RED-enewsletter-January2012.htm

Having grown up in northern Manitoba, Winnie Giesbrecht knows first-hand just how hard it can be for people living in remote communities to gain access to quality health care.

A 1972 graduate of Red River College's Licensed Practical Nursing program, Giesbrecht has made it her life's mission to serve those in need of medical care -- overcoming many professional and personal challenges along the way.

Over the course of her career, she's opened a long-term care facility in Winnipeg for dialysis patients from northern communities, developed a family housing facility near Seven Oaks Hospital, and worked tirelessly to create affordable housing and educational opportunities for families living in poverty in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico.

For her years of hard work and dedication, Giesbrecht has received numerous awards and accolades, including the Commemorative Medal for the 125th anniversary of the Confederation of Canada for Volunteer Work (1992), and the B.C. National Aboriginal Achievement Award (1995), and was most recently honoured by the state of Jalisco (in Mexico) for her work with local families.

Click here to learn more about Giesbrecht's many accomplishments, and here to learn more about the Nursing program at Red River College.

If you’re interested in being profiled in the RED alumni e-newsletter, e-mail Dale Oughton, Alumni Coordinator, at alumni@rrc.mb.ca.

Congratulations to RRC Alumni Board member Shaun Scrymgeour, who was among the Top Five finalists flown to Toronto earlier this month for the final stage of the Nissan Innovation Challenge.

Scrymgeour, a 2009 grad of RRC's Business Administration program, was among 20,000 Canadians who submitted a Twitter-length entry on the concept of innovation as part of the contest's first phase. From there, he made the shortlist of 200 entrants asked to create videos expanding on those definitions, all of which were posted on Facebook so members of the public could vote for their favourites.

Scrymgeour's video landed him a spot in the Top Five, and earned him a trip to Toronto to pitch his idea for use in Nissan Canada's next national ad campaign. If he wins, he'll get to take part in the creation of the ad -- and he'll go home with a brand new car!

The contest winner will be announced at a later date; click here for more information.

RRC Alum Appointed New Bombers President

Congratulations also go out to RRC grad Garth Buchko (Commerce Industry Sales & Marketing, 1981), on his recent appointment as the new president and CEO of the Winnipeg Blue Bombers.

Buchko -- formerly the general manager of local radio stations CJOB, Power 97 and Groove FM -- will step into his new position in March 2012. He takes over for interim president Jim Bell and interim CEO Ossama AbouZeid. (The positions were split when Lyle Bauer resigned in 2009, but have since been merged again.)

"This is the greatest opportunity an individual with my skill set could ever want," Buchko said at a press conference earlier this month. "This is a tremendous brand and something we're all proud of, but there's a lot of work to be done."

Buchko takes over as the club's 39th president just as the team prepares to move into a new stadium on the University of Manitoba grounds.

Sandbox Magazine Celebrates Final Issue

SANDBOX, the award-winning fashion and lifestyle magazine co-founded by RRC alum Braden Alexander, will publish its final issue this month.

Alexander (Creative Communications, 2009) launched the magazine two years ago with colleague Jeffrey Vallis. Since then, the publication has taken home a Western Magazine Award for "Best New Magazine," and has earned praise from local designers, artists, foodies and fashionistas.

"In just two years, SANDBOX has become more than just a magazine," reads a message on the mag's Facebook page. "It's become a community of talented and creative local artists that will live on far beyond this final issue. SANDBOX has given us all an outlet to foster the sentiment that led us to launch the magazine in the first place: (that) Winnipeg is truly amazing."

The final issue will go on sale this Monday at McNally Robinson Booksellers. A farewell party will be held this Saturday, Jan. 28, at the Winnipeg Art Gallery. Tickets are $10 at Red River Mercantile, the University of Winnipeg Info Booth, Answers (at the University of Manitoba), Rhymes with Orange, or Hush.

In light of the tremendous success of last year's Alumni Wine & Cheese reception in Brandon, the College's Alumni board plans to up the ante in 2012.

Plans are already underway for two alumni receptions this spring: one to be held in Brandon, the other in Winkler. Dates and locations for both are still being confirmed, but the Brandon event will likely take place in April. Stay tuned for further updates.

RRC's School of Continuing and Distance Education is pleased to congratulate Nicole Drapeau on her successful completion of the Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) Practitioner program. Drapeau is the first person in Canada to graduate from this program.

An educator at College communautaire du Nouveau-Brunswick (CCNB), Drapeau is responsible for Prior Learning Assessment and Recognition (PLAR) -- the process by which students obtain official recognition of their prior learning from another post-secondary institution (academic achievement) or through life and work experiences (experiential learning).

Click here for more information on Drapeau's accomplishments, and here for more information on the RPL Practitioner program at Red River College.

Mark your calendars! Red River College's Open House 2012 takes place Tue., Feb. 21 (from noon to 3pm; and 5pm to 8pm), and Wed., Feb. 22 (from 9am to 2pm).

Held in the North Gym at RRC's Notre Dame Campus, the event helps prospective students gather the information they need to make informed decisions about their future. New this year: Specialized tours focusing on Trades and Transportation Technology, Greenspace Management, Engineering, Health Sciences, and Professional Photography. Click here to register, or for more information.

Red River College recently produced a special report entitled Building the Community, which outlines the tremendous economic and social impact the College has throughout Manitoba.

"Community is a concept that resonates throughout our academic programs, our institutional activities, and our partnerships with industry and non-profit organizations," says Stephanie Forysth, President of RRC.

The report shares the success stories of our alumni, and highlights important College initiatives such as the development of the Paterson GlobalFoods Institute, the growth of our applied research program, and our work with community organizations to enhance child care services in Winnipeg's North End.

Building the Community was distributed province-wide in the Nov. 26, 2011, edition of the Winnipeg Free Press. An expanded version of the report is available here.

Click here to learn more about Planned Giving opportunities at Red River College.

Alumni Membership Advantages

Did you know that as a Red River College alum, you are eligible to receive exclusive discounts at several local businesses?

Stay Connected

Make sure we have your most up-to-date contact information so you can stay current with College news, learn about exclusive Alumni events and find out about the latest job opportunities.

To update your information, visit the Address Update webpage at www.rrc.ca/alumni or call

Alumni Profile - Winnie Giesbrecht

RRC Alum Appointed New Bombers President

Sandbox Magazine Celebrates Final Issue

Alumni Membership Advantages

Stay Connected