The tattoo on the back of Leon Mann’s hand says Rasva-apina, the Finnish translation for a term sometimes used to describe a mechanic. The tattoo is a permanent tribute to a four-week trip he took to Finland earlier this year as part of RRC Polytech’s Outbound Student Mobility pilot project.

The project aims to help students — especially those from under-represented groups — strengthen their global skills and competencies, boost their career capacity, expand their professional network and ultimately enrich Manitoba’s economic and social prosperity.

It’s already put Mann, an automotive student with roots in Lake Manitoba First Nation, on a path he would never have thought possible a short time ago. He almost didn’t fill out the program application.

“I was feeling stuck in place and thought, ‘You can’t do that, you can’t achieve that, it’s too prestigious.’ But one of my instructors pushed me, so I applied. Now, I still can’t believe I was there.”

Mann traveled to Finland in February with almost a dozen other RRC Polytech automotive students and instructors. The trip counted towards their program’s work experience requirement and exposed them to on-site training and cultural exploration.

Outbound Student Mobility launched in 2019 thanks to funding from Global Skills Opportunity (GSO), an Employment and Social Development Canada initiative jointly administered by Colleges and Institutes Canada and Universities Canada (CICan).

“Study and work abroad programs are invaluable learning experiences that ensure students are culturally literate, resilient, adaptable and ready to succeed in an increasingly globalized world,” says CICan President Denise Amyot.

A recent CICan report shows 2,556 students Canada-wide have participated in the program. Three quarters of participants identified themselves as members of underrepresented groups — Indigenous students, low-income students and students with disabilities — who would not have had the opportunity to study abroad if it wasn’t for this project.

In previous years, students in RRC Polytech’s International Nursing, Early Childhood Development, and Automotive Technician programs traveled to destinations to Denmark and Finland.

“All of the students who participated from our College identified that they belong to one or more underrepresented groups,” says Yuko Sakurai, an international student support representative at RRC Polytech’s Centre for International Education and Global Partnerships (CIEGP). “This year, funding was approved to support students from three program areas to travel to partner institutions in Finland, Denmark and Jamaica.”

Fredy Froese, a Heavy Duty Equipment Technician student, traveled to Jamaica in February 2023 with three others for a 13-day international experience in Montego Bay. Born in Paraguay and “fully immersed” in Canadian and American culture, Froese says the experience of seeing how automotive shops are run in Jamaica was eye-opening.

“The work rhythm was different, and the professionalism was impressive. So were the high-quality tools they used,” says Froese. “It was all very cool to see. Seeing how a shop operates first-hand gave me a new perspective on what to expect when I get out in the field.”

The on-site work experience portion of the trip lasted three days. Froese spent the rest of his time exploring Jamaica’s culture, including Montego Bay’s vast outdoor supermarket and historical sites. The food, he adds, was “out of this world.” He and his classmates also met with Jamaican students who participated in a virtual exchange and will visit in person next year.

Fellow RRC Polytech student Leon Mann explored the city of Turku and surrounding areas in Finland, took in a hockey game, and developed an appreciation for the city’s heated sidewalks. He says meeting new people and hearing their stories has expanded his view of the world.

In the automotive garage that Mann visited for his work experience, he was surprised that one technician dealt with everything, from setting up the appointment to providing service.

“That gave me a complete outlook on everything I might do when I open my own shop.”

When Mann first joined RRC Polytech’s automotive program, he had no goals apart from getting his certificate. Since then, he’s decided to reach farther. He aims to pass the Red Seal exam for automotive service technicians and open a garage in his home community.

“I’d like to work out a system for our school where I can train students interested in getting into the trade.,” he says. “That’s a path I think many kids there would want to follow, and I believe it would improve our community.”

His Finland experience gave him “that little extra push to keep going down the path I’m on now and not give up,” he says. “This experience taught me that anything is achievable as long as you push yourself into it.”

The intercultural exchange goes both ways, says RRC Polytech automotive instructor Nathan Goertzen. In late 2022, Finnish high school students and instructors visited RRC Polytech and toured our facilities first-hand.

“They were very interested in the mechanical skills training we provide. They got to take apart engines, put them back together, and get them running again. We also showed them more advanced procedures like scope diagnostics.”

The Finnish students also attended a Winnipeg Jets game and visited Whiteshell Provincial Park, a part of Manitoba similar to the Finnish landscape they call home.

“It was great to see them forming relationships with our students,” says Goertzen, noting instructors participating in the exchanges gain a global perspective on teaching, training and engaging students by sharing methods and ideas.

Outbound Student Mobility also fulfils another essential mandate: to build and strengthen connections between institutions around the globe and explore new opportunities abroad. As an instructor, Goertzen got to see how European schools operate. He visited TAI (Turku Vocational Institute) and other colleges in the Finnish cities of Lieksa and Lohja.

“You learn a lot just from seeing how someone else delivers course material in another culture,” he says. “Every little bit of information is something you can add to your toolbox.”

Ultimately, the value of Outbound Mobility comes from the doors it opens to first-hand experiences.

“Whether you’re coming to Canada or traveling abroad, actually being there on the ground is entirely different from seeing another place on social media or in the news,” says Goertzen.

“First-hand international experiences like these give students a wider perspective and make them better professionals and people. Take students in my program, for example. Cars are cars, no matter where you are. Europeans may operate their shops differently, but the nuts and bolts are the same. When my students see that, they realize they can work anywhere worldwide.”

Profile by Ryan McBride (Creative Communications, 2012)

RRC Polytech’s Language Training Centre has become the Centre for Newcomer Integration, with support from a generous donation of $300,000 from BMO Financial Group.

The newly renamed Centre builds on the LTC’s strong foundation and successful reputation. The funding from BMO — announced yesterday alongside an unveiling of the Centre’s new signage — will allow staff to explore new opportunities to engage stakeholders, expand partnerships and align support services based on client needs.

“BMO’s recognition of the positive impact that RRC Polytech is making in the settlement sector, and their eagerness to invest in our ability to help prepare newcomers both linguistically and culturally to contribute quickly to Manitoba’s economy, is a source of tremendous pride — and a demonstration of the power of partnership,” says Fred Meier, RRC Polytech’s President and CEO.

“This generous gift will allow us to build on the success of our language training programs and better coordinate with our partners and stakeholders to ease the transition into Manitoba’s communities and workplaces for newcomers.”

With a priority of opening doors through strategic community engagement, the Centre offers a variety of services to help newcomers successfully settle and contribute to Manitoba’s communities and workplaces through language and communication training, employment preparation services and support services such as community building events, short-term counseling, and referrals to partner organizations. This work will evolve as additional partnerships with stakeholders are established.

“BMO is committed to making progress for a thriving economy, and a sustainable and inclusive society,” says Kristen Kennedy, BMO’s Regional Vice-President, Personal Banking, Prairies Central Region. “RRC Polytech’s Centre for Newcomer Integration will provide newcomers to Canada with valuable resources to help them find employment opportunities and achieve real financial progress.”

Located in Manitou a bi Bii daziigae, in Winnipeg’s Exchange District, the Centre assists more than 2,500 students every year in building English language, cultural communication,and academic skills to further their education, training and employment goals.

“Thank you to BMO for supporting students on journeys similar to mine. I’m a newcomer from Ukraine and I can say — from myself and from other newcomers who attended these courses — how important it is to have this support and a comfortable place to learn,” says RRC Polytech student Valeriia Bielous.

“You can get help not only with learning English but with making adjustments to a culture and to a new workplace. It was an amazing experience for me during the studying process, where we learned a lot about Canadian society, and during my volunteer work placement at the Manitoba Construction Sector Council, where I’m happy to be working currently.”

RRC Polytech is committed to collaborations that provide opportunities for Manitobans to strengthen our province. BMO’s investment in the College’s In Front of What’s Ahead campaign is an excellent example of a partnership that amplifies the College’s impact, deepens our relationship with industry and supports long-term student success.

“By working together, we are setting everyone up for success,” says Meier. “With BMO’s support, the Centre for Newcomer Integration will remove barriers and provide access to the resources newcomers need to build a bright and promising future right here in Manitoba.”

Adão Lopes da Fonseca feels he was always destined to become a teacher. As a young child growing up in rural Brazil, he remembers constantly suggesting that family members of all ages play school with him, as long as he was the one leading the classes.

His passion for education never waned and he continued his studies with a goal of one day teaching English to the Portuguese-speaking middle and high school students of his homeland — but he never dreamed he’d end up perfecting his second language in Winnipeg.

That is, until he discovered that his excellent grades and achievements made him a prime candidate for an exchange program between post-secondary partners RRC Polytech and Instituto Federal de Educação, Ciência e Tecnologia do Ceará (IFCE).

It was an opportunity he couldn’t resist.

“It’s no longer something to dream of because I am living proof it can happen!” says Lopes da Fonseca. “I knew very little about the city, but my research warned me it would be frightfully cold, so my family was a bit worried. I was just excited about living a whole new life and making connections with so many new people.”

Lopes da Fonseca’s four-month stint as a visiting student at the College’s Exchange District Campus is about to end, and while he had to wait until his final few weeks for winter to arrive, a recent cold snap has given him a new appreciation of the term “freezing.” As such, he’s grateful for those new people in his life who taught him how to dress to stay warm.

He will soon return home and present a report to his class on all the things he’s learned through the program, before collecting his English-Portuguese teaching certificate and license to teach middle and high school. He received a scholarship to come to Canada from his prospective employer, the Brazilian government, which will benefit from his experience observing classes, participating in lectures and seminars, and studying English for Academic Purposes teaching methodologies at RRC Polytech’s Language Training Centre (LTC).

“The main challenge to learning English is pronunciation, because in Latin America they have good comprehension, they can read, they can understand really well, but they lack conversation, which is needed to speak confidently,” he says.

“Most of the activities at the LTC are in groups, so when the instructors give out a task, everyone really helps each other and when you see that someone really wants to learn, it gives you the inspiration to give your best as a teacher.”

Lopes da Fonseca says the College provided him with exceptional support, both in his studies and through personal relationships he’ll never forget. He met friendly folks who invited him for homecooked meals, took him on road trips to Winnipeg Beach, and immersed him in the community.

He loved every minute, but says attending an abundance of multicultural celebrations, including the Chinatown Night Market and National Inuit Day, will make him a more effective educator by exposing him to different ways of learning.

“The city is really full of people from all around the world, and being able to meet people from all the communities that you have here — and see how they share their cultures — was so amazing,” he says.

“Partnerships like the exchange program with IFCE facilitate valuable interactions between international students at various stages of the learning process, and bring diverse and innovative perspectives and techniques from around the world to RRC Polytech,” says Eddy Lau, Director of International Education and Global Partnerships.

“The LTC’s dynamic learning environment is enhanced by bringing people of different cultural backgrounds together and teaching everyone the value of diversity and inclusion, in addition to communication.”

Lopes da Fonseca says he would love to return to study, work and live in Winnipeg again, and will encourage his students to study abroad. He says taking part in the exchange taught him that education is like a colouring book: the black and white pictures are important to provide structure and direction, but experience adds the vibrant splashes of colour that bring those outlines to life.

“Being an exchange student is an experience that you cannot lose if you have the chance. There’s some stuff that you cannot go back and live, so be open to conversations, to go to new places, and use your education to live everything you can.”

Thanks to his academic adventure at RRC Polytech, Lopes da Fonseca’s future students will undoubtedly learn many ways to describe cold in English — but recounting his experiences as an exchange student will always warm their teacher’s heart.

Imagine moving to a new place, more than an eight-hour flight away from home. It’s your first time being away from family. You speak the language, but it’s not how you regularly communicate — this is a totally new culture. Now imagine going to school there to train for the first job you’ve ever had.

Camila Quintanilla doesn’t have to imagine — it’s exactly what she did. In March 2021, she moved from Peru to Winnipeg to start a co-operative work placement through RRC Polytech’s Hotel and Restaurant Management program in the Hospitality and Tourism Management diploma.

“I remember going through the immigrations office when I first got to Toronto, and I was so scared I was shaking,” says Quintanilla. “I was so scared of not being able to do anything when I got here.”

She didn’t have to worry. This year, Quintanilla was named the Co-operative Education Manitoba (CEM) Co-op Student of the Year for 2021. She was also one of 39 co-op students — from a pool of 80,000 across the country — nominated for the Co-operative Education and Work-Integrated Learning (CEWIL) Canada Student of the Year Award. To top it all off, her co-op experience led to a full-time job at Baked Expectations. Not bad for her first work experience.

Quintanilla says the integrated learning approach helped solidify what she studied in the real world.

“I had a lot of theory on how to, for example, interact with people, solve problems,” she says, “but I never actually learned how to do that until I had hands-on experience.”

Not that the theory didn’t help. During a particularly difficult interaction with a customer, Quintanilla says she took a breath and remembered what she’d learned in customer service.

“The situation was resolved very quickly and the customer was very happy,” she says. “And I was surprised I remembered what I learned and applied it to a real-life situation. I understood what I had to do, because I’m always taking notes and making sure I understand rather than memorize.”

Quintanilla’s ability to put theory into practice is what the Hospitality and Culinary Arts program strives for with its co-op work placements.

“There’s no better way to test your hospitality knowledge than being there in front of customers,” says Dr. Ryan Whibbs, Chair, Hospitality and Culinary Arts. “Camila is just one example of how our students come out of school job-ready because of it — and we’re so happy she was recognized for her effort.”

RRC Polytech and Winnipeg might be a long way from home and her family, but Quintanilla says these accolades help motivate her.

“I still can’t believe how they really see me and see the hard work I put into things,” she says. “Here I really feel appreciated — my instructors were so happy that I won this award, telling me how proud they were of me — it pushes me to keep doing what I’m doing. Whenever I feel that it’s just too much, or I miss my family, it pushes me through the hard times.”

Work-Integrated Learning is an essential part of programming at RRC Polytech, providing students with hands-on training and opportunities to develop skills and professional relationships before graduation. WIL is incorporated into most of the College’s programs, and is enhanced through partnerships with local co-op employers and mentors.

For more information about WIL, visit Student Employment Services.

The Government of Canada has chosen Red River College to take part in an innovative pilot project aimed at getting more students involved in international exchange opportunities, especially students facing barriers to working and studying abroad.

The Outbound Student Mobility Program, designed and administered by Colleges and Institutes Canada (CiCan), was launched last year to provide more Indigenous students, students with disabilities, and students facing financial need with opportunities to expand their perspectives and apply the global competencies they gain abroad to the careers they pursue back home.

At least, that was the plan.

Since then, the COVID-19 pandemic has added a new challenge to the mix: accomplish all of the above, but without the need to physically fly students across borders.

Raeanne Hebert, a Business Information Technology (BIT) instructor at RRC, was about to travel to Brazil to help develop an exchange program there when the pandemic struck, halting the program in its tracks. However, development funding from the Outbound Mobility project gave her the opportunity to pivot the geographic exchange into a virtual one.

That initiative is now well underway: for the past three months, students in RRC’s BIT program have been connecting online with computer engineering students from the Federal Institute of Ceará (IFCE) to develop solutions for local entrepreneurs, including IT for a drone that delivers pesticides, a fitness and nutrition app, and an energy metering device for a power monitoring dashboard. They’ve completed three projects together so far.

“Students from both countries connect in RRC’s virtual Project Space and program together online for about four hours a day,” says Hebert. “They’ve been learning a lot from one another.”

Hebert says international exchanges — virtual or physical — are critical to opening students’ eyes to other cultures and ways of life, to breaking down stereotypes, and to strengthening relationships and connections.

They’re also vital to fostering innovation.

“When it comes to the future of IT, innovation is 1,000 per cent important. Exchanges like these help our students learn how other countries do things. They teach us innovative solutions to the problems we all face.”

Margarita Natcheva is coordinating Outbound Mobility projects at RRC through its Centre for International Education and Global Partnerships (CIEGP). She says the College’s project leads have put in a tremendous amount of work and creativity into designing projects that will live up to the Government of Canada’s expectations, which are transforming students into nothing short of truly global citizens.

“Canada has to keep up with the world,” she says.” For that to happen, our students need to engage and interact with students from around the world. By learning about the world outside Canada, they are also learning about themselves. There’s no way for our students to do that if we don’t open the door.”

Ken Friesen, program manager for RRC’s Transportation Trades department, agrees. “Many of our students don’t realize the reality of the world outside our borders. Then they see several students in Jamaica sharing one textbook because they can’t each afford their own, and they begin to appreciate the value of what they have here.”

Friesen was actually in Jamaica last year, developing an RRC partnership with the Montego Bay Community College (MBCC), when travel restrictions forced him home early last. Like Hebert, he’s using funding from Outbound Mobility to create a virtual exchange — this time, to train automotive professionals.

In September, four students from MBCC will join students in RRC’s 10-month Automotive Certificate program, which is currently being delivered to RRC students via a blend of online and on-site practical learning. MBCC students will participate online.

RRC instructors will monitor the Outbound students’ practical assignments live with video equipment supplied by RRC and funded by CiCan.

“This will allow for guidance and positive feedback as they perform their practical assignments,” says Friesen. “They will also have the option of recording their practical tasks if live streaming is not possible.”

The College is also sending training aids, textbooks and various precision tools so the Outbound students can participate alongside their RRC cohorts during class time using the same equipment.

Arrangements have been made for an automotive dealership in Montego Bay to provide students there with hands-on work opportunities, an important step in preparing them for careers in a country already facing an urgent need for qualified automotive professionals.

“On top of that,” adds Friesen, “they’ll be able to put international learning experience on their resume, something that otherwise wouldn’t have been possible.”

Virtual exchanges aren’t the only approach RRC is taking to Outbound Mobility. CiCan also awarded funding to a video series produced by RRC students in health sciences and community services, Indigenous education, and social innovation and community development.

In the videos, students ask questions about Indigenous traditions, world views and culture. Indigenous Elders will then be recorded answering the questions. The goal of the series is to foster understanding among students and professionals working in those disciplines and beyond.

Project co-lead Pamela McLeod, an instructor in Social Innovation and Community Development, says the videos build on similar series that many faculties have produced in the past to enhance online learning.

“The questions and answers have a wide-ranging applicability,” says McLeod. “Students ask about everything from Indigenous beliefs and practices related to diet and nutrition to family relations and alliances, how to gather and use traditional Indigenous medicines, the politics and history of traditional Indigenous dance, and what to think about when, for example, you’re a nurse treating an Indigenous patient.”

Alison Fyfe-Carlson, a Nursing instructor and project co-lead, says they plan to package the video series into a workshop, which will raise funds to support future exchanges for students facing financial barriers to participating in intercultural travel opportunities.

“A smaller-scale project like this video series will help get more students involved, raise awareness about the benefits of international exchange, and boost their confidence in themselves.”

If and when travel restrictions allow students to resume travel between countries, all three project leads will then extend their projects into more traditional international exchange opportunities. Each of them agrees that nothing beats the life-changing impact of getting out there, leaving behind your comfort zone, coming home a global citizen with greater confidence and a broader perspective.

On the other hand, all three also agree that virtual exchanges and inter-cultural projects such as the ones currently funded by Outbound Mobility — which lower barriers to access and in some ways create even more opportunities for students to participate — are here to stay. The solutions they provide will make it possible for Red River College to engage more students, both within Canada and beyond, to participate in valuable intercultural experiences.

“We live in a global world,” says Fyfe-Carlson. “Nothing has brought that home more than the pandemic. We need grads [who are] ready to work in a global world, because global problems need global solutions.”

The Canada Outbound Student Mobility Program is administered by Colleges and Institutes Canada (CICan), funded by the Government of Canada, and delivered in collaboration with Universities Canada, as part of Canada’s International Education Strategy.

Red River College announced today that academic programs and services for the Fall 2020 term will be delivered online. This cautious but agile approach will allow RRC to continue providing high-quality educations to students, while preparing graduates to help Manitoba’s economy emerge from the current global pandemic.

“I remain incredibly grateful to our faculty, staff and students as they adjust to our new way of teaching and learning,” says interim President Dr. Christine Watson. “As we prepare for the fall term, our approach will put the safety of our staff and students first, while providing meaningful, high-quality learning experiences for students at every step of their academic journeys.”

While the College is focused on online delivery for the fall, planning is also underway to quickly pivot should public health directives change, to allow for the delivery of some courses on campus. Priority will be given to hands-on learning that was delayed due to the pandemic, in order to help students who are close to graduating get caught up and complete their programs.

“Over the past few months, we’ve learned a great deal from our experiences transitioning to online program delivery,” says Aileen Najduch, acting Vice-President, Academic. “We’re building on that foundation to ensure Red River College continues arming our graduates with the skills, knowledge and experiences they need to help support our partners in industry and rebuild our economy.

“Online learning will help prepare our graduates for a new age of disruption by providing them with the tools they need to succeed in industry and in workplaces that are undergoing a digital transformation.”

The College will keep faculty, staff and students informed of plans for the fall via its coronavirus information page. Campus facilities will remain closed to students and the public. Only essential workers and staff at RRC’s research facilities remain onsite, where they’re adhering to strict guidelines for physical distancing.

“COVID-19 meant that all post-secondary institutions had to pivot quickly in order to keep supporting students, and our economy,” says Watson. “I can’t thank everyone at the College enough for their resilience, their creativity and their dedication, which has carried us through some tremendously challenging times. In the end, we know our College and our students will be ready to support a new way of working.”

Red River College will continue providing alternative delivery models for programs and services for the upcoming spring and summer terms, which means there will be no on-campus classes or public events until September.

Work integrated learning (practicums, clinical, work experience) will continue to be suspended except for those instances that can be completed using online or alternative approaches. Co-op/industry placements will continue at the discretion of the workplace employer.

Today’s announcement extends the timeframe that students, faculty and staff are expected to work off-campus in order to meet increasingly stringent public health directives aimed at slowing the spread of COVID-19 in Manitoba.

“We know this is a challenging time for students, faculty and staff,” says Dr. Christine Watson, interim president and CEO of RRC. “With public health advice changing regularly, we felt that it was important to make a decision that allows for planning certainty throughout the rest of spring and summer.”

Watson lauded the hard work, commitment and creativity of faculty and staff in making the transition to alternative delivery over the past few weeks.

“We have seen our faculty and staff re-imagine their work via technology in a way — and at a pace — that we never thought possible. I also know that we have students who are struggling to adapt to this new reality. We are thankful for all of those who are working together to find a way through this unprecedented situation.

“We would love to be able to re-open our doors and go back to the hustle and bustle of our vibrant campuses. But that simply isn’t an option. We also know that when we begin to rebuild our economy, Manitoba will need Red River College — students will need training to get jobs and launch their careers, and industry will depend upon our grads to fill their workforce needs.

“Our core mission has never been more important to the future prosperity of Manitoba.”

Watson said she is proud of and inspired by RRC employees. In addition to working remotely and taking care of family and loved ones during an uncertain time, many in the RRC community continue to go above and beyond the call of duty.

She cited several examples, such as the 14 Health Information Management students who are helping public health track the spread of the coronavirus data, the TACAM and Smart Factory equipment being used to manufacture wheel bases for IV stands, and the donation of nearly 1,700 N95 respirators from Safety and Health Services to help health-care workers on the front lines.

“Not everything we are trying is going to work perfectly — but what we’re doing is working and working hard to help our students, our employees and our province get through an unusual and unpredictable time. We know there will be disruption. We also know that if we persevere, we will be well positioned to quickly resume regular operations once it is safe to do so.”

The College continues to operate in accordance with public health directives and is in regular contact with the Province of Manitoba.

As the situation is fluid, the College will revise and update its operating procedures and policies as needed. This includes the possibility of re-opening RRC campuses to classes prior to September if public health advises that it is safe to do so.

The College will continually update faculty, staff and students; the latest information will always be available at rrc.ca/coronavirus.

This week, Red River College and its students took their first steps into new territory as courses resumed following a week-long study break.

The same social distancing practices public health authorities are asking everyone to follow to combat the ongoing COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic — including cancelling all gatherings — make it impossible for students and instructors to gather in classrooms, workshops and other facilities where learning normally takes place. So, the College has turned to virtual program delivery to get the job done.

“Luckily, three of our greatest strengths as a College community are resilience, agility and innovation,” says Aileen Najduch, Acting Vice-President, Academic. “RRC leadership, faculty and staff came together last week to put those strengths to work in developing alternative forms of program delivery.”

Each program is different, and so is each approach to virtual program delivery. Some instructors are using online meeting platforms such as WebEx and Microsoft Teams to facilitate virtual classes and chats. Others are using Skype, Zoom, and YouTube group forums to connect and discuss course topics. Still others are sharing narrated PowerPoint presentations with students.

“I’ve already heard from an instructor who says the WebEx class they held for one of their Marketing courses this morning had full participation,” says Kirk Johnson, Dean, Business and Applied Arts, and Hospitality and Culinary Arts.

Many of RRC’s virtual program delivery tools were already in use before the COVID-19 outbreak. They’re simply being deployed more extensively now, says Johnson. For example, Business Administration students are using a networking app called Riipen to connect with real-world clients on projects.

As well, all RRC students have free access to LinkedIn Learning, an enormous database of online courses — a virtual asset Johnson says instructors will rely on more heavily in the months ahead. Although the College cancelled all practicums to protect the safety of its students, some programs are developing virtual practicum activities and experiences, including case studies with industry partners.

In addition to switching to alternative program delivery, RRC has reminded students that College supports and services are available online or over the phone if they need help coping with stress or anxiety, or if they require special accommodations for completing coursework. The College has also launched a coronavirus webpage to serve as a resource and news hub for staff and students.

For now, says College leadership, the “how” may have changed, but the “what” remains the same: helping students achieve their academic goals. RRC has committed to its alternative program delivery model until May 1, when the winter term ends. How the College proceeds from there will depend entirely on the pandemic, and the advice of provincial, national and international health authorities.

“Even though our hallways have never felt emptier,” says Najduch, “the compassion and creativity we’ve seen from our community gives us great hope that we will get through our current challenges and emerge stronger than ever.”

For the second year in a row, Red River College Business Administration students have banked a first place victory at the 2019 Western Canadian Institute of Financial Planners (CIFP) Case Challenge Competition, and will now square off against the best in the East next week in Vancouver.

The four students — (shown above, from left) Suzie Nguyen, Ron Eric Venezuela, Scott Lobban and Desiree Huang — and their Financial Services Specialization instructor, Maria Vincenten, have spent countless hours practicing and preparing in the hopes that this year they’ll come home the national champions.

“Students come to Red River College to gain the skills and knowledge that will make them employable,” says RRC President Paul Vogt. “Competitions like the CIFP Case Challenge provide our students with opportunities to practice problem solving, hone their innovation skills, strengthen their ability to communicate and work within teams, and acquire real-life experience that will ultimately lead them to a successful career.”

“We are so proud of these students and their instructor, who are representing Red River College on the national stage and are truly demonstrating the value of hands-on, applicable learning.”

The CIFP Case Challenge lets students take the skills they’ve learned in the classroom and apply apply them in a fast-paced simulation of a real-world scenario.

Teams of three are sequestered in a room with a copy of a multi-page financial case study, then given just two hours to develop a case analysis, recommendations and an implementation plan.

Once completed, students then have up to 20 minutes to present their findings to a panel of judges (all of them financial services professionals). During this time, students must convince the judges that their solutions are viable and are the best solutions for the case. The team that makes the best and most persuasive case presentation wins.

“What’s really amazing about winning the western challenge and making it to nationals is that RRC’s Business Administration program is only two years, so our students only take the financial services courses over one semester in their final year,” says RRC instructor Maria Vincenten. “We are going up against students in four-year programs who have been learning this material for two-plus years, and in some cases, post-graduate students.”

“There was some material in the case that we hadn’t even covered yet in class, so this is a really big deal for our students, the program and for the College.”

This year, three of the RRC teammates are international students from the Philippines, Taiwan and Vietnam, who came into the program having to learn Canadian business and financial systems from scratch.

The team will compete in Vancouver from June 2–5.

While attending Red River College, students will make friends, become exposed to new ideas, and learn the skills they’ll need to succeed in the workplace. The one thing they might not get to do is study abroad — unless they take time out of their academic schedule to do so.

But RRC’s Intercultural Mentorship Program allows students to broaden their horizons without having to incur the costs of plane tickets, living expenses or additional student fees. In fact, the only investment required is 10 hours of volunteer time, spread over the winter term.

Each year, RRC welcomes over 700 immigrant and international students who wish to further their education in Canada, just as the province regularly welcomes new immigrants who help to grow our economy and strengthen cultural diversity.

In the case of students, cross-cultural exchanges can have positive impacts on their careers, as well.

“Having an understanding of diversity and cross-cultural communication are key power skills to have in our global economy,” says Vera Godavari, RRC’s Mentorship Program Coordinator.

“In Michelle Obama’s talk on The Importance of Studying Abroad, she emphasizes building intercultural bridges as a key to success in the global economy. As she points out, good grades are important, but it’s also about having ‘real experiences with the world beyond your borders — experiences with languages and cultures and society that are very different from your own.’”

Under RRC’s Mentorship Program, local students are paired with international or immigrant counterparts for a series of learning opportunities in which they can share each other’s culture and create meaningful connections.

As Godavari points out, the program helps to enhance what Obama describes as “cooperation by immersing yourself in one another’s culture, learning each other’s stories and getting past the stereotypes and misconceptions.”

“The connections made between students today can blossom into so much more tomorrow — improving the future for all of us,” Godavari explains.

Sign up now to become an intercultural mentor for Winter 2019. The deadline to apply is midnight on Sunday, Jan. 20.