This is SLC: Our College News

When Michelle Cifuentes moved from Guatemala to Canada, she didn’t expect content creation to become such a defining part of her journey, or to lead her to being named Content Creator of the Year with Latin American Impact. Her path has been shaped by courage, reinvention, and a commitment to telling honest stories that help others feel seen and supported. 

Environmental Technician students recently put theory into practice, taking part in a phragmites removal project at Rotary Creek in Lamoureux Park, Cornwall. The activity, part of their Environmental Issues and Solutions course, followed lessons on invasive species and their impacts on ecosystems. Working alongside professionals from the River Institute, students helped control one of Ontario’s most aggressive invaders, the European Common Reed (Phragmites australis).  

We are proud to celebrate the vision, innovation, and collaboration that have reignited skilled trades training and apprenticeship opportunities at our Cornwall campus—bringing renewed energy and opportunity to the region.  After the departure of major employers in the early 2000s, the Cornwall campus Machine Shop was closed and programming paused due to declining demand. In 2023, as part of St. Lawrence College’s (SLC) response to the critical shortage of skilled tradespersons, a vision took shape to revitalize skilled trades education and training in Cornwall, creating opportunities to empower and grow the next generation of the skilled trades workforce. 

At St. Lawrence College, belonging isn’t just a word, it’s an experience we are continually shaping together. Recently, we had the opportunity to participate in a Belonging workshop with Carmen Law and Nathan Utioh, which provided a meaningful way to ground our students and open conversation about what belonging truly means.  The one-hour session invited students to reflect, create, and share. Using cards, markers, and creativity, they were asked to draw or write what belonging meant to them. The simple act of putting those thoughts on paper sparked powerful discussions. As students explored each other’s reflections, they began to notice the similarities and differences in how people define belonging—how it looks, feels, and grows. Read more about the workshop and how to sign up.

While most people spend their summers relaxing, Dr. Laura Prociuk, professor in SLC’s Veterinary Technician program, packs her bags with veterinary supplies and heads to Tanzania, where her work and expertise can save lives, both animal and human.  Laura has spent many summers, sabbaticals, and leaves to providing crucial veterinary care in Tanzania, a country with a huge need for animal health services, particularly rabies control.