Mohawk College officially opens new Digital Print and Learning Centre for students Friday at Fennell
Still and Motion Photography student Sergio Ruiz positions a poster for cutting on the Kongsberg cutting table donated by the Corrugated Packaging Foundation of Canada.
A new $600,000 Digital Print and Learning Centre for students is the latest addition in the ongoing renewal of Mohawk College’s Fennell Campus.
The Digital Print and Learning Centre serves as a living lab for more than 160 students in Mohawk’s two-year Graphic Design Production programs. Students train at the centre on specialized technology, including digital printing presses, packaging design and finishing equipment. Students work on class and college projects ranging from business cards, saddle stitched and perfect bound books, pads, posters, banners to clothing, golf balls, mugs and other specialty printed products and packaging design products.
“Practical, hands-on learning is one of the hallmarks of a Mohawk College education,” says Media and Entertainment Associate Dean Ken Wallis. “With our new Digital Print and Learning Centre, our students are directly involved from start to finish on both the creative and production ends of real world projects.”
The Digital Print and Learning Centre is supported by industry partners, including Xerox Canada, Duplo, Bell Howell, Steve Thistle, Oldman Robinson and Esko Graphics. The Corrugated Packaging Foundation of Canada also donated more than $175,000 in new equipment to advance studies in packaging design at the centre.
Industry partners will be recognized during the official opening of Mohawk’s Digital Print and Learning Centre on Friday, Feb. 3 at 2 p.m. in room F131 at the Fennell Campus.
“Thanks to the generous and ongoing support of our partners, Mohawk students are training on the same leading edge equipment and technology that they will use as future ready graduates working in the industry,” says Program Coordinator Philip Richardson.
Graduates from Mohawk’s Graphic Design Production programs work in graphic design, packaging design, prepress, print and finishing.
As part of the ongoing Fennell Campus Renewal Project, staff offices were converted into the 2,250 square foot Digital Print and Learning Centre for students. Mohawk relocated its Graphic Design Production programs in the Fall of 2011 to the Fennell Campus from the Elgin Street Campus in Brantford. Applications soared for Mohawk’s full enrolment Graphic Design Production Creative Studio, Digital Media and Integrated Animation diploma programs following the relocation.
The Fennell Campus Renewal Project is earning high marks from students.The project has so far included a new library and student services centre, more common areas for students, renovations to classrooms, hallways and the cafeteria. In the province’s latest Key Performance Indicator Survey, students ranked Mohawk first among all colleges in the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area for quality of learning and programs, services and facilities and overall student and graduate satisfaction.