From the President's desk: January 22, 2025

I want to start this new year by discussing the Lakeland Way. The Lakeland Way embodies the approach our Lakeland College family takes to collaborate and communicate, ensuring the best possible experience for our students, visitors, and colleagues. The Lakeland Way is about coming together with heart, dedication, and a willingness to lend a helping hand. It’s a place where students, staff, and faculty work together to foster an environment of belonging, safety, and pride for everyone. The Lakeland Way goes beyond achievements; it’s about celebrating our community’s diversity, experiences, teamwork, and the meaningful connections we build together. The Lakeland Way encourages everyone to go the extra mile by engaging in college activities, volunteering at student events, and supporting one another. It’s our people who make Lakeland College truly special. Together, we create a community where everyone has the opportunity to grow, thrive, and reach their full potential. We strive to foster a sense of Belongingness, welcoming everyone to embark on their educational journey, exploring, experiencing, and learning new ways to engage and prepare for careers in a global world.
Our staff, students, faculty, board members and the community collaborated to create our existing values. A Lakeland committee of students, staff, faculty, and administration developed the guiding behaviours for each value. At Lakeland College, our commitment to fostering a sense of Belongingness stems from our core values of learner success, integrity, respect, community, excellence, and innovation.
Learner Success
We work with industry to create excellent employment networking opportunities, we encourage and support learners towards achievement, we model lifelong learning, and we develop and implement leading edge student programming. Examples include Accuplacer – used at the beginning and end of programming to support student learning and measure growth; Career Exploration Preparation Program - Specific Learning Outcomes geared toward individual career action plans leading to post-secondary options and or meaningful employment; Academic and Career Preparation (EXL); College connections with external organizations that support mental health; Face to face delivery to optimize maximum success with a focus on digital literacy by having technology in the hands of all students; High FNMI student enrollment; and hiring local students for summer work.
Integrity
We foster and promote creativity and future thinking, we are willing to take calculated risks, and we find and support solutions to challenges. Examples include upholding high moral and ethical standards; understanding and honouring the differences of others, recognizing the unique perspectives and ideas they bring to the community; developing the Belongingness Ecosystem; Economic Summit; Women’s Conference, Community Adult Learner Programs and Saskatchewan Basic Education Association; Harassment Prevention Policy; and the integration of Elder teachings and student presentations in course content. We encourage a positive attitude while providing the best, most responsive service possible.
Respect
We cultivate an environment of Belongingness where individuals feel valued, heard and understood. We lead by example, we debate ideas, not people, we are actively engaged, we promote a healthy work-life balance. Respect is an essential element of Belongingness, as it involves demonstrating care and concern for the viewpoints and ideas of others. Examples include designated safe spaces; balanced hiring committees; Circles of Reconciliation – establishing trusting, meaningful relationships between Indigenous and non-Indigenous peoples.
Community
We support innovation and progress, we build collaborative partnerships, we welcome and embrace diversity, we promote volunteerism, we take care of one another. Examples include developing a violence prevention policy, implementing safe space training, and launching an anti-bullying social media campaign. Additionally, our staff recruitment efforts prioritize underrepresented groups, such as women in science, technology, engineering, math, and agriculture, as well as those from remote or rural communities. We recently renamed the Indigenous Student Lounge Otôtemiwewin, which means Friendship in the Cree language. The new name reflects the meaning of the space, which embodies friendship, belonging and the spirit of community. It is a place for all students, Indigenous and non-Indigenous alike, to gather, learn and grow together.
Excellence
We exemplify a positive attitude, we develop the best in ourselves and others, we strategically collaborate, we provide first-class customer service, we don’t accept the status quo. Examples show that Lakeland College is a committee member with TEAMS Alberta, collaborating to support Indigenous students with their apprenticeship technical training, and connect students with industry through practicum placements. The college is working with the Ministry of Immigration and Career Training Planning Committee for Adult Basic Education redesign.
Innovation
We foster and promote creativity and future thinking, we are willing to take calculated risks, we find and support solutions to challenges. Examples include offering employment simulations and work-integrated learning; collaborating with local school divisions whereby students can select Career and Technology courses to create pathways for exploration, specialization, and credentialing; Student-led Initiatives such as the Health and Wellness Wall: Christmas exchange; Faculty presenting at conferences regarding examples of best practices in teaching and learning in the college environment, and participating in various regional, provincial, and national communities of practice.
The Lakeland Way embraces the Belongingness Theory, with the goal that everyone feels they genuinely belong wherever they choose to be. It is more than just a concept; it’s the heart of our college, fostering an environment where every individual feels valued, included, and respected.
Until next time,
Alice
Comments
Login to Post a CommentNo login? Please enter your details below to continue.