23 ways Sheridan impacted the community in 2023

During Treaties Recognition Week in November, Sheridan installed treaty signs at our three campuses in Brampton, Mississauga and Oakville. The community came together to commemorate the installation with a sign unveiling at Trafalgar Road Campus in partnership with the Mississaugas of the Credit First Nation and the Oakville Community Foundation. These signs, which acknowledge the treaty territories where we reside, are another important step in demonstrating Sheridan’s deep commitment to creating spaces for truth and reconciliation building.

Fallon Melander was appointed Special Advisor to the President and Vice Chancellor on Indigenous Engagement in April as part of Sheridan's ongoing commitment to advance truth and reconciliation. Under her leadership during her one-year appointment, Sheridan adopted a revised Indigenous Engagement and Education Plan that outlines ways to strengthen relationships between our learning community and Indigenous Peoples and communities.

Sheridan continued to work to fill Ontario’s skilled trades gap and address the significant shortfall of skilled workers in Ontario through an innovative partnership with the Canadian College of Technology and Trades (CCTT). Students at CCTT’s existing facility in Fort Erie studied in a range of diploma and graduate certificate programs in business and the skilled trades. These graduates will fuel post-pandemic economic growth, fill the gap for skilled talent that hampers local business growth and reverse the tide of projected retirements over the next five years. This partnership — the first of its kind for Sheridan — delivers on the shared priorities of both the Ontario government and Sheridan.

Sheridan unveiled its revolutionary Honours Bachelor of Science – Osteopathy degree, marking the first time a public institution in Canada has offered such a program. Graduates of the program earn the necessary competency-based education to practice as an osteopathic manual practitioner. The program provides more than 1,000 hours of supervised clinical practice, making it the only degree in Canada that meets the World Health Organization’s Type 1 standard. The program builds upon Sheridan’s reputation for providing high-calibre, hands-on applied health education.

The Sheridan Centre for Elder Research (CER) — an integral part of Generator at Sheridan and one of Canada’s longest-standing college-based research centres focused on aging — commemorated its 20th anniversary in September. CER has completed more than 150 applied research, evaluation and design projects in the past 20 years by examining innovative ways to enhance the well-being of older adults and the environments that support them. The Centre will continue to leverage Sheridan’s institutional strengths, multidisciplinary staff, faculty and student teams, and a collaborative environment where older adults, industry partners and community organizations participate in research to conduct high-quality, impactful work in the field of aging.

Thanks to a $250,000 gift from CIBC, Sheridan boosted support for students with disabilities, helping to remove financial barriers toward obtaining a postsecondary education. The gift went towards bursaries available to students registered with Sheridan’s Accessible Learning department and enrolled in select programs in the Pilon School of Business and the Faculty of Applied Sciences and Technology. The gift was announced to coincide with the International Day of Persons with Disabilities.

Sheridan continued to support employees with education and awareness around equity, diversity and inclusion (EDI), creating more dialogue to promote cultural sensitivity and a greater understanding and appreciation of our differences. Further, we established Employee Resource Groups (ERGs) to support diversity and inclusivity by creating a space in which all employees — particularly those who are members of equity-deserving groups — can gain a heightened sense of belonging in a culture of inclusion and boost employee engagement. Embedding equity, diversity and inclusion into the heart of Sheridan’s overall strategic plan is essential to creating a thriving workplace.

Sheridan and the City of Brampton affirmed their commitment to enacting meaningful change for international students as the principal signatories of the guiding principles of The Brampton Charter for Improving the International Student Experience. The signing was an important milestone in the development and launch of the Charter, which is a culmination of a community roundtable, an international student summit and the co-creation of a shared approach to actions, reporting and accountability, and is the next step in bringing the community together to improve outcomes for international students. Sheridan President Janet Morrison and Brampton mayor Patrick Brown were joined by over 35 Brampton-based social service organizations, educational institutions, and faith, cultural and business organizations that have endorsed the guiding principles of the Charter.

Thanks to their Sheridan education, international students successfully plant roots in Canada and live their best lives. But not only do they find better opportunities and a flourishing career outside of their home country, some alumni, such as Shubham Aggarwal (Computer Engineering Technician ‘15) and Sunaynna Venkatesh (Advertising and Marketing Communications Management ‘15) give back to their communities and support new international students.

Sheridan demonstrated a bold commitment to innovation and creativity, becoming the first Canadian postsecondary institution to invest in two innovative nursing education technologies designed to enhance the learning experiences of nursing students and simulate real-world scenarios. HoloAnatomy Learning Platform uses holographic imagery to display structures and systems in the body to better support students in challenging courses such as anatomy and physiology. Monitor by Laerdal is a defibrillator simulator which allows learners to practise real-life scenarios and the basic skills needed to operate a ventilator. The technology has been integrated into the curriculum of several of Sheridan’s Faculty of Applied Health and Community Studies programs, including the new Honours Bachelor of Science – Nursing degree.

The Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC) announced that Sheridan is among 10 postsecondary institutions recognized through the Government of Canada’s Dimensions program, aimed at advancing equity, diversity and inclusion in research environments. Sheridan is the only college that received Construction-level status, the highest distinction awarded in 2023. Sheridan continues its unwavering commitment to foster transformational change within the research community through this program which addresses barriers and discrimination faced by equity-deserving groups.

Indigenous artist Kent Monkman, a 1986 graduate of Sheridan’s Illustration program, was named a member of the Order of Canada — one of Canada’s highest civilian honours. The award recognizes people who make extraordinary contributions to the nation. Monkman is renowned for his monumental paintings, films and installations that offer provocative critiques of Canada’s history and the way it has been recorded. Through his art, he explores themes of colonization, sexuality, loss and resilience, and despite the somber topics, he injects humour into his work as a way of making it more accessible. He has also been awarded the Hnatyshyn Foundation Visual Arts Award, the Bonham Centre Award, an honorary doctorate degree from OCAD University and the Premier’s Award for Excellence in the Arts.