Loyalist College celebrates grand opening of campus in Port Hope

Port Hope, ON, Sept. 20, 2024 – This week, Loyalist College celebrated the grand opening of its new campus in Port Hope, marking another step forward in the college’s commitment to broaden its impact across Northumberland County.

The event opened with remarks by Loyalist College President and CEO Mark Kirkpatrick, who spoke about the college’s vision to provide accessible and responsive higher education in the region. “The residents, students, employers and industries in small communities across Northumberland County deserve the same access to talent, facilities, and expertise that the residents of major urban areas enjoy,” he said. “Our Port Hope campus enables us to deliver on our promise to bring more education and workforce development opportunities to the area.” 

College employees, students, as well as local industry and community leaders attended the celebration. MPP David Piccini, Northumberland-Peterborough South; Mayor Olena Hankivsky, Municipality of Port Hope; and Mayor Lucas Cleveland, Town of Cobourg delivered remarks, stressing the importance of the college’s presence in contributing to the region’s economic development. Loyalist’s Student Government President Mustafa Alali spoke about student experience. 

President Kirkpatrick also announced the college’s recent acquisition of a nearby residential building that will be transformed into student housing, underscoring the college’s commitment to providing infrastructure to support students living, learning, and working in Port Hope and neighbouring communities. 

Although 2024 has been marked by tumultuous times for Canada’s post-secondary institutions, the event was characterized by a sense of optimism and positive momentum. President Kirkpatrick emphasized the role of colleges as a source of training and talent to support the province’s economic future. 

“From delivering essential social services to managing supply chains, Loyalist grads will play a key role in supporting Ontario’s growth,” he said. “Our mission is to empower our students to succeed and create positive change in their communities.” 

The event concluded with a tour of the campus’ renovated classrooms and student spaces. Later that afternoon, members of the public were also invited to explore the campus and speak with students and college employees at an information fair, experiencing the lively, inclusive and welcoming environment at the campus first-hand. 

“I chose Loyalist College in Port Hope because I come from a smaller community in India, and I wanted that same close, community experience,” says Gursimran Kaur, student in the Computer Systems Technician program. “I’ve found it easy to connect with faculty and staff, and the campus feels safe and welcoming. I’m proud to be part of something new and exciting here in Port Hope.”

Discover the full-time programs offered at Loyalist College in Port Hope.

About Loyalist College  

Loyalist College is built upon the lands governed by the Dish with One Spoon wampum agreement. We affirm and thank the Haudenosaunee, Anishinaabeg and Huron-Wendat nations for their continued caretaking of the land. At Loyalist, we empower our students with wraparound support services and hands-on training to succeed on any path they choose. Our academic programs are responsive and innovative, designed to solve pressing social and economic challenges and meet the evolving needs of our regional industry and community partners. Our graduates enter the workforce equipped with the knowledge they need to be better global citizens, and with future-focused skills to lead change in their fields. With a presence in Belleville, Bancroft, Port Hope, Tyendinaga and Toronto, we believe our institutional responsibility extends beyond the classroom to seeing the big picture for the communities we serve. Our expertise in applied research and deep connections to local industry support economic development, to the benefit of businesses, entrepreneurs, changemakers and innovators. Our commitment to decolonization, and the pursuit of a more inclusive, equitable world, means we hold ourselves accountable to the diverse perspectives, cultures and experiences that shape our communities.  

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Contact:   
Hannah Brown   
Director of Marketing and Communications   
hbrown@loyalistcollege.com