Heather Latter
Confederation College last week celebrated a $100,000 contribution from Tbaytel, which will give students within the School of Health and Community Services, at all campuses across the region, access to state-of-the-art technology.
The announcement was made by Don Campbell, Tbaytel president and CEO, and Confederation College president Pat Lang, joined by supporters, employees, and community members from Thunder Bay and the region via videoconference.
The funds will enhance the Regional Education Alliance for Community Health (REACH) facility, particularly a 1,355-sq.-foot lecture theatre complete with “Smart” technology.
“This classroom, with the capabilities it will have in terms of local and regional education delivery using the latest in technology, is synonymous with many of the current initiatives and business philosophies we are committed to at Tbaytel,” said Campbell.
“Geography is not a barrier in education anymore,” he stressed. “This technology will really reach through the region.”
“When we were developing this project, it was very important for us to think about how to connect to the region,” noted Lang.
“Now, thanks to our partnership, we have the infrastructure that connects us all.”
Dawn Scavarelli, a student within the practical nursing program, and Josh Cutting, a medical radiation technology student, were on hand during the event.
“We are so excited about the new space and the equipment within REACH,” enthused Scavarelli.
“As a student, I can’t think of a better place to learn.
“It will be like bridging the gap between real life and the classroom,” she added, citing the new technology includes some “real”-looking mannequins to use for educational purposes.
The REACH facility is 47,000 sq. feet in size and has been built to LEED Silver-certified standards.
Confederation College and Tbaytel announced a business partnership in April, 2010.
The relationship is based on a principled statement that acknowledges by working together, both can encourage and challenge each other to higher standards of excellence and to be a positive force in moving the region forward to economic prosperity today and into the future.
