Honda powers dreams at Georgian

Georgian College students, staff and special guests celebrated the outstanding contributions of Honda of Canada Mfg. and the Honda Canada Foundation with the unveiling of new signage in their honour on Nov. 21 at the Barrie Campus. The large, bustling main-floor lobby and central meeting space in the Peter B. Moore Advanced Technology Centre is now the Honda Student Commons, and a student gathering and collaboration space on the second floor is now the Honda Canada Foundation Dream Lounge.

On May 30, Honda announced a $1,843,500 donation in cash and in-kind to the college, as part of a multi-faceted partnership benefitting students, faculty and industry. The five-year agreement included funding for leading-edge equipment, innovative research and development, collaborative program support and newly-established scholarships for Georgian students.

As part of their continued partnership, Honda and Georgian are working together to recruit students and provide additional co-op opportunities, preparing students to meet the specialized needs of employers. Industry-relevant, future-ready equipment, combined with Georgian’s quality education and reputation for work-integrated learning experiences, will prepare the future workforce to sustain Honda, their supply chain and many other manufacturers located across central Ontario.

Tom Lake, Executive Vice President, Honda of Canada Mfg. and Vice Chair, Honda Canada Foundation, and MaryLynn West-Moynes, President and CEO, Georgian College, unveiled the new signage.

People standing in a row. Some are holding certificates.

“Honda has made a significant investment in the college, our students, its future workforce and the entire region,” says MaryLynn. “We are grateful for their partnership and support which includes state-of-the-art equipment and exceptional experiential learning and research opportunities to prepare our students for the jobs of the future as well as today.”

At the event, it was announced that five students are recipients of the inaugural Honda of Canada Mfg. Children of Honda Associates Scholarship and four students are the recipients of the inaugural Honda of Canada Mfg. Entrance Scholarship.

Two women and one male standing in front of a grey wall with the words "Honda Student Commons" on it.

A black male in red clothing demonstrates some equipment to an older man in a suit and a woman in business attire.

“It is a privilege to present the inaugural Honda scholarships to Georgian students in the newly minted Honda Canada Foundation Dream Lounge,” says Tom. “These spaces signify the depth and breadth of the partnership between Georgian and Honda and bring The Power of Dreams to life by creating opportunities for students, faculty and the community to connect, collaborate and dream.”

The students who received the scholarships were:

Honda of Canada Mfg. Children of Honda Associates Scholarship
- Willow Baker, Practical Nursing
- Brandon Grant, Mechanical Technician – Precision Skills
- Sophie Kavanagh, Communicative Disorders Assistant
- Aidan McDiarmid, Environmental Technology
- Nicholas Gregg, Mechanical Engineering Technology
Honda of Canada Mfg. Entrance Scholarship
- Danielle Hebert, Dental Hygiene
- Jennifer Webber, Pre-health Sciences Pathway to Advanced Diplomas and Degrees
- Naji Zuain, Acupuncture
- Martin Mwaura, Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSCN) Collaborative Program