed within six months after graduation. Located on more than 200 acres in the beautiful Bay of Quinte region, the College is perfectly positioned between Toronto, Ottawa and Montreal. Loyalist offers more than 70 full-time diploma, certificate and apprenticeship programs in biosciences, building sciences, business, community service, health and wellness, media studies, public safety, and skilled trades. Continuing education options are available through LoyalistFocus.com, including hundreds of online, distance and in-class courses, and through the College’s 100+ university transfer agreements. Loyalist is a key driver of social and economic health in eastern Ontario. It contributes 5.8 percent of the Gross Regional Product, representing $465 million annually to the regional economy – based on an October 2018 report by Emsi. For more information on Loyalist’s Belleville and Bancroft campuses and Port Hope satellite location, visit YoureGoingPlaces.com.

Contact: Kerry Lorimer, Director, Marketing, Communications and Recruitment
Loyalist College, klorimer@loyalistcollege.com, 613-969-1913, ext. 2536