As we start a new year, let’s take a moment to look back on some exciting Saskatchewan Polytechnic moments. Enjoy this photo essay of 2022!
Rishav Preet Kaur has never been afraid of a challenge. After graduating from high school in India when she was 17, she was looking for a way to continue her education and explore the world. She embraced the challenge and applied to study at Sask Polytech straight out of high school. Enrolled in the Electronic Systems Engineering Technology program, Kaur soon discovered she was the only female student in her class. Read more about her Sask Polytech experience!
Sask Polytech’s Welding certificate and Welder-Fabricator certificate students created 15 custom metal fabricated fire boxes for FROST festival. Over six weeks, 17 students in the two entry-level programs had the opportunity to work on the custom boxes. Students in the programs enjoyed working on a real, hands-on welding project that allowed them to put the skills they had learned in their first term into practice. This initiative led to a request for an additional eight fire boxes in support of the Grey Cup Festival and Regina Downtown outdoor celebrations during the 109th Grey Cup week in Regina.
Graphic Communications students worked with Indigenous Strategy to create giant vinyl wall graphics for the Regina Indigenous Students’ Center. This project was about building bridges and miyo wahkohtowin. After reviewing the work of 20 Graphic Communications students, Indigenous Strategy picked their top three examples and narrowed it down to one collaborative wall design. The final piece includes ten panels that are each 52” wide by 9’ tall. It took almost six hours to print the wall decals. All second-year students from the Graphic Communications program took part in installing the approved artwork.
Sask Polytech’s eco car team returned from the Shell Eco-Marathon United States 2022 competition event at the world-famous Indianapolis Motor Speedway with the prestigious Technical Innovation Award. While not the podium finish they had hoped for—races to test the limits of energy efficiency were cancelled because of bad weather—the Sask Polytech team was recognized for “demonstrating outstanding technical ingenuity along with optimal use of new materials, components, methodology or inventions.”
Sask Polytech hosted 51 teams of 90 students from 22 high schools from across the province in a battle of technical skills during Robot Rumble, presented by SaskTel. Teams spent months building, programming and testing robots made from SUMO robot kits, which were provided by Sask Polytech. Congrats to Rosetown Central High School, Rosetown, SK for their first place win!
Indigenous students from Sask Polytech’s Justice Studies program had the opportunity to expand their education to Mexico thanks to a study abroad opportunity funded by the Global Skills Opportunity Fund (GSO). The Autonomous University of Yucatan, Mexico (UADY) hosted the group for two-weeks at the beginning of May. The UADY Faculty of Law gave the students a presentation on the Mexican judicial process where they could compare the Canadian and Mexican justice systems. The group toured the Yucatan jail and learned about the facilities and services available.
Sask Polytech hosted in-person convocation ceremonies to celebrate the learning journey of graduates, along with award recipients. Sask Polytech had over 4,700 students walking across the stage at convocation for 2022. The ceremonies were broadcast live so graduands, family, friends and the polytechnic community who were unable to attend in-person could participate. To view the previously recorded video please visit saskpolytech.ca/convocation.
A new encampment focused on land-based education at the Hannin Creek Education and Applied Research Centre (HCEARC) near Candle Lake was opened in 2022. The Prince Albert Grand Council (PAGC), Sask Polytech and Saskatchewan Wildlife Federation (SWF) began collaborating on the encampment near Candle Lake in 2021. The mitho askiy kiskēyihtamowin Indigenous Outdoor Learning Centre is an extension of the HCEARC. Four tipis were raised on June 15 for the new Indigenous Outdoor Learning Centre.
Leah Lucyshyn, a graduate of the Graphic Communications program, won gold in the Graphic Design Technology competition and the RBC Best of Region award for Saskatchewan at the 2022 Skills Canada National Competition (SCNC). The competition was held in Vancouver and saw more than 300 competitors from all regions of Canada participate in more than 35 skilled trade and technology competitions. In October Lucyshyn received the Medallion of Excellence at the 2022 WorldSkills competition in Aarau, Switzerland. Leah is the third Graphic Communications graduate to earn a Medallion of Excellence in the Graphic Design Technology competition for WorldSkills.
For seven intense weeks, Sask Polytech Culinary Arts student, Dielle Gaucher devoted hundreds of extra hours after class training in the kitchen. She worked with her instructors to formulate ideas, test dishes and perfect each part of the plate. Gaucher’s efforts paid off as she was awarded first place in the Canadian Culinary Federation’s Young Chef Culinary Challenge.
Sask Polytech and Bedford Road Collegiate students collaborated on an art installation for Nuit Blanche, showing off their artistic skills by painting with live bacteria. Using 5” petri dishes as a canvas, students applied growing organisms to create works of art. Petri dishes were prepared with agar, a jelly-like substance pulled from seaweed. After the petri dishes were prepared, students streaked on bacteria to create unique designs. In the following days the bacteria started to feed on the agar and multiply into colorful patterns.
Sask Polytech Dental Hygiene advanced diploma and Dental Assisting certificate students, and Saskatchewan Polytechnic/University of Regina Saskatchewan Collaborative Bachelor of Science in Nursing (SCBScN) students helped bring smiles to the faces of people in La Loche, Clearwater River Dene Nation and Buffalo Narrows. During the Northern Health and Wellness Days presented by Cameco on October 14 and 15, more than 167 community members were treated to dental and health clinics in their communities.
The 2022 CFLPA Players’ HQ, powered by Sask Polytech, during the 109th Grey Cup week in Regina, was a great opportunity for Canadian football fans to meet and interact with both current and former CFLPA members. The CFLPA Players’ HQ was free to attend and included a chance to watch Jamie Nye broadcast “The Green Zone” live to air, on site. Sask Polytech is a sponsor of the CFLPA Academy.
Sask Polytech opened an office in the Philippines capital of Manila to strengthen ties between the Philippines and Saskatchewan. The institution also signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with Central Philippine University that will explore international education and collaboration opportunities between the two institutions.
In November the community of La Loche held an event with Sask Polytech to celebrate achievements to date on their collaborative Virtual Reality (VR) wellness initiative. Held at the local Dene High School in La Loche, the event was an opportunity for researchers to unveil to the community a promotional video created by the Sask Polytech applied research team and La Loche youth. For many of the youth research participants it was the first time they were able to share what they have been working on with their families in a tangible way.
Sask Polytech entered new waters when it launched its first Polar Bear Eco Trip. Visiting Churchill, Manitoba on the shore of Hudson Bay, two guides took a group of students, employees and the public on a one-week learning adventure. The trip was the first of its kind for the institution—a collaborative foray into sustainability-focussed life-long learning, starting with Surge Micro-credential lectures and culminating in a bucket-list sub-Artic experience to see one of the largest concentrations of polar bears on the planet. Read Sask Polytech’s three-part series on the trip.
Two Sask Polytech Automotive Service Technician instructors, Rick Russell and Nick Guthrie, signed up for a teaching opportunity in Kenya, Africa. The automotive instructors shared their industry expertise at Weru Technical and Vocational College. They discovered that the college had acquired several pieces of training equipment that were not in use either because the instructors there were never taught how to use it, or the equipment was broken. Using the ingenuity that people throughout Saskatchewan are known for Russell and Guthrie were able to repair the automotive equipment. They also shared curriculum and taught their Kenyan instructor counterparts how to use the equipment so they could then train their students.
Happy New Year! We are looking forward to an exciting 2023.
Published January 2023.