Alumni the focus of 'Kingstec Showcase '08: Then and Now'

BY KIRK STARRATT

kstarratt@kentvilleadvertiser.ca

NovaNewsNow.com

The focus will be on reconnecting with alumni as the Nova Scotia Community College (NSCC) Kingstec Campus welcomes the public to its “Kingstec Showcase ’08: Then and Now” open house.

The event takes place Wednesday, Nov. 19 at Kingstec in Kentville with an open house from 1-3 p.m. and again from 6-8 p.m. An Employer Expo for students goes from 1-3 p.m. and an alumni reception from 7-9 p.m. It’s a chance to connect and meet with old friends and faculty members.

The open house offers an opportunity to visit the greenhouses, explore dining and culinary facilities, look under the hood of the automotive programs, check-up on health and human services programs, and see how everything adds up in the business programs.

Kingstec Student Success Counsellor Stephen Brown said the open house to celebrate and reconnect with alumni has been in the works for a while and is a different take on the event. The open house itself will be similar to past events with sessions in the afternoon and evening, but everything is built around the alumni theme. The Employer Expo will feature employers who are Kingstec alumni or who hire graduates from the various programs.

A large, virtually untapped resource

The campus opened in 1963 as the Kings Regional Vocational School and evolved into an NSCC campus following the establishment of the provincial community college system in 1988. Brown said they’re looking to reconnect with alumni members from across the ages. “We wanted some tangible way to reconnect with alumni,” he said, pointing out the college recognizes alumni as a large, virtually untapped resource.

There has been no formal way to bring alumni together to encourage networking, although it is recognized that alumni do connect with their past programs in an informal manner, act as mentors and help current students make much-needed industry connections. Brown said the NSCC has someone in the central office teaming with the individual campuses to develop alumni programs and initiatives within the college. “This has happened campus to campus, but not at the college level,” Brown said. “We’re trying not to lose sight of what we’ve done as a campus. This is the first time we’re doing something connected to alumni with an event of this type.”

Important networking opportunity

He said they’re really hoping current students will take full advantage of the Employer Expo. By connecting with alumni members in this way, students will see how skills are put to work outside the campus. Brown said it’s an important networking opportunity for students and an opportunity for them to see the various career paths available to them.

Another benefit of having current students connect with alumni is to help illustrate the evolution of various industries and deepen the sense of appreciation for that. Work is always evolving and changing and being able to adapt and develop new skills is part of being a good employee.

Some programs have been asked to set up demonstrations and displays for the open house. For example, the Horticulture students will be offering practical tips and Carpentry students will offer a hands-on activity.

Other programs have been asked to highlight the “Then and Now” theme. For example, in the business wing, there will be representations of the progression from 1963 to the present, ending with a display by Business Office Solutions By Students, which Brown said very much represents the present and future. The group, run by students, takes on projects and, in turn, the students gain valuable, practical work experience.

There will also be a fundraising seminar offered in cooperation with the Valley Volunteer Coalition from 6:30-9:30 p.m.