Campaign launched for Ontario college system's 50th anniversary in 2017

The Start of Something Amazing campaign kicks off activities

TORONTO, April 25, 2016 /CNW/ - A new website and publicity campaign was officially launched today to promote awareness of the Ontario college system's upcoming 50^th anniversary celebrations in 2017.

"This is a significant occasion that celebrates just how much college education has evolved and become pivotal to Ontario's success," said Don Lovisa, the president of Durham College and chair of the college sector task force planning provincewide activities. "As a system, we're starting the work to promote awareness of all the activities planned for this milestone anniversary."

The campaign, called The Start of Something Amazing, will reflect on the college system's tremendous legacy and look ahead to the next 50 years. Students, faculty, alumni and communities throughout the province will be part of the celebration that runs to the end of 2017.

In addition to the new website and social media activities, the campaign will include an online yearbook and video reels, a provincewide bus tour, guest lecturer events that will be available online, a scholarship program for new students, special community events, and much more.

Ontario's colleges were training about 20,000 full-time students in the late 1960s. Today, enrolment is at an all-time high with 500,000 full-time and part-time students.

Today's colleges offer about 900 programs that prepare students for a vast range of fields, including business, IT, advertising, health care, biotechnology, 3D manufacturing, digital animation and renewable energy. The OECD has said access to college education has made Canada a world leader in post-secondary attainment rates.

"The coming year promises to be a banner one for Ontario's colleges," said Linda Franklin, the president and CEO of Colleges Ontario. "We're excited about this chance to mark our legacy and to engage everyone in a discussion about the future of college education."

For more information and for ongoing updates, visit the 50^th anniversary website: http://www.amazing50.ca/

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SOURCE Colleges Ontario

Amy Dickson, Manager, Media Relations and Communications, Colleges Ontario, 647-258-7686, [email protected]