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Recently, Red Deer Polytechnic (RDP) provided 55 high school students in central Alberta with an opportunity to explore careers in skilled trades at the World of Choices Summit . At the event, the high school students learned about careers in Carpentry, Heavy Equipment Technician and Welding through interactive activities and discussions with career mentors. Through these initiatives, students were able to better identify the skills, knowledge and post-secondary pathways that they need to enter the workforce as skilled trades professionals. “The World of Choices Summit is a great opportunity to showcase Red Deer Polytechnic’s dynamic programming and facilities while helping youth to prepare for the future,” says Lindsay Engel, Vice President, Academic and Student Experience. “We are proud to offer more than 80 industry-relevant programs in a variety of credentials, including 17 apprenticeships, that prepare students for rewarding careers and help to meet Alberta’s labour market demand.” The World of Choices Summit is held as part of the Explore Trades and Technologies program , a one-year national program delivered by Colleges and Institutes Canada (CICan) in partnership with Junior Achievement (JA) Canada and funded by the RBC Foundation. Through the program, 20 summits will be held across the country from

Expansion of Red Deer Polytechnic’s nationally recognized Technology Access Centre will provide more than 2,400 students direct and indirect innovative learning opportunities by 2030, significantly boosting applied learning and research opportunities. Red Deer Polytechnic (RDP) is celebrating a significant capital investment of $13 million by the provincial government to expand RDP’s Centre for Innovation in Manufacturing-Technology Access Centre (CIM-TAC). The funding was announced today as part of the Government of Alberta’s 2024 budget. “Red Deer Polytechnic is playing a critical role supporting technological innovation while creating opportunities for students. That’s why Alberta’s Government is making a strategic investment to expand CIM-TAC and give RDP even greater capacity to train apprentices and help sectors across our economy remain competitive,” says the Hon. Rajan Sawhney, Minister of Advanced Education. “We thank the Government of Alberta for the $13 million provided in Budget 2024 to expand our Centre for Innovation in Manufacturing–Technology Access Centre (CIM-TAC). This funding will help create new and innovative teaching and learning spaces at Red Deer Polytechnic, while expanding our applied research capacity to support Alberta based companies,” said Stuart Cullum, President of Red Deer Polytechnic. “Because of this investment, Alberta based manufacturers across multiple sectors will have greater

Red Deer Polytechnic (RDP) and the Ahmadiyya Muslim Jamā’at are pleased to host the 17th annual World Religions Conference. Wednesday, March 6 6:30 to 9:00 pm Red Deer Polytechnic Arts Centre, Main Stage Admission is free, but pre-registration is recommended. Attendees are encouraged to bring donations of non-perishable items for the Red Deer Polytechnic Students’ Association Food Bank. This will be an evening of thoughtful discussion and questions between panelists and audience members. Participants will embrace the mosaic of religions and Philosophies from around the world, celebrating the harmony and unity that brings us together. This year's conference, themed "Truth and Faith: How Do We Know What to Believe?" promises to be particularly insightful, given the contemporary challenges surrounding truth and misinformation. As the world grapples with an onslaught of misinformation amplified by rapid advancements in communication technologies, the quest for truth has never been more crucial. A Legacy of Peaceful Dialogue: The World Religions Conference has a rich history, dating back to its inception in 1981 in Canada. Over the years, it has grown into Canada's largest and longest-running multi-faith event, serving as a platform for scholars from various religious traditions and Philosophies to come together and share their

Meet Sheldon Bailey (M.Ed.), an Educational Administrator of the School of Health and Wellness at Red Deer Polytechnic. What drives me is the desire to leave my corner of the world a little better than the way I found it. I believe that I owe my kids that much. I am a career Allied Health Practitioner who transitioned into adult education as an instructor, and now as an Administrator. I am passionate about creating an environment where aspiring professionals can discover and become their best selves as they chase their individual dreams. I am a lover of the outdoors, music, and vintage cars, though I am an expert at none of those things. For me, being Black requires unwavering resilience. The black community has been side-lined, ill-treated, and undervalued for hundreds of years, yet we remain strong, proud, and relevant. Mediocrity has never been an option for our people and I do not intend for it to start with me. Racism is a learned behaviour resulting from an unfair social construct that has been allowed to exist for too long. Too much has happened between privileged and minority groups for us to ‘unsee’ race at this point, but it is

Meet Oluwaseyifunmi Alabi, a second-year Social Work Student at Red Deer Polytechnic. Oluwaseyifunmi hopes for a future where the Black community thrives collectively, with equal opportunities, justice, and solidarity, while fostering a sense of empowerment and unity. Black Excellence, to me, acknowledges strength, power, courage in adversity, and resilience. It highlights the collective achievement of the Black community while breaking barriers and inspiring positive change in society. I am an entrepreneur with over ten years of experience in fashion designing and styling and 15 years of experience in American Sign Language. I'm passionate about social justice; I love fashion design and photography. I hope to have my own studio for fashion and photography in Red Deer, where I can tell stories through arts and creative work and teach young people who have the same passion. Being a member of the Black community holds a deep cultural, historical, and personal significance for me. It represents a sense of belonging to a group that shares common experiences, struggles, and resilience. Proudly being part of a Nigerian community in Red Deer means showcasing my cultural identity and embracing and celebrating my African heritage, such as music, food and traditions. It is also about

Long-time friend and supporter of Red Deer Polytechnic (RDP), the Donald Family, has given a record-breaking $20 million gift, the largest ever received by RDP, in support of healthcare and healthtech programming and applied research. “We are immensely grateful for the Donald Family's transformational gift,” comments Stuart Cullum, President, RDP. “With this gift, we will establish the Donald Family Institute for Healthtech Innovation where we will bring together diverse teams of experts, practitioners, and interdisciplinary researchers, to develop and deliver innovative healthcare education, training and applied research in Alberta.” Cullum continues, “By supporting the health industry as it evolves beyond the status quo, RDP is contributing to the region’s economic diversification and providing the innovative solutions, education and training that will benefit generations of residents here in central Alberta and across the province. On behalf of all of RDP’s students, staff and faculty, I would like to thank the Donald Family for their incredible generosity and support in helping us bring this important healthtech concept to life.” One of central Alberta’s most well-known community leaders and philanthropists, Joan Donald, along with her late husband Jack Donald, and their children John Donald and Kathy Lacey, have been supporters of education and

Red Deer Polytechnic (RDP) is creating opportunities for students, employers and community members to engage in meaningful dialogue about employment and trends in the labour market at its Career Fair and Conference on February 27. “At Red Deer Polytechnic, we are proud to offer enhanced education, training and applied research opportunities that prepare students for Alberta’s diverse workforce,” says Lindsay Engel, Vice President, Academic and Student Experience. “The Career Fair and Conference is one of the ways we facilitate industry connections for RDP students and members of our communities, helping to address labour market demand and advancing the economic and social development of the region and province.” Red Deer Polytechnic’s Career Fair and Conference is a collaborative effort between several stakeholders. RDP’s Career Education and Experience Development (CEED) Centre and Donald School of Business, Science and Computing is hosting this on-campus event with support from the Government of Alberta, Scotiabank and Students’ Association of Red Deer Polytechnic. The Career Fair and Conference will feature keynote speaker Emily Genereux, Senior Consultant, Human Resources Consulting Group Inc., who will present “Saying Yes: Creating Opportunities, Community and a Life You Are Proud of.” In addition to providing opportunities to network, this event will

Meet Zainab Mohamoud (she/her), an alum who completed her Social Work Diploma in 2012 and the collaborative program with U of C majoring in Sociology in 2019. This knowledge prepared her to make a difference in marginalized communities for generations. "As a role model for many Black community members, I ensure that everything I do daily exudes Black Excellence while focusing on how to do better than yesterday. I am proud of my achievements and Black background, and it is my pleasure to actively represent myself and the community in an empowered, positive light. My passions and gifts drive me to focus on people, humanity, the environment, justice, equal rights, advocacy, and doing the right things when no one is watching. In order to help women and their families, I obtained a Social Work Diploma through RDP. Afterwards, I was hired by the Central Alberta Immigrant Women Association. In addition, I founded the Education for Somali Girls and Boys Foundation, which built a school in Somalia (2015) with over 100 students enrolled and raised funds across North America to pay teachers' salaries so that children can attend school without fees. I am one of the current Executive Directors and founders

Meet Dr. Fola Oluwasina (he/him), a Science Instructor with the Donald School of Business, Science and Computing. He is driven to keep growing and improving in his career as a teacher and researche r. "When I hear the phrase 'Black Excellence,' it makes me think of the amazing things Black people have done, their resilience and the contributions made by black people in various disciplines. It celebrates intellect, talent, and the unwavering spirit that has triumphed over historical hardships. Being part of the Black community is very important to me because of our rich culture and strength, and it reminds us of the power in our shared stories. Celebrating these parts of who I am is an important journey with many parts where I actively add to the story of progress and resilience. I celebrate by honouring the traditions passed down from generation to generation, recognizing the achievements of Black leaders, and noting the problems that were faced and solved. It means getting ideas from the amazing things Black people have done in art, music, literature, science, and every other area of human success. One of the projects close to my heart involves innovations that increase access to high-quality mental

Transforming Practices: Breaking Silence, Building Safety is a 2-day conference co-hosted by the Central Alberta Child Advocacy Centre and Red Deer Polytechnic.

Meet Rys-Ann (she/her), a proud graduate of the Social Work Program in 2020. Rys-Ann is from Jamaica, where she lived for 17 years. She then migrated to Canada in 2014 to attend Red Deer Polytechnic. "When I hear Black Excellence, I think about achievements by people of colour being highlighted and negative stereotypes being challenged. Black Excellence speaks volumes and represents the triumph and talents of people of colour. One prominently defining moment in Black History that I am proud of is the establishment of Historically Black Colleges and Universities in the early 1800s in the USA. Historically, people of colour were denied admission into post-secondary institutions. So, these Black Colleges allowed people of colour to be in safe/welcoming spaces while having minds nurtured and educated by people who shared the same experiences. When I think about this accomplishment, I am reminded of the courageousness in pursuing social justice and the right to education with the resilience to overcome racial injustices. I have experienced barriers of racism and discrimination in my journey. Despite that, I continue to be proud of who I am and what I have accomplished by earning my place in Social Work. My commitment is to walk

On behalf of the Red Deer Polytechnic community, we would like to offer our deepest condolences to the family of Jack Donald. Jack was a true champion and friend of Red Deer Polytechnic. His commitment to our community was deeply felt at RDP through his many contributions and his focus on ensuring an exceptional higher education experience for students in central Alberta. Jack served as member of the Red Deer College Board of Governors from 1979-1982, and as a member of the Volunteer Campaign Cabinet for the College’s Building Communities Through Learning Campaign from 2006-2010. A true entrepreneurial spirit, Jack spent countless hours engaging with our students and faculty, sharing his wisdom as both a mentor and guest speaker. Jack and wife, Joan, remained ardent supporters of Red Deer Polytechnic since its inception, and could often be seen attending events and providing their support to initiatives here at RDP. The Donalds are always among the first to step forward with their generosity and active participation because they believe in the power of education, and because they believe in our students and the immense impact that students have on the world around them. Indeed, Jack and Joan together have created a