TIMMINS, ON: Northern College is pleased to announce the successful conclusion of its latest phase of outreach to its campus communities by way of delegations to the town councils of Moosonee, Timiskaming Shores, Kirkland Lake and Timmins, Ontario.

Over the past two months since entering into office, Northern College President Dr. Audrey J. Penner has visited with the presiding councils in each of the College’s four campus communities to discuss the College’s strategic and academic planning, partnerships, and placements as they relate to experiential learning and meeting the needs of industry, as well as the future of the organization.

“This has been a high priority in this new role,” stated Dr. Audrey J. Penner, President & CEO of Northern College. “We are always recognizing that our first commitment outside of our campuses halls is the communities we call home; without their contributions and the foundation and support they provide to us, we would be a much different institution than before you today,” she added.

With new leadership combined with a pandemic, it has become increasingly important to maintain and, in some cases, re-establish connections with community stakeholders and partners to create an ongoing, open conversation about the win-win results attainable from close relationships between Northern and the communities it calls home.

“We are emphasizing the northern approach through strengthening regional relationships and, in turn, an invigorating lifestyle coupled with a rich learning experience to offer our students,” stated Penner. “The Northern Experience is more than what students find in our classrooms, labs, or even online,” she continued. “It’s the heart and soul of these communities we serve, and how we conduct ourselves and treat one another. Through these past few months, the world is yearning for more connection and is hungry for additional opportunities for outreach. We are seeing that the more deeply we can respond and are proactive about making these community connections, the stronger we all become, and can build upon the solid foundation we have been building while supporting one another. Intentional, regular and relevant communications like these delegations do just that.”

Capturing and leveraging the perspective of its campus communities to maximize opportunities for learners is an increasing focal point for Northern. The latest strategic planning process, which will guide the College forward, included a survey launched at the beginning of September. Nearly nine hundred citizens responded, representing an excellent 23 per cent response rate. A response rate of eleven per cent or higher to online surveys is considered exceptional in research. The insights gleaned and shared will establish the foundation for a prosperous future.

“We have always worked to create a healthy dialogue between Northern College and its campus communities, and now we’re formalizing those touch points to a greater degree,” stated Dr. Penner. “We want to be intentional as we lay the groundwork for a deeper kind of partnership with external supporters so that the communities we serve become even more engaged in the College. This means increasing the frequency of our communications with one another and others as we widen the scope of our external relations initiatives and programming.”

“We’re seeking to create an open and active strategic planning process that includes our communities and it has been rewarding to be part of this discussion,” added Penner.

Northern College will continue to create opportunities for community feedback and perspectives as it moves towards meeting both its short and long term goals as outlined in its most recent strategic planning document. To stay connected, please see the College’s annual report recently submitted to the Ministry which is now available for review on the Northern College website.

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Media Contact:
Kyle Gennings
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T. 705-235-3211 ext. 2276
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