Ascent Magazine

FOR ALUMNI 

AND FRIENDS 

Spring 2021 

What’s Up, Doc? 

Centennial Alum Makes History 

as the New Voice of Bugs Bunny 

How a Former HYPE Student 

Found Success and Came Full Circle 

Centennial Professor 

Gives to Give Back

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WHAT'S 

INSIDE 

12 

2 

4 

6 

7 

CCAA President’s 

Farewell Letter 

A Message From the 

Centennial College President 

CCAA Board President 

Q&A with Carla Reid 

CCAA Board of Directors 

18 

8 

15 

16 

20 

24 

2020 Alumni of Distinction 

Centennial Unveils New 

Sustainable Building Embedded 

with Indigenous Values 

Educating the Next Generation 

to Fight Anti-Black Racism 

What’s Up, Doc? 

Give the Gift of Education 

22 

26 

28 

32 

33 

34 

Empowered to Dream 

The Isabella Elsie Wightman 

Scholarship: Bringing Lost 

Dreams to Life 

Passing of 

Dr. Catherine Henderson 

A Toast to Joben James’ 

Outstanding Leadership 

and Initiative 

Student Governor 

Asli Kahraman Does It All 

30 

36 

Level Up Your Career 

With Micro-Credentials

CCAA President’s Farewell Letter 

There have been a number of 

retirements announced recently in 

the Centennial College staff ranks, 

but two in particular stand out: 

Dana Gour and Joan Healy. 

Both women graduated from 

Centennial, worked for the College 

and served with the Alumni Board 

for many years. Their contributions 

were among the building blocks that 

made this organization into what it is 

today. On behalf of the CCAA Board 

of Directors and the over 190,000 

alumni: Thank you! Thank you! Thank 

you! We wish you all the best and 

well-deserved rest. You are golden. 

It has been an honour to have served 

as a board member of the Centennial 

College Alumni Association. Over 

the past 15 years I’ve served in 

various capacities: as director at 

large, director of special events, 

vice president and, most recently, 

president. I choose to emphasize the 

word “serve” because I truly believe 

that everything, I did was for you – 

the alumni of Centennial College. If I 

felt it was work, I don’t believe I would 

have stuck around for so long! 

I’m not going to lie; it wasn’t always 

easy. But seeing and hearing the 

difference the board was making in 

lives of alumni kept me motivated. 

My life has been enriched by serving 

on the board and I only hope that 

alumni benefited from my service. 

To my successor, and to new board 

members, as you navigate the 

uncharted waters of 2021 and 

beyond, I only ask that you remain 

true to our alumni and always put 

their best interests at the heart 

of every decision. Fight when you 

must and concede when inevitable, 

but serve because of them and not 

because of you. To my fellow board 

members who served alongside me 

over the years, thank you for assisting 

me in fulfilling the responsibilities of 

a leader by supporting my dreams 

and decisions. 

To the thousands of alumni that 

connected and remained engaged 

in one way or another, thank you for 

being the flame that continued to 

ignite my passion over the years. And 

to the many friends I’ve gained along 

the way, I thank you because you’ve 

made my life rich beyond measure. 

This is not goodbye because I intend 

to practice what I preach and stay 

connected. 

Centennial First, Alumni Forever. 

Sincerely, 

Alvin Guthrie 

Former CCAA President 

2 | ascent Magazine

“Life’s most persistent and urgent question is, 

What are you doing for others" – Martin Luther King 

When you hear about the 

Centennial College Alumni 

Association, it’s hard not to 

think about the characteristics 

of generosity, devotion, integrity 

and kindness. It’s also impossible 

not to put a face to these 

characteristics. For the past 13 

years, Alvin Guthrie has been 

that face. 

During his time with the CCAA, 

Alvin has been a great leader and 

responsible for building a strong 

foundation that is the Centennial 

College Alumni Association. 

As a 1992 graduate of the 

Recreation and Leisure Services 

Program, Alvin’s skills and 

influence prepared him for his 

life’s work. As a student athlete, 

his love for basketball went from 

being a star varsity player on the 

court to coaching at Pickering 

High School. Alvin’s passion for 

engaging and mentoring the youth 

in his community has always been 

a priority. 

A born leader with a passion for 

supporting his community, Alvin 

has taken on supporting roles 

such as the President of the Boys 

and Girls Club Youth Department 

and even as a choir director at 

his church. 

It is no surprise that all his 

volunteerism and dedication 

prepared him for the journey he 

embarked on as the President of 

the CCAA. 

During Alvin’s time as President, he 

created lasting relationships with 

Johnsons Insurance, Maple Leaf 

Sports and Entertainment (MLSE), 

Sunwing, Ocala Wine Group, 

Pioneer Queen Toronto and many 

more organizations – too many 

to name. 

Alvin led the board in creating new 

scholarships for current Centennial 

students and, more importantly, 

alumni returning as students to 

assist with full tuition costs as 

well as the cost of books. He also 

created events to engage alumni 

and encourage everyone to stay 

connected, all while supporting 

College initiatives to build a 

relationship to last for years 

to come. 

Alvin has left a lasting impact 

on all alumni with whom he has 

worked and connected. Inspiring a 

feeling of loyalty, selflessness and 

dedication that will continue for a 

long time, this is the Centennial 

College Alumni Association; this is 

Alvin Guthrie. 

With all the years of great work 

Alvin has contributed, there are 

no words that can describe the 

gratitude and appreciation we have 

for him. Thank you is not enough. 

On my first day as a board member 

back in 2008, I knew right away 

that Alvin was going to leave 

his mark and set a standard of 

greatness for the CCAA. I am 

grateful for the path he has 

created for me as the new 

incoming President. 

I wish Alvin all the best in his 

future endeavours, and I know this 

is not the last we will be hearing 

from him. 

Carla Reid 

CCAA President 

ascent Magazine | 3

A Message From 

the Centennial College President 

We are living through an historic 

moment where disruption has 

become our new normal. Over the 

past year, we have experienced 

widespread change on a truly 

unprecedented scale, which has 

impacted our daily lives, our work, 

and the routines we had previously 

taken for granted. 

I am incredibly proud of how our 

community has rallied and adapted 

to the demands of a pandemic 

learning environment. Building on 

this momentum, we have launched 

an ambitious transformation 

strategy to capitalize on our current 

situation and build a strong future for 

Centennial College. 

Transforming our future 

Our transformation plan 

encompasses the entire student 

lifecycle, emphasizing the importance 

of launching a learner’s journey 

on the right track, supporting 

them through to employment, and 

deepening the alumni experience 

post-graduation. In line with the 

educational and economic realities 

of a modern global market, it is no 

longer enough to secure gainful 

employment – our graduates must 

also consider the lifelong learning 

and “upskilling” opportunities 

required for long-term success. 

The changes we are implementing 

will allow us to deliver the 

unparalleled learning experience that 

our students have come to expect – 

and deserve – to weather any market 

condition. With clearly defined goals 

in place, rethinking how we lead, 

manage and steward Centennial’s 

resources will allow us to offer our 

students and alumni the Centennial 

advantage formula: academic 

excellence today, career success 

tomorrow, and global leadership 

for life. 

4 | ascent Magazine 

So what’s actually changing 

for alumni? 

Our alumni are not bystanders in 

this transformation – far from it. 

Indeed, we want to foster an even 

more active alumni base to play a 

stronger supportive role through 

increased engagement with our 

current students, as well as ensuring 

our graduates are exposed to 

lifelong learning opportunities, which 

include an array of innovative microcredentials 

we are introducing. 

To this end, our Alumni Engagement 

office is shifting to co-locate with 

Centennial’s Career and Co-op 

Services, Strategic Initiatives and 

External Relations, and Community 

Employment Services. This move will 

strengthen direct connections with 

our alumni, community and industry 

partners, as well as local employers, 

to serve you better. 

Creating pathways to participate 

in the work and life of the College 

will enable alumni to help facilitate 

the student journey in meaningful 

ways. For example, we will work in 

close collaboration with the Alumni 

Association to launch new career 

service and mentorship activities 

for students. We also look toward 

establishing alumni chapters by 

school and geographic region to build 

a strong and engaged network where 

alumni can connect and pursue 

their career development. We will 

continue to encourage alumni to 

support our culture of philanthropy 

to help remove financial barriers for 

our students. 

We are embarking on an exciting 

chapter in Centennial’s history, 

with greater opportunities for our 

alumni to get involved, draw upon 

the College’s expertise themselves 

and make a lasting impact on the 

students and communities we serve. 

I strongly encourage you to stay 

connected with us, and I look forward 

to sharing more details with you as 

our transformation unfolds. 

With appreciation and best wishes, 

Dr. Craig Stephenson 

President and CEO

CONTINUE CARING 

FOR YOUR FUTURE 

Enhance your knowledge through our part-time 

programs and courses. 

centennialcollege.ca/part-time 

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OFF 

Part-time 

Learning Courses 

for Alumni

CCAA Board President 

Q&A with Carla Reid 

Carla Reid is the new elected president of the 

Centennial College Alumni Association. 

For those who may not be 

familiar with the CCAA, 

what are some of the benefits 

you would want them to 

know about? 

I definitely want more people to know about our 

scholarships! If you are an alumnus and you want to 

come back to school, there is a scholarship you can 

apply for. We also have scholarships for the immediate 

family members of alumni and one specifically for 

single parents. In addition to scholarships, the discount 

program and various events throughout the year are 

other great benefits of CCAA membership! 

What are some of your 

plans as the new President 

of the CCAA? 

As a community of alumni, one of the greatest services 

we can offer is mentorship and networking – not only 

for new alumni, but for current students as well. After 

all, they’ll be alumni soon! To maximize our reach in 

this area, I’d love to see the CCAA have more of a 

physical presence within the school and the different 

programs Centennial offers. Currently, we offer exciting 

mentorship opportunities through the 10,000 Coffees 

platform, a website that connects current students and 

recent graduates with alumni. 

I’m also looking forward to introducing more 

transparency to the board. As the CCAA Board of 

Directors has matured and more members have 

grown into their roles, I’ve seen an opportunity for 

decision-making and planning to include more people. 

I really want to lean into this as I believe it will help 

our relationships with each other, our alumni and the 

College community. 

And finally, I want to create more opportunities to 

connect with alumni. We run great events, and we’ll 

continue to do that in some capacity, but we’ll also be 

excited to offer a range of ways for alumni to connect 

with the broader community that doesn’t look like an inperson 

event. I think specifically of our alumni who are 

overseas or outside of the Greater Toronto Area. How 

can we serve and connect with them? 

When you’re not working on 

CCAA projects, what do you 

do for fun? 

I sew! I’ve designed and sewn many things, from high 

fashion prom dresses to comfy oversized dog beds. 

I love to create. I do it for fun, but often I'm asked by 

friends to design things and bring their visions to life. 

I’m also involved in other boards and actively volunteer 

in my community. I have over 20 years of experience 

working in Canada’s legal community, and my heart 

lies in lending that experience to causes that move the 

needle for community and social justice issues. 

And last but definitely not least, I’m a proud mom to 

a 22-year-old son who has been working from the 

beginning of the pandemic as an essential worker at 

a vital grocery store in the Scarborough community. 

He has truly stepped up and made sacrifices at a 

time when we are dealing with this strange situation. 

Although my son has left the nest, I continue to connect 

with him as often as possible and sneak in as many 

hugs as he'll allow. 

What are some ways alumni 

can connect with the CCAA? 

The best way to connect with the CCAA is through our 

social media. We are active on Instagram, Facebook, 

LinkedIn and Twitter. That’s the best place to get current 

and up-to-date information. It’s also a good idea to 

bookmark our website so you can have easy access to 

regular updates and our contact information. 


BOARD OF DIRECTORS 

Centennial College 

Alumni Association 

Carla Reid 

President 

Marlon Inniss 

Vice President 

Donna Robertson 

Board Chair 

Laura Morra 

Director of Marketing 

Andrea Harper 

Treasurer 

Amy Sit 

Secretary 

Randine Fogarthy 

Director-At-Large 

Justin Lim 


Alex Taraiev 


Be sure to attend our next Annual General Meeting: 

Saturday, June 26, 2021 | 9:00 am 

visit ccaa.life for more information. 


Featured 2020 Alumni of Distinction 

Scott 

Babin 

Police Foundations – Class of 2004 

When he enrolled in Centennial’s brand-new Police 

Foundations program in 2002, Scott Babin was taking a 

leap of faith. 

“Being part of the very first class of the program, I didn’t 

know what to expect,” he says. “So I was excited to find 

that the faculty had designed a really intensive training 

program rooted in real-life experiences, which fully 

equipped me to pursue my goal of becoming a police 

officer.” 

Just one year after graduating from the program, Babin 

was hired by Toronto Police Service. He says the discipline 

instilled in him during his time at Centennial played a 

crucial role in helping him transition into a successful 

policing career. 

“Centennial provided a program that was equivalent to a 

paramilitary environment,” he says. “We even developed 

a special uniform for students during my time there, which 

is still in use today.” 

Since 2005, Babin has worked in a wide range of 

units – from community response to sex crimes, 

domestic violence to child and youth advocacy. He has 

also received numerous awards for his outstanding 

commitment to his work and to his colleagues, including 

being named Officer of the Year in 2006 – just one year 

after joining the service. 

Recently, Babin moved to Durham Region and 

transitioned into a new role with Durham Regional Police. 

“I love what I do,” he says. “No two days are the same, 

and often you have a chance to help people on their most 

difficult days.” 

Scott’s Advice to New Alumni 

Look for opportunities to apply what you’ve 

learned at Centennial to the real world. This 

program prepares you to do just that. 

Paralegal – Class of 2015 

Latoya 

Brown 

Latoya Brown says that her time at Centennial gave her 

the clarity she needed to pursue her dream of becoming a 

lawyer. 

She had just graduated from the University of Toronto with a 

double major in psychology and sociology – plus a minor in 

studio art – and had a feeling that law would be right up her 

alley. But before committing to law school, she wanted to be 

absolutely sure it would be the right fit. 

That’s when she enrolled in Centennial’s one-year paralegal 

graduate certificate program. 

“I wanted to make sure that law was something I was 

genuinely interested in,” she says. “The program helped me 

make that decision to pursue a legal career by enrolling in 

law school.” 

But as a self-professed “person of many interests,” Brown 

still had some work to do to set herself up for the brightest 

possible future. Knowing that she wanted to pursue 

corporate law, she first signed up for the MBA program at 

York University’s Schulich School of Business. 

“Before moving into law, I asked myself how I could 

strengthen my future career – and the best way to do that 

was through an MBA,” she says. 

Today, Brown is a member of the inaugural class of Ryerson 

University’s brand-new Faculty of Law and looking ahead to 

an exciting and fulfilling legal career. 

“I wouldn’t be where I’m at today if it weren’t for 

Centennial,” she says. 

Latoya’s Advice to New Alumni 

Don’t close yourself off to different 

opportunities; be open, because you never 

know where your interests might lead you. 


Kyle 

Barnes 

Environmental Technologist – Class of 2016 

As a child, Kyle Barnes loved learning about nature and 

being outdoors. Earlier than most, he knew that a career 

committed to protecting the environment would be in his 

future. 

That’s why, when it came time to choose a post-secondary 

program, Barnes didn’t hesitate: he knew Centennial’s 

Environmental Technologist program would help him realize 

his dream. 

“It turned out to be one of the best experiences I’ve ever 

had,” he says. “The program was very hands-on. We were 

constantly outdoors, collecting samples and doing field 

work.” 

After graduating in 2016, Barnes secured a role as a 

client service representative with the Ontario Ministry of 

the Environment – a position that allows him to put the 

knowledge he gained at Centennial into practice every day. 

“One moment I’ll be speaking with a farmer seeking a 

permit for pesticide use, and the next I’ll be speaking with 

a lawyer looking for advice on environmental regulations,” 

he says. “The courses I took at Centennial directly equipped 

me to succeed in this role.” 

As he looks ahead to what’s next, Barnes has his sights 

set on becoming an environmental officer – the “boots 

on the ground” workers who are out in the field enforcing 

environmental regulations and bylaws. 

Every step of the way, he credits Centennial with turning 

his dreams into reality. “Centennial has allowed me to do 

what I’ve always loved,” he says. “Being able to match my 

childhood passion with my career has been amazing.” 

Kyle’s Advice to New Alumni 

When you’re looking for a job in your field, 

have the tenacity and the courage to really 

put yourself out there. Just go for it. 

“My mom became a single mother and worked hard to 

provide for me and my brother,” he says. “I inherited my 

work ethic and drive to succeed from her.” 

Hospitality and Tourism Administration – 

Class of 1993 

Jason 

Gautreau 

As a 1993 graduate of Centennial’s Hospitality and 

Tourism Administration program, Jason Gautreau has 

lived and travelled all over the world – including the 

Cayman Islands, where he currently works as Area 

Director of Finance at the Westin Grand Cayman Seven 

Mile Beach Resort and Spa. 

But life hasn’t always been a walk on the beach. When 

Gautreau was just 12 years old, his stepfather was killed 

in an accident while working as a truck driver. 

Determined to help support his mom by establishing 

a stable, fulfilling career, Gautreau set his sights on 

Centennial’s program with a singular goal in mind: to 

work for the Fairmont Royal York Hotel. 

“Centennial helped me accomplish that goal,” he says. 

“I secured a co-op placement there, and they hired me 

full-time as soon as the placement was over. It was like a 

dream come true.” 

Since then, Gautreau has worked for some of the world’s 

biggest hotel brands. But it’s the Royal York that stands 

out as the place where he got his start – in more ways 

than one. 

“The second part of my goal was to one day get married 

at the Royal York,” he says. “Which I did in 1995, when I 

married my wife there – whom I met at a Centennial pub 

night.” 

Jason’s Advice to New Alumni 

When you secure a job, always be willing 

to learn something new – even if it’s 

outside the job you’re being paid to do. 


Featured 2020 Alumni of Distinction 

Creative Advertising – Class of 2002 

Ishma 

Alexander 

Huet 

IIshma Alexander Huet always knew she’d end up 

in advertising. As a child, she was fascinated by TV 

commercials and deeply curious about how and why they 

were placed in specific programs. 

As she approached the end of high school, Alexander 

Huet decided to pursue a career as an advertising 

copywriter and enrolled in an undergraduate creative 

writing program. But partway through her first year, she 

discovered she was pregnant with her first son. 

“It was then that I enrolled in Centennial,” she says. “I 

wanted to make sure I was being practical and would have 

the most effective route to a career.” 

During her time as a student of the three-year honours 

diploma in creative advertising, Alexander Huet discovered 

a passion for marketing and strategy. 

“I was apprehensive about switching gears, but my 

professors encouraged me to recognize my full skillset,” 

she says. “There was a lot of guidance provided by the 

faculty, which I’m so grateful for.” 

Today, as vice president of client advice and management 

at top marketing agency Initiative, Alexander Huet 

manages a team of professionals overseeing accounts 

that include Wendy’s Restaurants of Canada, Lego Canada 

and RBC Royal Bank of Canada. 

The biggest highlight of her career to date? The 

opportunity to move her family to Trinidad and Tobago for 

a year to oversee RBC Royal Bank of Canada’s rebranding 

efforts in 19 Caribbean countries. 

Ishma’s Advice to New Alumni 

Be inquisitive, make connections 

and – this is the biggest thing I say to 

everybody – be your authentic self. 

Mohit 

Masand 

Sales and Account Management – Class of 2014 

When Mohit Masand arrived in Canada to attend 

Centennial College as an international student, he found 

more than a world-class education in his chosen field. He 

also found a warm and welcoming community that helped 

him feel at home. 

“Not only did Centennial’s staff and faculty help me excel 

academically, but they also offered great insights about 

settling in Canada and finding a suitable job,” he says. 

As a marketing professional who had started building his 

career in India, Masand wanted to expand his skills and 

access new opportunities for growth. Centennial’s Sales 

and Account Management Program sounded like the 

perfect fit – and it was. Masand was offered a job in his 

field as soon as he graduated in 2014. 

He soon became a licensed mortgage agent and today 

manages a team of mortgage professionals working with 

Dominion Lending Centres Affinity Mortgage Solutions. 

For the past three years, he has been a recipient of 

Dominion Lending Centres’ Sales Achievement Award in 

recognition of his outstanding track record. 

He’s also committed to giving back: Masand regularly 

holds training sessions and guest lectures at Centennial. 

“The interactions I had with guest lecturers at Centennial 

helped me network with professionals in the field and 

acquaint myself with industry trends,” he says. “Going 

back to the classroom to speak with new students is an 

important way of passing on the opportunities that were 

given to me.” 

Mohit's Advice to New Alumni 

Stay in touch with Centennial and 

continue to give back; it’ll help you stay 

connected with your roots. 


INTERESTED IN MENTORING NEW GRADUATES? 

GET INVOLVED WITH CENTENNIAL HUB! 

For most students and new graduates, navigating the 

working world can be a daunting – and sometimes 

overwhelming – task. Full of questions but often 

without anyone to ask or help guide them, too many 

young people are struggling to get started in their 

chosen careers. 

Recognizing this mentorship gap, Centennial College 

has proudly launched Centennial Hub – a new initiative 

to connect current students and new graduates 

with alumni like you who are established in their 

own careers. 

Created in partnership with Ten Thousand Coffees and 

RBC Future Launch, two leading programs dedicated to 

connecting young people with the resources they need 

to succeed in the job market, Centennial Hub builds 

bridges to mentorship and offers meaningful benefits to 

both students and mentors. 

How does it work? 

Centennial Hub is an online space where students 

and recent grads can connect with a network of 

professionals who have signed up to offer mentorship 

and guidance. Each month, students and professionals 

are automatically matched based on a set of criteria. 

Matched mentors and mentees can then choose to 

meet in person for a coffee, chat on the phone or meet 

virtually using Google Hangouts. 

Your expertise is in demand! 

As a proud Centennial alum, you have invaluable 

experiences, insights and expertise to offer new or 

nearly-new graduates. By joining Centennial Hub, you 

will have an opportunity to support young people as they 

launch their careers simply by answering their questions 

and sharing your advice. 

The benefits don’t stop there! As a member of Centennial 

Hub, you will also gain access to a network of other 

professionals and be celebrated for your contributions 

as a volunteer. Centennial will be pleased to provide you 

with LinkedIn profile certification in recognition of 

your commitment. 

Sign up today 

For more information or to get started on Centennial 

Hub today, email 10KC@centennialcollege.ca or visit 

tenthousandcoffees.com/schools/centennial 

The Centennial Hub on Ten Thousand Coffees is brought to you by the 

Career Services and Co-operative Education Department and the Office 

of Development and Alumni Engagement. 

Supported by: 

Both youth and mentors can pause their participation in 

the service at any time. 


CCAA Initiative Offered Hope 

for Alumni in Need During 

COVID-19 

In March 2020, a mere month 

after starting a new job, Centennial 

alumna Christine Dimoff was laid off. 

“The travel industry, especially the 

tourism side, was destroyed because 

of pandemic-related government 

restrictions,” says Dimoff, who has 

enjoyed a successful career in 

tourism since graduating from the 

Hospitality and Tourism program 

in 1989. “I don’t know when the 

industry will recover — because of 

COVID-19 no one is travelling.” 

In July, after months of struggling 

due to her job loss, Dimoff came 

across an email from the Centennial 

College Alumni Association (CCAA) 

about the Alumni Support Initiative, a 

program created to help alumni who 

were struggling financially due to the 

pandemic. 

The program’s creation was driven 

by the CCAA Board’s desire to help 

alumni affected financially by the 

pandemic, said Marlon Inniss, Vice 

President of the CCAA. 

“With everything that was going on 

with the pandemic, we wanted to 

help alumni facing difficult times and 

having career difficulties,” he says. 

“The executive brainstormed around 

how we could help.” 

He said the CCAA executive spoke 

with the CCAA donation committee, 

on which he sits, and presented the 

idea that once its regular donations 

had been allocated, the rest of the 

funds would go towards helping 

struggling alumni. 

In total, between the initiative’s 

launch in early July and when it 

closed after Labour Day weekend, 

over 500 alumni received $25 

or $50 Walmart or gas gift cards 

(recipients’ choice). Total donations 

amounted to $17,275. 

Inniss said applicants came from all 

walks of life — ranging from 1978 to 

2020 grads. 

“The initiative wasn’t meant to 

solve all of the recipients’ problems 

associated with the pandemic but we 

wanted to help out as best we could,” 

Inniss says. “We also wanted to say 

thank you to our front-line worker 

alumni with something little that 

could go a long way.” 

“I thought it was great,” says Dimoff. 

“I was out of work and thought ‘every 

little bit helps’ and it helped me get a 

few things I needed.” 

Over the course of her career, Dimoff 

has worked for various tour operators 

as well as Air Canada. Her last job 

at BCD Travel was supposed to be a 

fresh start after a year-long period of 

looking for a new job. 

“I have spent a long time at each 

company for which I worked,” Dimoff 

said. “I’m very dedicated to my 

career.” 

Inniss said the stories shared by 

program applicants over the course 

of the summer varied in their content 

but equaled in their gloom. 


“Some people shared long stories about family 

members having COVID-19, reduced work hours 

and family income, businesses closed, job losses,” 

he says. “There were many different stories and they 

were heartbreaking.” 

He says the association wanted to make the 

application process as easy as possible while 

maintaining an appropriate vetting procedure to 

ensure the gift cards went to alumni in need. 

CCAA took to social media to get the message 

out about the program and used the hashtag 

#CCAACares to deliver the message to alumni. 

“We have approximately 190,000 alumni so we 

wanted to verify that the applicants really needed 

the assistance,” Inniss said. “We asked for their 

name, the program from which they graduated so we 

could verify they were alumni, and asked how they 

were affected.” 

Dimoff knew the value of staying in touch with 

the College prior to applying to the Alumni 

Support Initiative. She had leaned on her College 

connections before. 

“Once, when I was in between jobs, I reconnected 

with the College and they gave me some good 

feedback and advice,” she said. “I had always been 

checking in to see what the CCAA is doing and this 

initiative proved that every little bit helps — it was 

very nice of them.” 

Inniss said the CCAA aims to keep graduates 

engaged and informed of various opportunities 

available for support. 

The CCAA name is out there and 

we want to hear from alumni and 

help them with what they might 

need,” he said. “We keep our ears 

to the ground and when we have 

the opportunity, we want to help 

out during a bad time. 

He also says that the success of the Alumni Support 

Initiative during such a challenging time was a powerful 

demonstration of the CCAA’s collaborative nature. 

“Executing the Alumni Support Initiative was a great 

group effort during a time when the Board’s operations 

were unconventional,” he says. “It worked out smoothly 

and proved how something positive can go a long way.” 

#CcaaCares 


CENTENNIAL FIRST, 

ALUMNI FOREVER! 

To ensure you get the latest information on new savings 

and benefits throughout the year, please keep your contact 

information up to date with us. Be sure to forward your 

my.centennial email to your personal email address. 

The Centennial for Life Card is your permanent identification as a graduate of Centennial College. 

Carry the card to show your College pride and as a testament to others of your accomplishments. 

Plus, access a variety of products and services offered by the College and partnering suppliers – 

exclusive to card-carrying Centennial alumni. 

WHY STAY CONNECTED? 

Your membership is automatic after graduation! The benefits of becoming a Centennial College 

Alumni Association member begin at convocation and last a lifetime. Your membership is free 

and includes benefits and services such as: 

Free access to computer labs, libraries 

and resource centres 

Free access to the College’s Career Services 

and Co-operative Education resources 

Free subscription to ascent alumni magazine 

and e-newsletter 

Discounted membership to the Athletic 

and Wellness facilities 

Networking opportunities at industry events, 

conferences and reunions 

CCAALife 

CCAALife 

CCAALife 

#CcaaCares 

For more information, visit ccaa.life or call the Centennial College Alumni Association office at 416-289-5218 


Centennial Unveils New 

Sustainable Building Embedded 

with Indigenous Values 

Centennial College has a bold 

plan that offers a distinct path 

of reconciliation – one that 

acknowledges the College must 

re-envision itself as a post-colonial 

institution resulting in new ways of 

seeing and doing. 

The Indigenous Strategic 

Framework Pillars are 

an example of this reenvisioning 

process. 

Under each pillar a key 

strategy was identified 

to support and promote 

Indigenous values within 

the College. Those 

include sustainability, 

addressing anti- 

Indigenous racism, 

including Indigenous 

communities in the 

decision-making process 

and actively working to 

remove systemic barriers 

and root causes of 

inequities preventing the success 

of Indigenous people. 

An ambitious step towards 

reconciliation comes in the form 

of Centennial’s Progress Campus 

A-Block Expansion Project. Designed 

by EllisDon together with Dialog 

Architects and Smoke Architecture, 

the project is constructing the first 

zero-carbon, mass timber highereducation 

building in the country. 

Inside and out, the building design 

will reflect Indigenous values and 

principles, and is based on the 

concept of “two-eyed seeing" – 

viewing the world through the lens of 

Indigenous knowledge and the lens of 

Western knowledge. 

The expansion will house the School 

of Engineering Technology and 

Applied Science programs (ICET), 

flexible classrooms that support 

Indigenous ways of teaching and 

being, as well as support areas 

such as Wisdom Hall, an engaging 

student touchdown space, along with 

collaborative spaces, administrative 

offices and food services. 

“We wanted to raise the bar for 

future post-secondary projects,” 

said Craig Stephenson, 

President and CEO of 

Centennial College. “At 

Centennial, we view 

sustainability, inclusivity 

and Indigeneity as wholly 

interconnected ideas and 

we wanted a building that 

demonstrates that crucial 

relationship.” 

Forming a new gateway 

structure at Centennial’s 

Progress Campus, the 

$105-million expansion 

to the Progress Campus 

A-Block building 

will embody the 

College’s commitment to truth and 

reconciliation and sustainable design 

when it opens in 2023. 


Educating the Next 

Generation to 

Fight Anti-Black 

Racism 

Centennial College’s commitment 

to anti-Black racism is being 

actioned through ongoing 

awareness, community building and 

accountability across all levels of 

the College. 

After closing a year marked by 

institutionalized and systemic 

inequities that continue to perpetuate 

anti-Black racism in society, the 

College has reinforced its initiatives 

and programs to promote ongoing 

dialogue and opportunities to 

address and challenge anti-Black 

racism in all its forms. 

In February 2021, the College 

celebrated Black History Month, 

an opportunity to engage our 

community in honouring the 

experiences, histories, contributions 

and achievements of diverse Black 

communities. 


Activities from this year’s Black 

History Month included a range 

of online sessions and resources 

aimed at supporting local Black 

entrepreneurs, community 

discussions around the meaning of 

Black History Month and highlighting 

the work of Black storytellers, 

including Black poets, writers 

and artists. 

Another highlight is the 

announcement of six new 

scholarships to commemorate 

Black History Month. Open to both 

international and domestic students 

who self-identify as members of 

diverse Black communities, the 

Centennial College Black History 

Month Scholarships are worth 

$1,000 each and will be given to 

students who demonstrate 

financial need. 

But Centennial’s commitment to 

anti-Black racism extends well 

beyond the month of February. 

Last fall, Centennial created an 

Anti-Black Racism Task Force 

comprised of more than 60 diverse 

students, staff and members of the 

senior leadership team. Through 

collaborative action, the goal of the 

task force is to further foster an 

environment of inclusion in teaching, 

learning, employment and support 

services to fully serve diverse 

Black communities to excel in the 

workplace and in society. 

In addition, Centennial’s Centre for 

Global Citizenship Education and 

Inclusion (GCEI) launched a Black 

Mentorship Initiative program, 

inviting current and past students 

to share their skills and knowledge 

in order to help Centennial’s Black 

communities enhance their career

potential, help identify career paths and secure 

gainful employment. For more information about 

the Black Mentorship Initiative, please contact 

gcei@centennialcollege.ca. 

The Centre for GCEI is also offering two new interactive 

learning opportunities this winter/spring that address 

racism and bias in the classroom: Building an Anti-Racist 

Teaching Practice for Impactful and Transformative 

Change; and Disrupting Systemic Bias: Proactive 

Strategies for Inclusive Curriculum Design. As part of 

ongoing programming, the Centre for GCEI offers an 

Equity and Inclusion Perspectives Program to all 

Centennial employees that provides education and 

awareness opportunities that address anti-Black racism 

including: Unpacking Unconscious and Systemic Bias, 

Anti-Black Racism in Higher Education, Addressing 

Microaggressions in Higher Education, and Allyship 

and Solidarity. 

As a Centennial alum, you too can make a difference by 

educating yourself about anti-Black racism by accessing 

Centennial College Libraries’ list of videos and reading 

materials on the subject by clicking here, by accessing 

an additional list of free online resources here, by 

supporting local Black businesses or by taking an active 

role within the Black Mentorship Initiative. We also 

encourage you to listen to Centennial's Decoding Black 

Postcast which features hosts Dr. Christopher Stuart 

Taylor and Letecia Rose, and to download and share this 

Social Action Card. 

Speak out against… 

ANTI-BLACK 

RACISM 

Always think first... 

MICROAGGRESSIONS 


How a Former HYPE 

Student Found Success 

– and Came Full Circle 

Ahmed Bawah with the 2018 HYPE graduating class. 

For Ahmed Bawah, growing up 

in an economically challenged 

neighbourhood gave root to 

his dreams. 

A natural entrepreneur, he was always 

finding ways to make extra money 

for himself and his family, including 

taking on an early morning paper 

route as a child. By the time he was a 

teenager, Bawah knew he wanted to 

one day own a business and take his 

passion for entrepreneurship to the 

next level. 

After graduating from high school, 

he made that happen – several 

times over. 

Teaching himself the ropes of starting 

a business and using his own 

resources, he opened a cell phone 

store. Building on the lessons he 

learned and the successes 

of the store, he launched Mama’s 

Life Products, a skincare company 

specializing in all-natural, non-toxic 

health and beauty aids that provide 

natural alternatives for 

everyday living. 

But with his businesses not taking 

off as quickly as he had hoped, 

Bawah sensed he needed to further 

develop himself. He felt that pursuing 

a post-secondary education would 

equip him with formal training while 

opening doors to new opportunities 

and possibilities. 

As he explored his options, a friend 

told him about Centennial College’s 

Helping Youth Pursue Education 

(HYPE) program – a tuition-free sixweek 

program that seeks to engage 

young people from underserved 

communities and introduce them 

to pathways to post-secondary 

education, careers and sustainable 

employment. It seemed like the 

perfect fit, and he quickly signed up. 

The rest is history. 

Through HYPE, Bawah was able to 

map out a future that combined 

his interests in business, the 

environment and the sciences. 

Combining his passions into one 

education and career direction, he 

returned briefly to high school to earn 

the credentials he needed to fully 

pursue a post-secondary education 

in environmental technology at 

Centennial, while continuing to utilize 

his entrepreneurial skills to develop 

his businesses. 


“I understood that as long as I 

was planting and tending seeds, 

something would grow,” he shares. 

And grow it did. With commitments 

to his businesses and raising 

a young family well in hand, 

Bawah enrolled in the College’s 

Environmental Technology program 

and maintained a near-perfect 

GPA throughout. In recognition 

of his academic and mentoring 

achievements, Bawah was honoured 

with the Board of Governors’ Award 

of Excellence – Student Leadership 

Award. 

During his time in the program, one 

of his professors asked about his 

interest in participating in applied 

research. Seeing an opportunity to 

once again merge interests – this 

time academic and entrepreneurial 

– Bawah wrote a successful proposal 

to investigate the benefits of shea 

butter. Through this research grant, 

he studied the composition of shea 

at the molecular level. 

Amazed at what he learned about 

the true power and potential of the 

ingredient, Bawah doubled down on 

his vision for his skincare company, 

evolving his product line and 

investing in a rebrand. 

“The more I learned about shea, the 

more passionate I became about it,” 

he says. “And I knew I had the skills 

to really take it somewhere.” 

Today, Mama’s Life Products is 

available in over 100 stores and 

chains across Canada – including, 

most recently, Winners. 

With an approach rooted in 

Bawah’s commitment to supporting 

his community and respecting 

indigenous practices, Mama’s 

Life Products sources raw shea 

from regions of West Africa where 

Bawah’s own family has deep roots. 

I’m very conscious 

of the indigenous 

perspective and the 

value and wisdom of 

ancestral ways,” he 

says. “By incorporating 

those practices into 

our sourcing and 

production methods, 

Mama’s Life Products 

combines the best 

of both worlds at the 

intersection of nature 

and science. 

Knowing that Centennial played an 

important role in his journey, he’s 

also passionate about connecting 

new generations of youth from 

underserved neighbourhoods to 

the power of education. 

Through Mamas Life Products, 

Bawah provides funding 

to help youth in West 

Africa attend school. 

And here at home, he 

now works every day at 

Centennial, in his “day 

job”, to encourage young 

people in underserved 

neighbourhoods to 

think about creating an 

education and a career 

through HYPE as the 

program’s outreach 

coordinator. 

Being able to support 

young people facing 

various socioeconomic 

and other life challenges 

and connect them to 

education is an incredible 

honour,” says Bawah. 

As he continues to build the success 

of Mamas Life Products and work for 

Centennial College, Bawah is proud 

of his commitment to environmental 

stewardship and sustainability. 

Bawah describes his success as being 

directly connected to his service of 

others. A favourite lesson of his is 

borrowed from the wisdom of the 

teaching of the Three Obligations, 

which states that one has an 

obligation to balance one’s self, family 

and community. 

Bawah looks forward to the 

possibilities the future holds for 

himself, his family and his community. 


What’s Up, 

Doc? 

Centennial Alum Makes 

History as the New 

Voice of Bugs Bunny 

When Centennial alum Eric 

Bauza got the call that he’d be 

the next voice of Bugs Bunny, 

he says it was the ultimate 

“pinch me” moment. 

“It has been too good to be true,” 

says the voice actor, who hails from 

Toronto and now calls Los Angeles 

home. 

A graduate of the College’s Radio, 

Television and Film program, 

Bauza’s successful audition last 

year for the role of the world’s most 

loved and loveable rabbit came as 

no surprise to those familiar with 

his prolific career. Over the past 

20 years, Bauza has given voice 

to a long list of famous household 

names – including characters 

starring in Ren & Stimpy, G.I. Joe, 

Scooby-Doo and Teenage Mutant 

Ninja Turtles, to name just 

a few. 

It was in 2010 that the road to 

Bugs came into sight when Bauza 

landed the role of Marvin the 

Martian with the Warner Bros.’ 

Looney Tunes Cartoons, a reboot 

of the original The Looney Tunes 

Show series. But even though he 

was getting closer, he still had a 

little longer to wait for his chance. 

“I voiced Marvin the Martian for 

nearly 10 years until they opened 

up auditions again for other 


characters,” he says. Giving it his 

best shot, Bauza didn’t only win the 

role of Bugs – he’s also now the 

voice of Daffy Duck, Tweety and 

Pepé Le Pew, in addition to Marvin. 

It’s been an extraordinary journey. 

And it all started at Centennial. 

Bringing dreams into focus 

Bauza can’t remember a time that 

he didn’t love cartoons or have an 

interest in the voices behind them. 

“As a kid, I would always entertain 

my friends by doing impressions 

of characters,” he says. “I would 

often do research to find out who 

was behind the characters and 

why I was laughing so much, and 

I studied their voices and tried to 

practice.” 

He cites Mel Blanc, the co-creator 

and original voice of Bugs Bunny, 

Daffy Duck and many of the other 

original Looney Tunes characters, 

as a major inspiration along with 

Canadian comedians like John 

Candy, Martin Short and Eugene 

Levy. 

A born-and-bred Torontonian 

himself, Bauza believes there’s 

something special about the city 

that’s produced so many comedy 

superstars. “There’s something in 

the water in Toronto that allows you 

to morph into these characters,” 

he says. “Seeing people like Mike 

Meyers and Jim Carrey become 

huge stars and having come from 

where we’re from was a huge 

influence on me.” 

At the end of high school, when it 

came time to decide on his next 

steps, Bauza didn’t hesitate: “I 

always thought, cartoons. That’s 

where I want to be.” 

He learned about Centennial’s 

Radio, Television and Film program 

and knew it would be the perfect 

place to bring focus to his dreams. 

“Centennial was where I honed in 

on what I wanted to do,” he says. 

Over the course of the program, 

Bauza gained experience as a 

director, as a radio broadcaster 

and as a video editor. He also

had an opportunity to take on a 

co-op position in LA, where he 

gained invaluable connections who 

ultimately set him up with his first 

voice acting gigs. He also credits 

friends from Centennial who went 

on to work for big names like Disney, 

Warner Bros. and Nickelodeon with 

helping him identify opportunities. 

“They remembered that I loved to 

do voices and called me as soon 

as they had any leads on work,” 

he says. “So many people over the 

years just kept trying to find me 

opportunities that were the right fit.” 

Bauza says that Centennial prepared 

him well for success as an artist in a 

competitive field. 

Centennial prepares you 

for the ups and downs of 

the industry,” he says. 

“As artists and writers 

and journalists, we’re 

out there gathering 

our own work, making 

the cold calls, reaching 

out to people for a 

chance to talk, to prove 

yourself and to audition. 

Centennial taught me 

what to do and what not 

to do – and to never 

be late! 

Breaking new ground 

Today, as the new voice of Bugs, 

Bauza is making history in more 

ways than one. Not only is he 

just the seventh voice actor to 

take on the beloved bunny since 

1938, he’s the first Filipino- 

Canadian to snag the role. 

In a sector that still struggles 

with diverse representation, 

Bauza says he’s enjoyed 

surprising people when he walks 

into a room. 

“I met with [Warner Bros.] 

representatives from Mexico, 

and they flipped out that I was 

the voice of Bugs,” he says. “To 

break that norm is fun.” 

Just like his comedic role models 

before him, Bauza hopes he can 

inspire people young and old – 

of all backgrounds – to enter 

the field. 

If [being the first Filipino- 

Canadian] is encouraging 

people who have the same 

face as me – or don’t have 

the same face as me – to 

use their voice, then I’m 

all for it. 

What’s next, doc? 

While Bauza is loving every moment 

of living his dream, he’s also thinking 

about other projects in the world 

of cartoons that he may want to 

pursue. A storyteller at heart, while 

at Centennial he loved taking on 

opportunities to direct or edit videos – 

and he’s thinking that may be 

what’s next. 

“I definitely want to pitch and maybe 

create my own show in the future,” he 

says. “I’d love to have an opportunity 

to [create and direct]. I feel like I’m 

getting close to pitching something 

good!” 

More immediately, though, is his work 

on the upcoming and long-awaited 

Space Jam: A New Legacy, the sequel 

to the wildly popular 1996 film starring 

LeBron James. Bauza will be voicing 

all of his Looney Tunes characters – 

Bugs, Daffy, Marvin, Pepé and Tweety 

– in the film. 

Asked for details about the film’s plot, 

Bauza effortlessly slips into the voice 

of Daffy Duck: “I’ve been thworn to 

thecrecy by the lawyers at Warner 

Bros.” 


Centennial Professor 

Tanya Domize 

Gives to Give Back 

Centennial faculty member Tanya Domize 

is a fierce advocate for her students. 

She knows that investing in their success – as a 

teacher, as an ally and as a donor – can mean 

the difference between staying in school and 

giving it all up. 

She knows because she’s been there. When she was a 

student at Centennial, it was a professor who helped her 

find her path forward. 

“There was a faculty member I would often see in the 

parking lot, and he started asking me about my life,” she 

says. “Not in a nosy way, but with a lot of compassion.” 

After learning her story, the professor gave Domize 

information about the different scholarships and 

bursaries that may be available to help her. It was at that 

moment she realized she might be able to manage what 

was starting to feel impossible: being a full-time student 

and a full-time single mother to two young children. 

“Before that conversation, I would find myself sitting in 

class filled with anxiety,” she says. “But receiving bursary 

and scholarship support gave me the stability I needed 

to attend school while providing for my family – and the 

chance to make something of myself.” 

Determination to overcome 

A Scarborough native and the daughter of a single 

mother herself, Domize had her first child at 18 just as 

she was finishing high school. After giving birth to her son 

at 23, she knew it was time to make a change to give her 

kids a better future. 

Her first step was to enroll in Centennial’s one-year 

liberal arts certificate program. She went on to complete 

an undergraduate degree in political science at York 

University before returning to Centennial to attend the 

paralegal graduate certificate program. 

Going back to Centennial was like 

returning to my family,” she says. “I 

had been through so much with them 

and it felt like a natural next step. 

After graduating from Centennial for the second time, 

Domize immediately started working at the Ontario 

Ministry of the Attorney General as a victim/witness 

advocate with a special focus on sex trafficking, 

homicides and domestic violence. But two years ago, she 

found herself drawn back to the Centennial community 

and took on a full-time role as a professor and legal 

program coordinator with The Business School. 

“Centennial’s strong sense of community inspired me 

to come back and join the faculty,” she says. “It sets the 

school apart from so many other institutions.” 

Today, Domize is committed to doing everything within 

her power to help her students succeed – including 

making sure they have enough to eat. 


Knowing that many students struggle to afford their next 

meal, every month or so – when in-person learning is in 

session – Domize brings coffee and baked goods to 

her classes. 

“What may just be $40 to me might mean the world to 

my students,” she says. “Many students will ask if they 

can bring any leftovers to their kids or spouses. I know 

what food insecurity feels like, and I think showing a little 

compassion goes a long way toward making the world a 

better place.” 

From scholarship recipient to scholarship donor 

She also wants the world to know that scholarships 

create real, tangible impact for students – in her case, 

the difference of a lifetime. 

I know what the anxiety of financial 

instability feels like,” she says. “I 

know the incredible feeling of having 

the support you need to make it 

through. And now I know the pure joy 

of being in a position to give back. 

But Domize knows that financial support is the ultimate 

way to support students in need. That’s why Domize 

and her mom – who received her food handling 

certificate from Centennial – decided to establish 

a scholarship for students who may be struggling 

to get by. 

The Veleta Samuels-Jackson Scholarship, named 

after Domize’s mom, supports students in their 

second or third year of a program within The 

Business School who have demonstrated a strong 

commitment to supporting their community. 

While the scholarship is maintained through 

Domize’s regular payroll contributions, continuing 

to build up the fund has become something of a 

passion project for Veleta. 

My mom is always looking for 

ways to make the scholarship 

bigger!” says Domize. “She’ll 

ask members of our church 

and community to support it 

and encourage them to rally 

around students working 

toward their goals. 

Domize wants others interested in scholarship 

giving to know that wealth isn’t a requirement for 

making a difference. 

“So many people think philanthropy means giving 

large amounts of money,” she says. “But every 

dollar makes a difference, and it’s absolutely 

possible to create a scholarship with what you’re able to 

give and what you’re able to raise from your community.” 


GIVE THE GIFT 

OF EDUCATION 

Scholarship and 

Bursary giving at 


Centennial College changed your life. Now you can help the 

next generation of Centennial students pursue their dreams. 

As one of the most diverse, innovative and globally 

connected colleges in the world, Centennial is 

developing the workforce of tomorrow — and the 

leaders who will continue to guide Canada through the 

21st century and beyond. 

By joining Centennial’s donor community, your 

generosity will advance excellence in education and 

the growing impact of our students and graduates on 

the world stage. 

Whether you choose to invest in the greatest priority 

needs of the College as a monthly donor, support a 

student directly by establishing a scholarship, create 

a legacy by naming Centennial College in your Will or 

any option in between, your support will celebrate the 

power of education and ignite the unlimited potential 

of the Centennial community. 

I know what the anxiety of financial 

instability feels like. I know the 

incredible feeling of having the 

support you need to make it through. 

And now I know the pure joy of being 

in a position to give back 

– Tanya Domize, Centennial Alumna 

and Scholarship Donor 


Scholarships and Awards 

Today, over 24,000 full-time students are enrolled in 

300 programs at Centennial College. But most are facing 

significant financial challenges: over 90% of domestic 

students rely on financial aid as they work toward 

achieving their goals. 

For many students, the financial strain of pursuing a 

post-secondary education can be crippling. 

By creating or contributing to a scholarship, you have an 

opportunity to directly support a young person’s ability 

to complete their education and pursue the career of 

their dreams. Your gift will also send a powerful message 

about your belief in their unlimited potential. 

MAKING A DIFFERENCE IS EASY 

At any giving level, you have the option to choose the 

program you’d like to support. When you set up a named 

scholarship or bursary you can choose the criteria that is 

most important to you. 

CREATE AN ANNUAL SCHOLARSHIP 

OR BURSARY 

Annual awards can be created in your name or in the 

name of a loved one and are presented yearly through 

ongoing contributions. 

CREATE AN ENDOWED SCHOLARSHIP 

OR BURSARY 

Endowed awards can be created in your name or in the 

name of a loved one and are presented in perpetuity, 

supporting generations of students. 

CONTRIBUTE TO AN EXISTING 

SCHOLARSHIP OR BURSARY 

Contribute to an award supporting a program area in 

greatest need or the program area of your choice. 

I just want to say thank you for 

helping me in my journey to better 

myself. On the other side of your 

donation, there is a real person 

whose life you have changed forever. 

– Priyanka, scholarship recipient 

CELEBRATING YOUR GENEROSITY 

With a named award, you will have the opportunity to 

meet your award recipient(s) each year at Centennial’s 

Student Awards Night. You will also be recognized as an 

award donor in Centennial’s donor listings. 

CONTACT US 

Get in touch today to learn more about how you can 

change lives through the power of scholarship giving. 

Linda Barlow 

Director of Development, 

Major Gifts and Campaigns, 

Office of Development 

and Alumni Engagement 

T: 416-289-5000, ext. 8849 

C: 416-825-6846 

E: lbarlow@centennialcollege.ca 

Sandra Harris 

Executive Director, 



T: 416-289-5148 

C: 647-403-9716 

E: sharris@centennialcollege.ca 


EMPOWERED 

TO DREAM 

Wing Tse is a big fan of 

Centennial College, and for 

good reason: he credits the 

school with helping him find 

confidence in himself – and 

his future – for the first time 

in his life. 

Today, it’s hard to tell there was ever a time 

Tse didn’t have dreams and the drive to pursue 

them. At just 20 years old, Tse is a graduate of 

Centennial’s Pre-Service Firefighter Education and 

Training Program, a current psychology student at 

the University of Guelph, a member of the Queen’s 

Own Rifles of Canada and an active community 

volunteer, he’s right on track to achieve his goal of 

becoming a firefighter with Toronto Fire Service 

and moving up the ranks. 

But it wasn’t long ago that his world fell apart. 

When Tse was 14, he suddenly found himself 

homeless when his father’s gambling and alcohol 

addictions caught up to him. Tse’s mother, who 

struggles with mental health challenges, had left 

the family five years earlier; he hadn’t seen her 

since he was eight years old. 

Without any relatives to turn to for help, Tse moved 

in with his best friend’s family – a family he now 

calls his own. 

I don’t think my story is a sad 

one because of them,” he says 

now. “They’ve been amazing 

and instilled the drive and 

fearlessness that I carry with me 

in life. They’re Irish, and I now 

like to say I’m half-Irish! 

As he approached the end of high school, Tse knew he 

wanted to build a career out of giving back. 

Image taken by photographer @samuelengelking 

“So much support had been provided to me by my new 

family and the community that I knew I had to give back 

in some way,” he says. “I realized firefighting would be 

a perfect career for me; it combines my desire to help 

people with my love of physical activity and teamwork.” 

When Tse enrolled at Centennial, he had no idea his 

time at the school would change his life – in more ways 

than one. 

“Centennial gave me a circle of people who cared 

about me, who saw something great in me, who helped 

me understand what I’m capable of,” he says. “And 

they showed me what it really means to give back, to 

contribute to the well-being of others.” 

Taken under the wing of Captain Michael Wood, his 

program’s coordinator and a long-time member of 

Toronto Fire Service, Tse was encouraged to find 

opportunities to volunteer his time in addition to focusing 

on his academic work. He started by organizing toy drives 

for kids in need and his passion for community service 

grew from there. 


Centennial also helped Tse find his passion for 

mental health. The only student from the pre-service 

firefighting program to enroll in the college’s mental 

health first aid training course, Tse says the experience 

gave him the realization that his mother’s decision to 

leave the family when he was a child was driven by her 

mental illness. 

“I can’t even remember how many toy drives I organized!” 

he says. “From there, I started organizing other initiatives 

like collecting money to donate to the college or for 

causes like muscular dystrophy. Centennial always had 

opportunities available to get involved.” 

Soon, Tse found himself spearheading the launch of 

Centennial’s very first FireFit team to participate in the 

FireFit Championships – a competition based on tasks 

typically found in emergency firefighting situations. 

“That was probably the highlight of my experience at 

Centennial,” he says. “It was a lot of work, but I got to 

connect with so many people at FireFit, at Centennial 

and in the community to organize the team, secure 

sponsorships and participate in the competition. Not a 

lot of people in my past had encouraged me, and taking 

on FireFit helped me realize my own potential.” 

Captain Wood says that Tse’s enthusiasm for FireFit was 

infectious – and reflects his incredible commitment to 

growing and giving back. 

“I grew up with so much resentment, but I’m now 

trying to look at that experience as something that was 

outside of her control,” he says. “And I’m working on 

reaching out to her.” 

Empowered by his newfound interest in mental health, 

Tse chose to pursue an undergraduate degree in 

psychology to set himself up for a future of leadership 

within Toronto Fire Service and to ensure he’ll be 

able to create direct impact for community members 

experiencing mental health challenges. 

He’s also doing what he can to support communitybased 

mental health services. Together with a friend, 

Tse recently launched [s]mileage – an online clothing 

company with a goal to donate $5,000 from proceeds 

to Stella’s Place, a Toronto non-profit providing mental 

health support for youth. 

As he looks ahead to a bright future, Tse remains 

deeply grateful for his experiences at Centennial. 

“I want to thank Centennial for all of the endless and 

amazing opportunities they provided, and for going 

above and beyond every step of the way,” he says. 

“Centennial was the community I needed to realize who 

I am and what I can do, and really propelled me to do 

what I’m doing now.” 

Wing’s enthusiasm for the project 

got other students involved, got 

instructors to donate their time and 

even inspired people from other 

FireFit teams to take our team under 

their wing and offer suggestions and 

coaching,” says Wood. “Wing has 

this incredible drive to be the best 

person he can be in order to do good 

for others, and that influences those 

around him to strive for more as well. 

Wing Tse and Captain Mike Wood 


The Isabella Elsie 

Wightman Scholarship: 

Bringing Lost Dreams to Life 

In December of 1956, Isabella Elsie 

Wightman crossed the Atlantic Ocean 

with her three young children to start 

a new life in Canada. 

A nurse who trained in England in the 

immediate aftermath of the Second 

World War, Isabella was disappointed 

to discover that her qualifications 

were not recognized in Canada. To 

practice as a registered nurse (RN), 

she would have to return to school. 

“It just wasn’t realistic for her to go 

back to school,” says her son, Ian 

Wightman. “She had three small kids 

and couldn’t afford the time or cost.” 

Although Isabella ultimately found a 

nursing role at a local hospital, she 

was never able to realize her dream 

of working as an RN in Canada. 

When she passed away in 2009, 

Ian – who worked as a receiver in 

Centennial’s bookstore system until 

his retirement in 2015 – knew he 

had to find a meaningful way to pay 

tribute to her life and memory. He 

quickly realized that creating an 

endowed scholarship for students of 

the College’s nursing program would 

be the perfect tribute. 

I had to find something 

that would be more than 

just a plaque with her 

name on it,” he says. “I 

thought a scholarship 

could serve as a living 

memorial with lasting 

impact. 

The endowed Isabella Elsie 

Wightman Scholarship was originally 

established to help young newcomers 

to Canada realize their dreams 

of becoming a nurse. Today, the 


scholarship has evolved to support any registered 

practical nursing student experiencing financial 

obstacles who demonstrates academic excellence. 

“One of the greatest and most unexpected rewards of 

creating the scholarship has been the opportunity to 

meet the recipients and hear their stories,” says Ian. 

“What started off as a memorial has now become a 

really inspiring experience for our family.” 

“Even without the additional monthly contributions I 

make, because it’s invested there’s always enough 

money each year to create the scholarship,” he says. 

Year after year since the creation of the Isabella Elsie 

Wightman Scholarship, the lost dreams of a young nurse 

starting a new life in Canada have been realized through 

the success of its recipients. And they’ll continue to be 

realized for years to come – the ultimate living memorial. 

Ian is passionate about the long-term impact of 

scholarship endowments like his own. Endowments 

allow funds donated to the scholarship to be invested, 

with the investment income earned each year creating 

the scholarship award. 

An endowed scholarship is a great 

way to make society a little better 

over a long period of time,” says Ian. 

“It creates ongoing impact year after 

year, and if it’s managed properly 

then the impact can really 

be intergenerational. 

At the time that Ian established the Isabella Elsie 

Wightman Scholarship, the Ontario government had 

a special matching program to encourage community 

members to create endowed scholarship funds. But he 

says that even without a matching program, establishing 

an endowed scholarship is easier than it may seem. 

Like many donors interested in creating an endowment, 

Ian and a number of his family members made 

contributions to build up the initial amount required 

for the endowment, and he makes smaller monthly 

contributions to the fund. 

CONTACT US 

Isabella Elsie Wightman, 1948 

Get in touch today to learn more about how 

you can change lives through the power of 

endowment giving. 

Linda Barlow 

Director of Development, 

Major Gifts and Campaigns, 



T: 416-289-5000, ext. 8849 

C: 416-825-6846 

E: lbarlow@centennialcollege.ca 

Sandra Harris 

Executive Director, 



T: 416-289-5148 

C: 647-403-9716 

E: sharris@centennialcollege.ca 


Bidding 

Farewell 

to a Beloved 

Centennial 

Leader 

This issue of ascent is very special and significant, as it 

is the last one Dana Gour produced as Managing Editor 

before she retired from Centennial College after an 

incredible 36-year career. 

Dana walked off Centennial’s 

convocation stage in 1985, 

probably the proudest graduate 

of the Recreation Leadership 

program, and absolutely one of 

the proudest fans of all things 

Centennial. 

Dana was a student athlete – 

participating in women’s varsity 

hockey, indoor tennis and softball 

and eventually filling the role of 

Assistant Women’s Softball Coach 

for the Colts after graduation. Her 

first professional role at Centennial 

as Campus Recreation Coordinator 

in Student Life (now SLED) was 

a perfect fit, allowing her to run 

the recreation programs located 

at her beloved East York campus 

(now SAC) before returning to 

Progress Campus. After the College 

restructured back in the 90s, Dana 

found herself working as a Liaison 

Officer with the College’s marketing 

team before closing out her career 

as Manager of Alumni Engagement. 

For more than 20 years she served 

students and graduates while 

managing a great alumni team. 


At times she found herself stepping 

into the interim Executive Director 

role when required and remained 

a close contact of the Centennial 

College Alumni Association 

Executive and Board of Directors. 

Not only did she negotiate 

many affinity partnerships and 

agreements with the Board, she 

worked tirelessly to connect our 

alumni with benefits and services 

to secure the best possible start 

to their careers and lives after 

graduation. 

Throughout her career, Dana 

has been decorated with many 

awards for volunteerism and 

recognition, sat on countless 

College committees and, as a 

proud alum, held various positions 

on the Alumni Board. Over the 

last 36 years, Dana could be 

found refereeing many ball hockey 

games, down in the trenches with 

her colleagues lugging equipment 

and supplies between campuses, 

setting up events, engaging with 

audiences and helping students 

and strangers alike. Always there 

with a shoulder to cry on or to 

share a laugh, celebrations and 

events at Centennial have always 

been that little bit livelier and more 

exciting with Dana in attendance. 

Yet, this was not her job; this 

represents who Dana is – tireless, 

selfless, creative, supportive 

and compassionate. It was her 

mission to ensure everything and 

everyone she interacted with knew 

how great the College truly is: 

not just a collection of buildings 

and programs but a family – her 

second family. 

Dana Gour exemplifies all things 

Centennial – student, athlete, 

award recipient, coach, graduate, 

employee, volunteer, donor, 

mentor, friend and now retiree! We 

are so grateful and appreciative 

for her contributions and look 

forward to seeing Dana in her new 

role as retiree – at the next alumni 

event or COLTS game, or perhaps 

as the next Board member of 

the Centennial College Retirees’ 

Association.

Passing of 

Dr. Catherine 

Henderson, 

former President of 


Dr. Catherine Henderson, who 

served as Centennial College’s 

fourth President from 1992 to 1998, 

passed away peacefully in her Toronto 

Beach home on December 27, 2020 

with her daughters at her side. She 

was 76. 

Cathy Henderson succeeded retiring 

President Ivan Bev McCauley, 

becoming Centennial’s first woman 

in the role and one of the very few 

women to lead an Ontario college at 

the time. She came to Centennial by 

way of Oakville’s Sheridan College, 

where she had originally taught in the 

Child Studies program and eventually 

rose to the position of Vice-President 

Academic. 

A big proponent of technology, Cathy 

instituted a number of important 

changes at Centennial, not least 

of which was the establishment 

of The Bell Centre for Creative 

Communications, now known as 

the Story Arts Centre. While the 

digital media campus project was 

already underway, Cathy brought 

some leading technology partners 

to the table, garnering $17 million 

in corporate support from such 

companies as Bell Ontario, Silicon 

Graphics, Alias Research and 

Sony. When the Centre opened 

in the fall of 1994 – during the 

early days of the Internet – it was 

touted as North America’s largest 

multimedia training centre with a 

robust digital infrastructure that 

eclipsed the network serving the CBC 

Broadcasting Centre in Toronto. 

With a keen interest in early 

childhood education, Cathy was 

instrumental in having a new child 

care centre built at the East York 

Civic Centre to relocate the one the 

College had operated at nearby John 

Diefenbaker Public School. The stateof-the-art 

facility, which opened in 

1995, remains a model of child care 

to this day and is immensely popular 

with the residents of East York. 

Cathy Henderson traveled to 

China in 1995 to meet with her 

counterparts at Tianjin International 

Women’s College and Jilin University 

of Technology, paving the way for 

Chinese students to come to Toronto 

to enrol in Centennial’s International 

Business and Hospitality and Tourism 

Administration programs. 

The agreements that Cathy signed 

formed the template that Centennial 

would follow many times as the 

College pursued closer ties with 

numerous learning institutions 

in China. 

Cathy left Centennial in 1998 to 

become the President of the Ontario 

College of Art and Design. It was 

under her leadership that OCAD 

would earn university status from 

the province. Cathy lived in the 

Toronto Beach community and was 

a common sight on Queen Street 

and on the boardwalk accompanied 

by her wonderful dogs. She enjoyed 

antiquing with friends, going to the 

ballet, traveling and having lunch with 

her sisters. 

Cathy Henderson left an indelible 

mark on Centennial College in the 

relatively short time she was with 

us, and touched the lives of many 

people both within and outside of 

the college system. We’re grateful for 

the leadership she provided during a 

formative time at the College. Indeed, 

hers was a life well lived. 


A Toast to 

Joben James’ 

Outstanding 

Leadership 

and Initiative 

Year after year, Homecoming is the 

time that the Alumni Engagement 

team, the Centennial College Alumni 

Association and their many partners 

work as one to bring the College 

community together to reconnect with 

old friends, meet new ones and gain 

a sense of what has been going on 

at Centennial. 

But in 2020 things were different. In 

place of the traditional Homecoming 

dance and in-person workshops 

and talks, last year’s Homecoming 

week featured webinars, live virtual 

concerts, Zoom workshops and digital 

networking opportunities. 

“Although we would have preferred 

to host our Homecoming festivities in 

person, we are thrilled to share that 

as a result of the virtual format, our 

College supports and partnerships 

have strengthened and provided us 

with a number of new opportunities 

and initiatives to offer in 2021,” said 

Centennial College's recently retired 

Manager of Alumni Engagement. 

And it was online during Homecoming 

week that a new alumni initiative 

took place: the first meeting of 

the Centennial College Alumni 

Association Toastmasters Chapter. 

Led by Joben James, the newly 

elected President and founder, 

the meeting was attended by more 

than 20 members of the Centennial 

community. 

Funnily enough, this is not the first 

time that James is presiding over 

a Toastmasters chapter at the 

College. After emigrating from India 

to study Marketing Research at 

Centennial College, he realized his 

presentation skills could use some 

improvement. That’s when he had 

the idea of starting a Toastmasters 

chapter for Centennial students. He 

reached out to Toastmasters as well 

as to Magdalena Goledzinowska, 

Leadership Academy Architect at 

Centennial College, who helped 

him set up and get membership 

fees subsidized. 

James graduated from his program 

in 2019 but he still wished to remain 

a part of the Toastmasters executive 

board. “Centennial was the best two 

years of my life!” he says. “I felt like 

I didn’t want to leave Toastmasters. 

Alumni cannot run for executive 

positions, but I still wanted to help 

shape the future of the club. And 

that’s why I decided to start an 

alumni chapter.” 

Toastmasters meetings follow a 

structured format that help members 

build confidence in their public 

speaking skills by showing them how 

to think outside the box and consider 

all possible answers to a question. 

As time is an important factor in 

any speaking engagement, getting 

your point across in a quick, efficient 

manner is the focus of Toastmasters. 

When asked about the benefits of 

joining Toastmasters, James is keen 

to answer: “First, it helps you to 

articulate your thoughts; second, it 

helps you to build confidence; and 

third, it helps you to become the 

leader you wish to be.” 

The club elected its executive 

members in January and is eager 

to welcome new members. For now, 

meetings are taking place virtually, 

but the club is looking forward to 

seeing all members in person at 

Progress Campus once COVID-19 

restrictions are lifted. 

Centennial College Alumni 

Association Toastmasters Chapter 

meetings take place on Wednesdays 

from 6 pm to 7 pm on a bi-weekly 

basis. To learn more about the club 

and how to join, please email 

Hilary Pryce at 

hpryce@centennialcollege.ca. 


Student Governor 

Asli Kahraman Does It All 

“Driven” is almost too weak a word to 

describe Asli Kahraman. 

A lawyer who moved to Canada from Turkey to 

pursue her dual dreams of studying business 

and settling in a new country, Kahraman hit 

the ground running on her very first day of 

Centennial’s Global Business Management 

graduate certificate program. 

“There is always something going on at 

Centennial, and I took advantage of as much 

as I could,” she says. “From extracurriculars to 

volunteer opportunities to job opportunities. 

The list goes on!” 

It shows. Over the course of her two years at 

Centennial, Kahraman served as a volunteer 

international student ambassador, a member 

of the student leadership conference planning 

committee, a mentor and, most recently, as 

Student Governor on the College’s Board of 

Governors and Governance Committee. 

But that’s not all. She also held a part-time 

job as a student ambassador and a full-time 

role as a project coordinator at the College. 

And as president of the non-profit Young 

Professionals in International Business since 

2019, she’s responsible for organizing and 

hosting regular networking and professional 

development opportunities for newcomers 

to Canada pursuing careers in business. 

Throughout it all, she maintained an A+ average and 

won two scholarships to support her studies. 

Kahraman’s deep involvement with the Centennial 

community doesn’t only come naturally to her as a 

leader and as a people person; it’s also a necessity. 

“The experience of being an international student 

can be very, very challenging,” she says. “In your 

home country, you’re established, you have friends 

and family around you, you have a personal and 

professional reputation. But when you come to a 

new country, you’re starting from scratch: no one 

knows you, and you know no one.” 


Knowing that meeting as many people as possible 

would be the key to quickly getting settled in Canada 

and establishing a strong network, Kahraman threw 

herself into all Centennial has to offer. And she was 

thrilled to find a community of people who understood 

exactly what she was going through: the uncertainty, 

the fear, the loneliness – and the excitement of 

starting fresh. 

“I immediately felt connected 

to Centennial’s diverse 

community,” she says. “There 

are so many people from different 

backgrounds and different 

countries. I was constantly 

meeting people that I just clicked 

with right away because of our 

shared experiences.” 

Kahraman says it was her desire to connect with 

students about those shared experiences that 

contributed to her successful campaign for the 

role of Student Governor, which allows her to help 

advance the best interests of the College at the 

school’s highest level of governance. 

“I spoke to many students who 

said they voted for me because 

they felt I represented them as a 

newcomer,” she says. 

Freshly graduated, Kahraman is now settling into 

a career as a project manager at the place it all 

started: Centennial College. She continues carrying 

out her final term as Student Governor, and now, 

has more goals than ever. 

“I have a lot of things I’m doing and want to do,” 

she says. “But my biggest goal is to one day be able 

to give back to Centennial College by becoming a 

scholarship donor. I want to help other students 

pursue their dreams just as Centennial helped me.” 


NEW! 

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CREDENTIALS 

Centennial College is proud to introduce a new suite 

of micro-credentials - the most efficient way to develop 

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and focused on industry needs and the future of work. 

Conveniently delivered entirely online, our micro-credential 

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Whether you are upskilling or reskilling, micro-credentials 

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Now, more than ever, your time is indispensable. Make it 

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Learn more at centennialcollege.ca/micro-credentials 

Published by 


Alumni Association 

P.O. Box 631, Station A 

Toronto, ON M1K 5E9 

Managing Editor and Advertising 

Dana Gour 

alumni@centennialcollege.ca 

CCAA Director of Marketing 

and Communications 

Laura Morra 

416-289-5218 

laura.morra@ccaa.life 

Editors 

Fiona Ghosh Bedlington 

416-289-5000, ext. 3558 

fbedlington@centennialcollege.ca 

Roberta Schultz 

416-289-5000, ext. 7511 

rschultz@centennialcollege.ca 

Contributors 

Alvin Guthrie 

Carla Reid 

Craig Stephenson 

Emily Dontsos 

Emma Dunk 

Marie Joseph 

Mark Toljagic 

Mathieu Yuill 

ascent® magazine, with a circulation of 72,000, is published annually by Centennial College Alumni Association. It is 

delivered electronically free of charge to Centennial graduates, students and staff to encourage interaction with each other 

and the College, and to facilitate lifelong learning and career development. The ideas and opinions published herein do not 

necessarily reflect those of the Association or Centennial College. All material is ©2021 and may be reprinted with permission 

of the Managing Editor. Advertising rates are also available from the Managing Editor. We do not sell or rent the alumni 

database to third parties. Please contact the Office of Development and Alumni Engagement at 416-289-5218 if you do not 

want to receive the magazine or would like to update your mailing address. 


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Centennial alumni! Let’s stay connected! 

We’re always happy to hear from our Centennial family and learn about the new and exciting 

challenges you’re taking on. 

Keep your contact info current with us, and you’ll never miss out on the latest Centennial news, 

networking opportunities, exclusive offers and special event invitations. 

To share your story or update your contact information, send us a message at 

alumni@centennialcollege.ca 

CENTENNIAL FIRST, ALUMNI FOREVER. 

D1_02_DEC20

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