Amplifying underrepresented voices
Unlocking the transformative power of education means ensuring no learner is left behind. This has never been more critical than at this moment. By reflecting the values and needs of our communities, Sheridan is committed to ensuring everyone can thrive in a post-pandemic world.
Here’s how we’re ensuring that quality education is available to everyone in our campus communities – and how we are reaffirming our shared responsibility to learn from our past and care for all community members.
Creating opportunities with community partners
“At Sheridan we are galvanized by the incredible possibilities that can be achieved by harnessing our collective experience and expertise to create inclusive educational environments.”
- Jane Ngobia, Sheridan’s Vice President, Inclusive Communities
In October 2021, NBCUniversal partnered with Sheridan to provide bursaries and creative project grants to students in Sheridan’s Honours Bachelor of Film and Television program who identify as Black, Indigenous and/or from a racialized community. Grant recipients could have the opportunity to be mentored by an industry member of Sheridan’s alumni community.
Sheridan’s Screen Industries Research and Training Centre (SIRT) teamed with the OYA Media Emerging Filmmakers and the City of Toronto to offer virtual production training workshops to young filmmakers who identify as Black, Indigenous or People of Colour. Participants had the opportunity to work in SIRT’s Virtual Production Innovation Hub and training facility, eventually co-directing and managing a virtual production shoot, allowing them to produce scenes for their portfolios. Now in its fourth year, this initiative aims to kickstart the careers of Black youth living in the GTA.
A new national initiative from Colleges and Institutes Canada (CICan) will facilitate the sharing of best practices and promote a coordinated approach to foster a culture of inclusion specific to the college and institute system. Sheridan is a proud member of CICan, and thrilled to support ImpAct-EDI including: a new National EDI Advisory Committee, a CICan Centre of Excellence on EDI and the creation of a new community of practice that will spearhead national cross-sector partnerships
Fostering meaningful mentorships
In early February, Sheridan linked with Black Mentorship Inc. (BMI) — an organization strengthening leadership opportunities by connecting Black youth, professionals and entrepreneurs with experienced mentors. Through the partnership, BMI and Sheridan identified, trained and paired alumni with current students to support networking and knowledge sharing along with a series of virtual seminars for students.
Sheridan introduced its Black Youth Mentorship Program during the 2021-22 academic year, in partnership with Big Brothers Big Sisters of Peel. The program — part of Sheridan’s Youth Amplified Strategy — is a 12-week journey that helps Black youth to explore their identity while being empowered and exposed to various pathways of education with other Black elementary students across Peel Region. The program has been facilitated by self-identified Black/racialized Sheridan student mentors.
Learning about our past and acknowledging our shared responsibilities
Sheridan introduced new observances this year, calling on our community to recognize our shared responsibility and reaffirm our commitment to Indigenous learners.
"As an institution of higher learning, Sheridan recognizes and embraces the critical role it must play in facilitating real, transformational change. This is especially true in the context of truth and reconciliation, given the painful role that educational institutions have played in Canada’s colonial history.”
– Dr. Janet Morrison, Sheridan President and Vice Chancellor.
On September 30, 2021, Sheridan held a ceremony in observance of Canada’s first National Day for Truth and Reconciliation. The event included a keynote address from Mohawk Olympian, activist and Indigenous health and reconciliation speaker Waneek Horn-Miller about education’s role in advancing truth and reconciliation.
On November 23, 2021 Sheridan College reaffirmed its commitment to advancing Indigenous education and truth and reconciliation by permanently installing the Mississaugas of the Credit First Nation flags at its Oakville and Brampton campuses.
United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals
Last year, Sheridan became Ontario’s first institution to sign the SDG Accord, the postsecondary sector’s collective international response to the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals . These 17 Global Goals were adopted by countries around the world in 2015 as a means to guide global action on the urgent social, economic and environmental challenges facing our planet. Which goals do the stories on this page advance? See below.
