GBC employees celebrate the start of the new school year
President Anne Sado speaking with Marilyn McNeil Morin, chair, school of fashion and Andre Fraser, manager, business development & industry liaison. Photo: GBC college
About 1,000 George Brown College (GBC) employees gathered at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre on Aug. 31 for the 12th annual President’s Breakfast to celebrate the ways they contribute to student success.
The theme of this year’s breakfast was “Today I take the lead”, while the motto was “innovate, educate, empower and encourage,” according to GBC president Anne Sado.
President Anne Sado with Jules Lewis, professor and coordinator at the centre for construction and engineering technologies. Photo: GBC College
Jen Gould and Adam Lawrence, former students who have gone on to work at the college, were this year’s hosts. Gould, a graduate of the GBC graphic design program and a winner of the Juno Award for Children’s Album of the Year for Music Soup, will be teaching Design Principles this fall. Lawrence, who graduated from the Theatre School is an on-campus liaison.
According to Lawrence, his main goal as an on-campus liaison is “to give students support”. He ended his speech by calling on all colleagues to “inspire that same greatness in everyone you see every day.”
Another GBC graduate, Masini McDermott, was a special guest at the event. The bright and fun-loving soul singer performed a few songs throughout the morning. She was followed by The Browns, a band formed by GBC employees, who closed the event.
The winners for the Achievement Awards were also announced during the breakfast.
The Innovation Award went to professor Ashley Booth, who brought the Good Food Market to the college.
The Leadership Award went to the research and innovation project management team, which has completed 480 projects since 2009.
The inaugural International Award, introduced for the first time this year, went to Colette Kane from the centre for community services & early childhood education.
Other staff members recognized with awards included:
- Jules Lewis at the centre for construction and engineering technologies (CCET) and Richard Almonte at the centre for business for Excellence in Teaching and Learning;
- Maria DeNotaris (career services), Michelle Lynch (CCET) and Akihiro Nakamura (disability services) for Support Staff Excellence in Service; and
- Jennifer Goheen (CCET) for Student Service and Experience.
At the event Sado noted the merits of professors such as Mike Avis, who is helping to promote the culture of learning innovation in the centre for preparatory and liberal studies, as well as Barb Pimento, who initiated the oral health promotion in action program, which has helped students feel more ready for and less anxious about their future jobs.
Sado also praised the social media team, whose work brought 43,000 subscribers to the GBC Facebook page and resulted in 10,000 Twitter followers. “These are examples of purposeful action we welcome at GBC,” she said. “There was purpose and there was action in every case.
“It’s not about someday, it’s about today. It’s not about someone else, it’s about me, and I am taking the lead,” concluded Sado.
