On January 17, Dr. Mary Preece was joined by The Honourable Deb Matthews, Minister of Advanced Education and Skills Development, and Chancellor Hazel McCallion, at a special event to launch Sheridan’s 50th anniversary celebrations.
The well-attended event took place at the new Skilled Trades Centre at the Davis Campus, where a special expo was also assembled to showcase many of the innovations currently underway at Sheridan through its centres of excellence and outstanding programs.
In her remarks, Dr. Preece touched on Sheridan’s history while also highlighting our recent accomplishments, including the opening of the Skilled Trades Centre, the new building at HMC, and the departure of Come from Away, the musical incubated through Sheridan’s own Canadian Music Theatre Project, for Broadway following a sold-out run in Toronto.
Minister Matthews paid tribute to Ontario’s 24 colleges, all of which mark their 50th anniversary this year, noting that two million students have graduated from colleges since their founding. She pointed to Sheridan’s “reputation for innovation in education”, and noted the role of the Centre for Advanced Manufacturing and Design Technologies in “helping engineers push the boundaries of manufacturing technologies.” She also acknowledged Sheridan’s many contributions to the arts, business, health and technology fields.
Later the same day, The Honourable Elizabeth Dowdeswell, Lieutenant Governor of Ontario, also visited the Skilled Trades Centre, where she met with both staff and student representatives, and toured the Sheridan Expo.
Over the ensuing months, a series of events are planned at Sheridan’s campuses in Oakville, Brampton and Mississauga to engage students, alumni, staff and the wider community in celebrating Sheridan’s past and looking ahead to its future. These include:
- A Gala for industry and community partners in February
- Grand opening of the Hazel McCallion Campus in March
- A special Welcome Back Event for all employees in August
- Homecoming event celebrating Sheridan’s proud history of athletic success in September
Other activities include the creation of a travelling exhibit showcasing Sheridan’s history, which will make stops at each campus over the course of the year.
In addition, Sheridan plans to participate in a number of events being coordinated by the advocacy organization, Colleges Ontario, including a Community Day event in April, and a visit by the Colleges Ontario bus in October.
Pictured above: Vic Dhillon, MPP, Brampton West; Hazel McCallion; Amrit Mangat, MPP Mississauga-Brampton South; Dr. Mary Preece; The Hon. Deb Matthews; Sylvia Ibrahim, President, SSU
Pictured above: The Honourable Deb Matthews
The Hon. Elizabeth Dowdeswell greets members of Sheridan’s Screen Industries Research and Training Centre at the Sheridan Expo