The wealth of knowledge
Educational institutions stimulate learning and the economy
Post-secondary education opportunities in Corner Brook don’t just meet the vocational needs of western Newfoundland, they have a very real economic impact, as well.
The plan has long been to turn Corner Brook into a “college” town, and representatives of two of the largest post-secondary institutions in the city — Memorial University’s Grenfell Campus and College of the North Atlantic — feel significant strides have been made.
“I am confident we are getting there in a big way,” said David Peddle, associate vice-president academic at Grenfell Campus.
In the two years that vicepresident Mary Bluechardt has been leading Grenfell, Peddle said there has been plenty of change inside and outside the institution. Senior management has been working together for about a year now and they’re combining their strengths as a team, according to Peddle.
He said the vice-president position itself, and Bluechardt’s stature, have helped bring a new sense of prestige to Grenfell within the community.
“We think of the university as really being owned by the community, and we owe a debt to the community,” Peddle said. “I think the whole view of a role of a university in society is changing. I don’t think you can think of Grenfell as being the university on the hill now. We are downtown, we are in the economy, we are crucial to the economic and social well-being of the region.”
“We are downtown, we are in the economy, we are crucial to the economic and social well-being of the region.”
David Peddle, associate vice-president academic, Grenfell Campus
Advancements within the institution in recent years have transformed its appearance as well as the learning environment. Infrastructure additions include a new arts and science building, and an observatory with Atlantic Canada’s largest telescope. A new residence building and a new environmental lab are currently under construction.
What you can’t see, says Peddle, is the new sense of spirit and the dynamic that has accompanied the physical changes.
Grenfell now offers a new master’s program in environmental policy, and there are plans for further master’s programs, according to the associate vice-president academic. He said there has been discussion about creating a bachelor of arts in leadership studies. As well, a program in computational mathematics was approved by senate and a new physics program is in its first year.
There’s also a new partnership within the post-secondary sector. The Grenfell Campus, the College of the North Atlantic and Academy Canada are working together on community activities and educational initiatives in Corner Brook.
“That dynamic between the educational institutions and the community is a real energy,” Peddle said. “You can see it — it makes people active.”
Chad Simms and Bernard Stratton, campus administrators of the Corner Brook campus of the College of the North Atlantic, agree there is a new direction.
“We are seeing education as more of a process than as an end result,” Stratton said. “It’s not just one institution. Education is a process, a continuum. Education doesn’t stop with a diploma, nor does it stop with a degree.”
The publicly funded college has always had a mandate to meet the needs of local industry and economy, but also to train its students to be employable nationally and internationally. The work some students at the college do in partnership with local industry boosts its stature within the community.
That’s all part of the plan to position the city as an educational hub.
“What we have attempted to do as post-secondary institutions is make the citizens of Corner Brook and the businesses of Corner Brook aware of just how important postsecondary institutions are to this region,” Stratton said.
“Sometimes it’s the best-hidden secrets that you have to get out.”
A recent post-secondary institution impact study revealed that students are bringing in more than $10 million annually to the local economy, while post-secondary institutions in Corner Brook generate more than $50 million annually.