WHITEHORSE—Exhausted and hopeful, Tareef Jaamour arrived at Yukon College this week after a 36-hour flight from Amman, Jordan.

Jaamour has immigrated to Canada through the World University Service Canada (WUSC) Student Refugee Program. Students and staff and at Yukon College have raised $20,000 since November 2015 to help support Jaamour in his first year as a permanent resident.

“I am incredibly grateful for all the work it has taken to help me reach Canada,” said Jaamour. “Everyone has been amazing and I am excited to begin my studies and my new life here in Whitehorse.”

24-year-old Jaamour was born and has lived as a refugee all his life. His father was forced to flee Syria in the 1980’s and after spending time in Dubai, settled his family in Jordan where they lived peacefully in asylum for almost 20 years. Everything changed for the Jaamour family when the current Syrian civil war began in 2011.

WHITEHORSE- Just over ten percent of this fall’s students are on academic probation or are facing academic dismissal. For the first time, starting in September, those students have a support plan, helping them to get back on track academically.

Students will work with the Learning Assistance Centre (LAC) on the development of a personalized plan that fits their schedule and addresses the specific challenges they’re facing. This plan is executed through the duration of the fall semester.

REBOOT is a second chance, pass/fail personalized course of study. Students may take up to three additional courses at the same time as REBOOT.

WHITEHORSE—Gloria Johnston is challenging the tendency of health and education researchers to over-promise results to the marginalized people participating in an increasingly popular style of research called photovoice.

The University of New Brunswick sociology Ph.D. candidate’s position is outlined in a paper published in the latest issue of the international journal Global Public Health—Champions for social change: Photovoice ethics in practice and ‘false hopes’ for policy and social change.

Photovoice is a community-based participatory research method that asserts regular people, their personal experience and particular viewpoint are a legitimate and important source of expertise.

Cold Climate Innovation (CCI) of the Yukon Research Centre, and Government of Yukon’s Economic Development have chosen a winner for the 2016 Yukon Innovation Prize (YIP). Maxime Dugre-Sasseville of Max Design Construction has won $60,000 to further develop a thermodynamic greenhouse that will significantly extend the growing season in cold climates.

Dugre-Sasseville has applied his engineering background in custom automation with his construction expertise to design a controlled thermodynamic greenhouse that will run eight to 12 months of the year whether you are in Old Crow or the mountains of Colorado.

Please join us as we announce the 2016 winner of the Yukon Innovation Prize (YIP).

Cold Climate Innovation, of the Yukon Research Centre, and Government of Yukon have chosen a winning innovation that will be moved towards commercialization with benefits to the local economy.

CARCROSS—Students in the Renewable Energy Installer program at Yukon College’s Carcross community campus have succeeded in installing four new energy systems in the community.

The systems consist of a two-panel solar-thermal and a 60-foot, 1.7 kilowatt grid-tied wind turbine providing electricity and hot water to the daycare, a 1.5 kilowatt grid-tied photovoltaic solar power system providing electricity to the Learning Centre, plus a 1.5 kilowatt off-grid photovoltaic system powering Skookie’s Cultural Camp, three kilometers outside Carcross.

“We chose the locations with the assistance of the Carcross/Tagish First Nations—considering where they would be the most useful and where they are the most visible for the community and visitors to learn how they operate,” said Laird Herbert, program coordinator.

WHITEHORSE—The Yukon College Board of Governors is pleased to announce that Dr. Karen Barnes will remain as the President of Yukon College until June 30, 2019.

Barnes had previously announced she would retire in 2017; however, the Board asked her to consider remaining with the College for a further two years.

“With a new degree and post-degree program about to be launched and the transition to a university underway, the Board would prefer to maintain continuity of leadership at this time,” said Paul Flaherty, Board of Governors chair. “We are pleased that Dr. Barnes has reconsidered her retirement plans.”

Barnes joined Yukon College from Lethbridge College in 2008 as vice president academic. She was appointed president and vice chancellor in 2011.

WHITEHORSE - Following the completion of over $60,000 in upgrades, the newly-renovated McIntyre Creek Salmon Incubation Facility (MCSIF) will host an open house on Sunday June 12 from 11:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.

There will be a BBQ, hatchery tours, nature-based activities for kids and an opportunity to meet the staff and volunteers who keep the facility running year-round.

“This will be a great opportunity to get up close and learn more about Chinook salmon fry at this stage of life and their entire life cycle,” said Shannon Harvey, MCSIF attendant and Yukon College student.

(Whitehorse, YT) – Cape Breton University’s Purdy Crawford Chair in Aboriginal Business Studies will bring this academic year’s mentoring program to a close for the Northern Region of In.Business.  This two-day closing conference for the Northern Region of In.Business is facilitated in partnership with Yukon College and includes students, mentors and peer mentors from Yukon, Northwest Territories, and northern British Columbia.

WHITEHORSE – Casino Mining Corporation (“Casino”) is pleased to announce that its entire team, including all those working for Casino’s parent company, Western Copper and Gold Corporation., has completed the Yukon First Nations 101 course, which was developed in partnership by the Council of Yukon First Nations (CYFN), Yukon College’s office of First Nations Initiatives and all 14 Yukon First Nations.
                    
Casino is the first mining company to undertake and complete the course, which was unveiled in January.

Delivered online by Yukon College’s Northern Institute for Social Justice (NISJ), Yukon First Nations 101, to which CYFN holds the copyright, was created to educate territorial and federal government employees, the private sector and non-governmental organizations about the history and culture of Yukon First Nations.