There was plenty to see and many people for the new Minister of Colleges and Universities to meet during a stop at the St. Clair College Campus Monday morning.
The Hon. Nolan Quinn, MPP for Stormont-Dundas-South Glengarry was appointed as the new minister in mid-August, replacing Hon. Jill Dunlop, who was moved to the Education Ministry.
Quinn has since kept busy learning the portfolio and visiting post-secondary schools under his purview, which included a visit to St. Clair College on Sept. 16, 2024.
"It was an absolute pleasure visiting St. Clair College this week. I appreciated the opportunity to meet the leadership team and see first-hand all the incredible work St. Clair College is doing to set students up for success while also fostering a great student culture," said Nolan Quinn, Minister of Colleges and Universities. "I look forward to visiting again in the future!"
During the visit, the College's senior leadership team, including President Michael Silvaggi and several Senior Vice Presidents hosted a brief meeting with Minister Quinn, followed by a tour of the campus.
The walkabout included a visit to the new Patti France Welcome Centre, the Student Life Centre, The Esports Nexus Arena, and the Ford Centre for Excellence in Manufacturing.
St. Clair College President Michael Silvaggi said getting to showcase campus facilities and having the opportunity to discuss initiatives at the College is important for relationship building.
"Me being a new president, him being a new minister, it's very important to meet and discuss matters that have an impact on this sector," said Silvaggi. "It's a relationship that hopefully will have longevity and this serves as a good opportunity to form a lasting bond."
"Being connected and having those friendships is not only valuable, but also meaningful," Silvaggi said.
During the tour, Student Representative Council President Rishi Vatish and SRC Executive Director Ryan Peebles joined to showcase some of the student-run facilities, such as the Nexus Arena.
"Collaboration is critical, whether it's in the community or whether it's under our own roof, on finding extra capacity," said President Silvaggi. "This is how we get things done, and the student voices are significant because they're very much part of the fabric here."
As the tour moved to the Ford Centre, faculty members and program chairs explained the various course offerings in the School of Skilled Trades.
"They're the experts. Our administrative team that did meet Minister Quinn today are very knowledgeable, especially on the technological aspects of College programming," said President Silvaggi. "They all come from industry. They all have had a former professional life, and that's actually why they're in the roles that they are."
Hon. Nolan Quinn was first elected to provincial parliament in 2022 as a member of the Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario. Prior to his current role, Minister Quinn served as the Parliamentary Assistant to the Minister of Children, Community and Social Services, as well as Parliamentary Assistant to the Minister of Health and as the Associate Minister of Forestry.