New signage was unveiled at the Barrie Campus of Georgian College on November 21 in honour of the contributions provided by Honda of Canada Mfg. and the Honda Canada Foundation through a multi-faceted partnership.
The main-floor lobby and central meeting space in the Peter B. Moore Advanced Technology Centre has now become the Honda Student Commons. A student gathering space on the second floor is now the Honda Canada Foundation Dream Lounge.
“Honda has made a significant investment in the college, our students, its future workforce and the entire region,” said MaryLynn West-Moynes, President and CEO, Georgian College, who unveiled the new signage with Tom Lake, Executive Vice President, Honda of Canada Mfg. (HCM) and Vice Chair, Honda Canada Foundation.
“We are grateful for their partnership and support which includes state-of-the-art equipment and exceptional experiential learning and research opportunities to prepare our students for the jobs of the future as well as today,” said West-Moynes.
In May, HCM and the Honda Canada Foundation announced a $1,843,500 donation in cash and in-kind to the college, over a five-year agreement, to benefit the students, faculty, and by extension the automotive industry. This includes funding for equipment, research and development, collaborative program support, and newly-established scholarships for the students.
As part of the partnership, Honda and Georgian will also work together to recruit students and provide additional co-op placement opportunities for them, in an industry that is struggling with employee retention.
During the event on November 21, which included students, staff and special guests, five students were provided with the inaugural Honda of Canada Mfg. Children of Honda Associates Scholarship. Four students were recipients of the inaugural Honda of Canada Mfg. Entrance Scholarship.
“It is a privilege to present the inaugural Honda scholarships to Georgian students in the newly-minted Honda Canada Foundation Dream Lounge,” said Tom Lake of the Honda Canada Foundation. “These spaces signify the depth and breadth of the partnership between Georgian and Honda and bring The Power of Dreams to life by creating opportunities for students, faculty and the community to connect, collaborate and dream.”
According to the Georgian College website, 89.7 per cent of its graduates find employment within six months of graduation, 6,200 employers partner with the school to offer student work experiences, and more than 5,000 students enrolled in co-op programs.
