Georgian’s top 10 good news stories of 2025
Dec. 28, 2025
In reality, our list of good news stories is much longer than 10, but here’s a look back at some of our favourite ones from throughout this year.
Bring on 2026!
Georgian College to launch women’s varsity rugby sevens team
Jan. 9 – Female student athletes will soon have a new varsity sport to play at Georgian College. Approved by the Ontario Colleges Athletic Association (OCAA), the Georgian Grizzlies will add a women’s varsity rugby sevens team to its roster – complimenting its three-time gold medal-winning men’s varsity rugby team. An official OCAA season will kick off in September 2026.
Georgian to expand its Centre for Skilled Trades, supported by the County of Simcoe and industry
Jan. 16 – The Centre for Skilled Trades at the Barrie Campus is undergoing an incredible transformation, modernizing the existing building and adding 20,000 square feet of additional space. Once complete, the state-of-the-art facility will support the development of a future-ready skilled trades workforce that is capable in robotics, artificial intelligence, and advanced digital technologies.
Georgian College and Meta collaborate on intelligent tutoring system using AI
Jan. 21 – Through a new, cutting-edge collaboration, Georgian is among the first Canadian colleges to team up with global technology giant Meta to advance the development of Intelligent Tutoring Systems (ITS) using Generative AI (GenAI) and extended reality (XR). Ray-Ban Meta glasses were provided as part of a three-year plan to develop courses in anatomy and physiology, with plans to expand to more programs.
Georgian College’s Denturism program launches major expansion to Canada’s East Coast
May 1 – Georgian’s accredited denturism program touched down in Halifax in September 2025, partnering with Hallmark Dental Laboratory, a private lab in Halifax, N.S., to offer hybrid programming. This innovative expansion will help fill a critical need for denturists in Canada’s East Coast, which currently doesn’t have a denturism school.
Nine Georgian College students medal at Skills Ontario competition
May 7 – Nine Georgian College students – all competing for the first time – won a variety of gold, silver and bronze medals at this year’s Skills Ontario competition. One of the highlights was Georgian earning all three podium spots for Outdoor Powered Equipment, granting one student a chance to compete at Skills Canada in Saskatchewan.
New Georgian College innovation lab opens doors to industry-leading tech for automotive students
May 23 – The new PBS Systems Innovation Lab at Georgian’s Barrie Campus is fueling automotive education and bringing real-world tools directly to the classroom. Students in the Automotive Business School of Canada (ABSC) will benefit from next-generation learning through hands-on experience with advanced digital technologies that mirror those used in today’s automotive industry.
Academic and Career Preparation empowers nursing grad with renewed confidence
June 18 – Nancy Dewar’s college journey wasn’t an easy one, facing health challenges and personal and educational barriers. With the help of Georgian’s Academic and Career Preparation (ACP) team, Nancy faced her fears and graduated from the Practical Nursing diploma program.
Georgian College receives transformative investment of $7.5M from the City of Barrie for downtown location
June 24 – In partnership with the City of Barrie, Georgian’s taking another step forward with the creation of a vibrant downtown location that will serve as a launchpad for innovation, creativity and collaboration. A landmark $7.5 million contribution from the city will help create new opportunities and focus on high-demand areas including design, emerging technologies, and entrepreneurship – injecting fresh energy into Barrie’s growing creative economy.
Georgian College receives $1.75 million in federal funding to launch Ontario’s first Industry 5.0 sandbox
July 17 – Georgian was officially designated a Technology Access Centre (TAC) by the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada and awarded a $1.75 million grant over five years to support its Centre of Industrial Simulation and Prototyping. This investment designates Georgian College as the first institution in Ontario to operate an Industry 5.0 sandbox, a space where manufacturers can test, develop and refine new technologies.
Bestselling author reconnects with native Indigenous language at Georgian
Sept. 8 – Wasauksing First Nation, an island community on Georgian Bay near Parry Sound, was where Waubgeshig Rice began learning Anishinaabemowin, the native language of the Anishinaabe. Waub spoke with us about studying in Georgian’s Anishnaabemowin and Program Development program, and what it means for him to reclaim his language and bring Indigenous representation to mainstream media.
…and a bonus story, because we couldn’t choose just 10!
Record-setting Georgian College charity event raises $570,033 to help students flourish
Nov. 13 – Georgian’s biennial charity fundraiser, Flourish: uniting for student success, generated record-setting net proceeds of $570,033 to help reduce financial barriers for students through awards, scholarships, bursaries and essential services. It brought together 300 donors, sponsors, alumni and friends of Georgian united by a shared commitment to empowering students and supporting accessible education.