FALL 2022
The end of the Fall semester is just a few weeks away, and with it comes the holiday break.
Some exciting new plans are coming to fruition in the New Year. Our brand-new Performing Arts Centre (PAC) will open its doors, and students will begin classes in their new spaces on January 9! This 18,000-square-foot integrated performing arts practice and learning space is full of studios, a black box theatre, practice spaces and technology tailored to our Music, Dance, Theatre, and Performing Arts Fundamentals programs' unique needs. I am delighted to see it come to fruition in the New Year.
The Winter semester also marks the start of the home stretch for many of our students who will begin their field placements with our incredible network of industry partners who step up every year to offer our students these valuable learning and work experiences. Our Chair of Arts and Design, Chris Jackman, often remarks that while we love to welcome our students in September, we are equally happy to say goodbye as they head off to complete their placements and graduate. Saying goodbye means that our students are prepared for the start of their careers.
This issue of Storyteller has several outstanding graduate profiles and stories. I never get tired of hearing about their successes and achievements. I know there are many more to come because our graduates do amazing things.
Happy Holidays and Happy New Year.
All the best for 2023!
STORYVOICE - BE HEARD
Visual art and written communication have been brought together to launch Storyvoice. The project centres on sharing stories about mental health and permits contributors to express their experiences about their journey, which aligns with a piece of art.
"Storyvoice is a platform that allows students to tell their stories through art and to create more dialogue around mental health. We also want to provide students with information about supports available through the College," says Anthony Harrison, Fine Arts Studio Instructor and Project Lead
SCRIPT TO SCREEN GRAD HIRES FELLOW GRAD AT THE CANADIAN FILM CENTRE
From students to grads to colleagues, find out how Enrique Baniqued and Jared Valkki, two Script to Screen – Advanced Television and Film graduates, began working together at the Canadian Film Centre (CFC).
"We've had 159 graduates and some great success stories, but the whole idea of a 2021 grad hiring a 2022 grad to come work with him at the top film and tv training facility in the country? That's pretty great," shares Script to Screen's Program Coordinator, Steve Lucas.
THREE COLLEGES JOIN FORCES TO OFFER FILM AND TV MICRO-CREDENTIALS
Centennial College, Seneca College, and Fanshawe College have teamed up to offer a suite of eight micro-credentials focused on film and television. This first-of-its-kind partnership allows students to strengthen their skills in a high-demand industry.
Two of the new micro-credentials, Grip and Lighting, Television and Film Production Accounting, will be offered at the Story Arts Centre starting this January.
THE STORY ARTS CENTRE MARKS REMEMBRANCE DAY
Our annual Remembrance Day ceremony occurred earlier this month on campus. Malcolm Kelly, Sports Journalism Program Coordinator, led the youth and Remembrance-themed service. His attention to the historical details, the selected military members, the colour guard and his work on contemporary war and Remembrance issues made the event accessible to all generations.
The service included conversations with Lieutenant Aaron Niles, 16 Wing, Royal Canadian Air Force, Officer Cadet Matt Goodison, Royal Canadian Navy and Trooper Jade Bloemen, Canadian Army. Additional segments included performances by Israel De Real from our Music Industry, Arts and Performance program and Alessandra Cavallini from our Theatre Arts and Performance program. You can watch the entire service below.
THE ASSOCIATION OF REGISTERED GRAPHIC DESIGNERS RECOGNIZES LISA REBNORD
We are thrilled to announce that Lisa Rebnord, Program Coordinator of our Graphic Design program, received an Honourable Mention from the Association of Registered Graphic Designers (RGD) for their 2022 Design Educator Award of Excellence for Eastern Canada!
CHILDREN'S MEDIA GRAD PUBLISHES A NEW BOOK
Diwali In My New Home is a newly-published book written by 2021 Children's Media graduate, Shachi Kaushik.
"Diwali In My New Home is a story of celebrating in a new place and sharing the Hindu festival of lights, Diwali, with those unfamiliar with the holiday," Shachi says of her book. "The story gives hope that culture and traditions live on. No matter where you are, you should embrace their culture."
GRAD PROFILE | SARA RODGERS
Sara Rodgers, a 2020 graduate of our Publishing – Book, Magazine and Electronic program, has recently taken on a new role as an Associate Editor at Graydon House Books – an imprint of Harlequin's trade publishing program.
This exciting position is not something Sara initially thought she would pursue. After realizing the need for a career change a few years ago and stumbling across an ad for our Publishing program, things began to fall into place.
"I did my research, dipped into an editorial internship to see if I liked it, and applied to a few programs. Centennial's stood out as one of the most well-regarded in Canada, so it was at the top of my list," she recounts.
FACULTY PROFILE | RONNI ROSENBERG
Ronni Rosenberg recently joined our team of instructors in the Online Graphic Design program to teach the Creativity in Context course.
After retiring as Dean of the Faculty of Animation, Arts and Design at Sheridan College, Ronni wanted to continue to share her knowledge. "I was familiar with folks at Centennial and always admired the school and, of course, the legendary Story Arts Centre building, designed by Peter Dickinson," she notes.
A NIGHT TO REMEMBER: NUIT BLANCHE AT THE STORY ARTS CENTRE WAS A HUGE SUCCESS
We are still beaming from last month's Nuit Blanche festivities at the Story Arts Centre. Our theme, Space Oddity, was out of this world thanks to students, faculty and the public's involvement in the various activities. From an interactive canvas and "among the stars" photo studio to a paint jam, dance performances and more - it was a night to remember!
Here you can find a photo recap of the night, including the full performance by our incredible Dance students and graduates.
GRADUATE MARICEL JOY DICION HONOURS HER PARENTS
Maricel Joy Dicion is a two-time Centennial graduate and founder of DICION INC. - a Toronto-based PR and communications firm. She recently reached out to Centennial to create a scholarship in honour of her parents, who worked diligently to create opportunities for their family.
"I hope this scholarship will support a first-generation Canadian like myself as they carve their path and inspire others to give back in any way they can."
GRAD PROFILE | T.J. GOERTZ
T.J. Goertz, a 2009 graduate of our Public Relations – Corporate Communications program, has worked for 10 years at the Ontario Public School Boards' Association, most recently as the Senior Communications and Policy Officer, and has years of PR and journalism experience behind him.
"Attending Centennial's PR program was one of the best decisions I've ever made. The program opened up a world of possibilities, and I now feel I can work in any sector or industry I want."
GRAD PROFILE | SHEILAGH NEWLAND
Sheilagh Newland, a 2022 graduate of our Public Relations – Corporate Communications program, is finishing off the year in Tamale, Ghana, as an International Communications Fellow with Youth Challenge International's HerStart initiative.
"Working with Youth Challenge International has been an amazing experience, which has allowed me to combine my two degrees into something meaningful. I am part of the YCI HerStart communications team and a local organization's communications team. I have learned a lot about how communications strategies in different cultural contexts can be similar and different," she says.
PROGRAM FEATURE | BROADCASTING - FILM, TELEVISION, DIGITAL MEDIA AND RADIO
Our Broadcasting - Film, Television, Digital Media and Radio is a six-semester program that prepares students with the knowledge and skills they need to succeed.
Program Coordinator and Instructor Karen Shopsowitz shares, "What's great is that students get to explore different types of media and different roles within the industry. Students work with cameras in the first week of class and create short projects right from the start, working in teams and individually."
CLASS FILM "MEET THE GUPTAS" HAS A SUCCESSFUL FESTIVAL RUN
Meet the Guptas is a final class project film by the students in our Script to Screen – Advanced Television and Film program.
Cindy Persad, a 2020 graduate and the film's producer, explains that the pandemic played a significant role in creating this film. While Toronto's lockdown slightly interfered with the film's shooting plans, it was the post-production that was impacted the most. "It took almost two years to get a final product with all the many closures of post-production houses. We waited until the time was right and saw our film come to fruition," she recounts.
Fast forward to today, and the film has had a successful festival run. It was an Official Selection of the International Film Festival of South Asia in August 2022, premiered at the Trinidad and Tobago Film Festival in September, and was shown at the Vancouver International South Asian Film Festival.
GRAD PROFILE | EDUARDA MARIZ
Eduarda Mariz is a 2016 graduate of our Game - Art program who currently works as a Character Modeler at a Vancouver-based animation studio.
"After I finished Graphic Design in Brazil, I started planning to move [to Canada] and learn more about game art. Centennial stood out to me because the curriculum was hands-on, and the teachers were professionals that worked in big studios like Ubisoft and Pixomondo."
GRAD SAMANTHA MACADAM DIRECTS NEW MOVIE
Samantha MacAdam, a 2006 graduate of our Broadcasting - Film, Television, Digital Media and Radio program, is making waves in the film industry with a growing list of accomplishments. From her film Prom Night premiering at Just for Laughs to directing a commercial starring Marvel's Simu Liu and much more in between, Samantha is continuing to achieve great things.
More recently, Samantha wrapped direction on a rom-com, Fashionably in Love, for Reel One Entertainment, and is currently developing two feature films. She is also working with Warner Bros. Discovery on a directing project she can't yet talk about.
JOURNALISM STUDENTS HOST MUNICIPAL ELECTION PANEL
Our Journalism department held a panel discussion last month to explore how to engage young voters in municipal elections. The panel was hosted by Journalism graduate and Toronto Star Digital Producer Akrit Michael and featured MPP and former City Councillor Mary-Margaret McMahon, Toronto Star City Call Bureau Chief David Rider, CCSAI President Tima Shah, and Jad El Ghali of Future Majority. Our students did an incredible job engaging with the panellists during the event, which you can view below.
INTERACTIVE MEDIA MANAGEMENT GRADUATES HOST UXVERSE TO SHOWCASE THEIR CAPSTONE PROJECTS
The graduating class of our Interactive Media Management program held a virtual exhibition and trade show titled UXVerse. On the virtual platform, students showcased the incredible capstone projects they created based on their skills and experience in the program.
JOURNALISM x BEACH METRO COMMUNITY NEWS COLLAB
For several years, our Journalism program has collaborated with Beach Metro Community News to create opportunities for students to gain experience writing for a real-world publication.
Mary Vallis, an instructor in the program, shares, "I think our relationship with Beach Metro is very symbiotic. They provide a real learning opportunity for our students, and we provide a real service to Beach Metro as a facet of the community."
The experiential learning opportunities from the Storyworks partnership help students prepare for their careers after graduation.
Tim Doyle, Journalism Program Coordinator, says, "I think the Storyworks placement, which is about four to six hours a week with a media partner, is like an audition for an internship. Students get the chance to polish and practice skills they learned in the classroom and do it in the real world. They begin to understand what it will take to succeed when balancing their personal and professional obligations."
CAMF GRADUATES DIRECT, WRITE, AND ASSOCIATE PRODUCE THEIR NEW FILM -¿CUÁNDO VOLVERÁS?
Erick Ventura Jr. and Celes Ventura, known professionally as the Ventura Brothers, are 2019 graduates of our Communications and Media Fundamentals program. They have recently completed their first feature film, ¿Cuándo Volverás?, which talks about the migrant culture in Mexico.
"What we liked the most was that it all started with a nostalgic idea. We have always loved our country, and telling these stories is an opportunity for everyone to get to know our culture from a different perspective," the Ventura Brothers explain. “The process will always be complicated, but every project entails many sacrifices.”
FACULTY PROFILE | SASHA BOERSMA
Sasha Boersma is about to wrap up her 12th year of teaching at Centennial! She has taught in Children's Media, Interactive Media Management, and Film and Television – Business over the years. Sasha continues to share her immense knowledge and experience with students while allocating her time as co-founder and producer at her company, Sticky Brain Studios.
STORYTELLER IN-DEPTH PODCAST COMING SOON
We are excited to announce we will soon be expanding the Storyteller to include a podcast. Storyteller In-Depth will be an extension of the newsletter and invites listeners to go behind the scenes and learn more about the Story Arts Centre's people, places and things.
The podcast will be hosted by Pat Quigley, a graduate of our Broadcasting - Film, Television, Digital Media and Radio program. Pat has always loved sharing stories and helping others to tell their stories. He is currently working as a community television producer in Dufferin/Caledon, where he tells local stories for Rogers Television.
We are busy getting things together and will have more news on the podcast in January. In the meantime, follow @storyartscentre on social to stay up-to-date on everything Storyteller-related.
JOIN OUR MUSIC INDUSTRY ARTS AND PERFORMANCE STUDENTS FOR THEIR SHOWS
MIAP-ALOOZA Festival - Featuring semester-end performances by second-year ensembles. Tuesday, December 6 at 7:00 PM @ The Tranzac (292 Brunswick Ave., Toronto). Click here for more details.
SNW JAMZ: Ensemble Showcase - Featuring semester-end performances by third-year ensembles. Wednesday, December 7 at 7:00 PM @ The Tranzac (292 Brunswick Ave., Toronto).
That Night At The Tranzac - Featuring semester-end performances by first-year ensembles. Thursday, December 8 at 7:00 PM @ The Tranzac (292 Brunswick Ave., Toronto). Click here for more details.
TWO NIGHTS ONLY! Live at Sauce on The Danforth - Featuring intimate performances by our voice students. Sunday December 11 at 6:30 PM and Monday December 12 at 4:30 PM @ Sauce (1376 Danforth Ave., Toronto). Click here for more details.
FIRST YEAR BROADCASTING STUDENTS ORGANIZE PHOTOGRAPHY EXHIBITION - "SOMEWHERE"
First-year Broadcasting students will be exhibiting their photographs in the Broadcasting Hallway on campus on Wednesday, December 7, from 5:00 - 7:00 PM.
"The making of the exhibition is a great opportunity to see the individual's visual style and have the class discuss what makes a key image. The students get to share their top images from the semester and get feedback from the class," shares Tobi Asmoucha, instructor in the Broadcasting program.
"In the end, they get to select their image for the show, but part of it is hearing how different images impact others and which images connect with others. I enjoy that part of the class where the students discuss why an image speaks to them and helps them lean on each other. I talk about needing your artistic community and that you don't hang an exhibition in isolation. It is important to share and support each other in the process."
CALLING ALL DANCERS
Are you an inspiring dancer? Experience a day in the life of our dance students from our Dance Performance program at the Open House on Thursday, December 8.
Spend the day in the program's studio in Toronto alongside faculty, students, and graduates and learn what the program is all about.
"The Centennial Dance Performance Program open house offers all potential applicants a unique opportunity to spend the day as a dance student in our program,” says Program Coordinator Celestine Eagle. “The attendees will experience our program's inclusive culture and quality while dancing with our current students and learning from our industry-experienced professional faculty.”
Please get in touch with Celestine Eagle at ceagle@centennialcollege.ca to register.
Image credit: Centennial College Photography Program Coordinator - Joseph Marranca
Credits:
Created with images by zef art - "Movie concept. Miniature movie set on dark toned background with fog and empty space. Silhouette of vintage camera on tripod." • Africa Studio - "Red poppy flower for Remembrance Day / Sunday" • Microgen - "Cameras at a Live Media Conference."