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WHITEHORSE—Yukon College and Association franco-yukonnaise (AFY) have been working in partnership to offer a new 13-week Bilingual Customer Service program starting in January 2017. The pilot program is aimed at French speakers who would like to take on front-line roles in tourism or other service industries in Yukon.

Students in this program will become familiar with the basics of customer service in a bilingual setting, improve workplace essential skills and cap it off with a short work placement. Students will learn workplace English with a bilingual instructor.

Yukon College (YC) ranked third for research intensity among all Canadian colleges according to the newly released Canada’s Top 50 Research Colleges by Research Infosource Inc.

Yukon College has been awarded a Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC) grant to work with the Champagne and Aishihik First Nations (CAFN) to incorporate the values and Traditional Knowledge (TK) of CAFN people into the First Nation’s draft Water Strategy.

“We are putting renewed energy into our work to complete CAFN’s Water Strategy, since initial work on the strategy began in 2009,” said Dän nätthe ada Kaaxnox (Chief Steve Smith).  “This funding and partnership with Yukon College helps CAFN continue our conversation with Citizens around water with a renewed focus on connecting cultural beliefs and responsibilities with the modern ways we have to manage water today.”

WHITEHORSE—Thanks to the generosity of donors, covering the cost of tuition, textbooks, school supplies and living expenses will be a little easier for 40 Yukon College students this week.

The College will hand out $75,900 at the annual Student Awards Ceremony this week, which brings award donors together with the students who earned them. The students will receive financial awards with an average value of $1,000 and entrance scholarships that cover the full cost of tuition for one year.

“Although we have tripled the money available to students this year, there were 226 applications for assistance from 74 students, many more than we are able to fulfill,” said Wendy Tayler, Yukon College Foundation Board Chair. “This is why the Foundation board has set the goal of growing annual student awards by a further $34,000.”

WHITEHORSE—Researchers and academics from across Canada are attending a conference this week taking place at two post-secondary institutions that are 7021 kilometres apart.

Yukon College and Cape Breton University are co-hosting the 2016 COHERE conference.

COHERE (Canada's Collaboration for Online Higher Education and Research) is made up of 14 universities and one college focusing on the research and practice of blended and online learning within higher education.

The annual conference walks their talk by using technology to connect with keynote speakers from around the world and enabling attendees to join the proceedings remotely alongside people physically attending in Sydney, Nova Scotia, or Whitehorse, Yukon.

WHITEHORSE—Dr. Cyndy Baskin believes Indigenous knowledges can save the planet. In particular, when applied to health care, social work, mental health support, and education—the helping professions—connecting with Indigenous knowledge and values can bring about a great deal of healing for those working in such fields and the people they are helping.

“I am asking people to consider other ways of doing this work,” said Baskin. “So many people are disconnected from themselves, each other and society. There are so many troubles and crises happening. Why do we, as helpers, commit actions that are not working for vast numbers of people over and over again?”

HAINES JUNCTION—The Mayor and Council of the village of Haines Junction have become the first municipality in Yukon to complete the Yukon First Nations 101 program.

Earlier this month, village resident Kari Johnston challenged the council to meet number 57 of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s (TRC) Calls to Action. They could do this by completing the six-hour online program by September 30, which is recognized as Orange Shirt Day—an annual residential school commemoration event.

At the council meeting this week, on Wednesday September 28th, Mayor Michael Riseborough announced that he and all four Councillors had done so. All five of them sported an orange shirt to mark the occasion.

OLD CROW—Yesterday evening over 70 people gathered at the Alice Frost Yukon College community campus in Old Crow. They were there to pay tribute to the Gwitchin leader the building is named after and celebrate the campus’s 30th anniversary.

Randall Kendi opened the gathering with a prayer. Sophia Flather read a short biography of Frost in English that she researched and wrote this summer. Brandon Kyikavichik read the biography in Gwitchin. This was followed by a campus open house where friends and family shared their favourite memories of the late Chief.

Flather’s biography of Frost will be preserved on a plaque that will hang on the campus building in the community. Flather spent a month interviewing 13 people who grew up with, worked alongside, or knew Frost very well. She also reviewed newspaper articles, community records, oral history transcripts, and Berger Inquiry transcripts.

WHITEHORSE—Yukon College released a socio-economic profile today which determines that the College represents an estimated $38.4 million impact to Yukon’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and is a leader in northern issues.

The profile states that with $22.8 million in 2014-15 core funding, the College generated a further $23 million in third party funded programs, projects and contracts for a total of $46 million in revenues.  $43.8 million of this was spent on personnel and the purchase of goods and services, generating a further estimated $18.4 million in indirect and induced economic activity. This represents a total estimated Yukon College-related economic output of $62.2 million. The total employment impact of Yukon College is 542 full-time equivalent (FTE) jobs.

WHITEHORSE—The Yukon College Board of Governors is pleased to announce Piers McDonald as the new College Chancellor. McDonald takes over the role from Geraldine Van Bibber, who has held the post since 2012.

“My daughters attended Yukon College before completing their degrees in B. C. It was a positive entry into post-secondary education for both of them as they could remain in Whitehorse, in familiar surroundings,” said McDonald.

“The College opens up the world to our students and community. It has grown and remained relevant to our evolving community. When Ayamdigut campus was first opened, many felt it was too large a space, but now it is bursting at the seams. I appreciate this opportunity to support Yukon College,” added McDonald.

WHITEHORSE—An exhibit by emerging Yukon artist Meghann Meadowcroft will open Tuesday, September 27 in the Hilltop Bistro at Yukon College. The opening is from 5 p.m. until 6:30 p.m. with the artist in attendance. There will be hors d'oeuvres and a cash bar.

The exhibit features a selection of Meadowcroft’s paintings inspired by the Yukon’s natural landscape—from colourful fireweed to blossoming trees and dynamic northern lights. Meadowcroft began painting as a personal therapeutic process and never expected to find a market for her work. Since 2012 she has sold over 300 of her paintings.

“Art is a wonderful opportunity for self-regulation and discovery. I find therapy, healing and peace when I paint. It is very humbling to have so many people enjoy what I create,” said Meadowcroft.

Yukon College has been awarded an Industrial Research Chair for Colleges in Northern Energy Innovation from the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC). This position is supported by electricity companies in all three Canadian territories to solve challenges faced by the northern energy industry.

The Northern Energy Innovation Chair, Dr. Michael Ross will work closely with a pan-territorial consortium comprised of ATCO Electric, Northwest Territories Power Corporation, Qulliq Energy Corporation Nunavut, and Yukon Energy Corporation. These companies have matched NSERC’s one million dollar contribution by each committing $50,000 per year over the next five years.