On Wednesday, April 15, Centennial president Ann Buller met with Courier staff for a Q&A session on her role in the administration of the college, and what the college is doing to enhance the learning experience. (More …)
Centennial College hopes to take control of the Guild Inn. It will be converted into another campus to train students in the hotel and hospitality programs. (More …)
Graduation is just around the corner and it’s time to put those diplomas to work. (More …)
It seems students can say a lot about their education experience in only 60 seconds. (More …)
“No hugs. No sports. No parties. No classes. No bars. No work. No yoga. No fun. Yep, you’ve got the mumps.”
The Ontario Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care began a marketing campaign to promote their Mumps Catch-Up Vaccination Program. Their new campaign slogan is meant to shock students into getting the mumps vaccine by warning them of a possible nine day quarantine. (More …)
If there’s something you’d like to see improved or bought for your campus, now is the time to put forward a suggestion, says Vish Amin, one of the Centennial College Student Association Incorporated (CCSAI) representatives.
He says the CCSAI recently approved an $80,000 withdrawal from the Transforming the Future Fund (TTF). The fund is designed to give students a voice and promote a better lifestyle on campus. (More …)
John Curtis is now the new registrar at Centennial.
As the second semester is well under way and students are settling into their routine, Centennial College is welcoming its new registrar.
Back in 2003, his wife – who he’s been married to for 32 years – took a new job with York University, and they had to make the big move from Newfoundland to Toronto. Once in the city, he made a career change from information technology (IT) and joined Centennial College.
“I’m working with a great team,” said Curtis. “Centennial College has made me feel as much at home, as home was. I don’t feel like a stranger, I feel like a part of the college.”
Now that he’s stepping into the registrar’s shoes, Curtis will be responsible for the operational side of enrolment services by ensuring that all departments run smoothly.
Those include recruitment, admissions, records, front counter operations, call centres, and student financial services.
Essentially, the registrar’s main goals are to find better ways to meet the needs of the students and to improve their experiences.
Most of the work is done behind the scenes, but the registrar will deal with students when necessary. Over the years, Curtis held various positions that included one-on-one interaction with students.
“I’m sure I’ve dealt with literally hundreds of students since I arrived here,” he said. “They all come with their unique background. They come with their own unique stories. They come with individual needs.
“All of them collectively have been a learning experience for me,” he said. “It’s what connected me to Centennial; the student group here is quite unique.”
And to the students he wants to pass on the message that they should enjoy college life, but take the whole opportunity seriously. Many opportunities are available after graduation.
Though he could have gone back to IT, Curtis says that he’s having a lot of fun here and is planning on staying. He stressed that the registrar’s job should not be taken lightly as it is a tough role that comes with many responsibilities. He thinks you do it because you want to better serve the students and because you’re in it for the long run.
“When you take on the role of registrar you don’t do it lightly and it’s not a quick turn-around job,” he said. “It’s something you take on to implement the goals of the college.”
“So it’ll be for as long as they’ll have me,” he said, along with a small laugh.