Tip:
Highlight text to annotate it
X
[ Music ]
>> Hello, Mohawk.
On this episode of MoCast, we find out what happens
when the snow starts to fly here at the college,
we shine the spotlight on our financial service students
who are helping to make sure that no kid goes hungry
over the weekend, and then we do a road trip
to our massage therapy program where Sean gets a well-deserved
and well-earned massage.
Okay, so this has been the winter
of our discontent here at Mohawk College.
We just came off a huge storm, so we thought we'd find out more
about what it takes to clear the snow from Mohawk College.
And we are joined by Ron Baskin.
Ron, you are?
>> Chief Building and Facilities Officer.
>> And you're Mr. Plow in the winter?
>> That's one of my responsibilities.
>> You're like the plow king.
So let's talk about snow at Mohawk College.
How many acres of parking lots and sidewalks do you guys have
to clear after it snows?
>> Well, we look after two major campuses:
Stoney Creek and Fennell
At Fennel we have twenty-five and a half acres of parking,
miles and miles of sidewalks, and more sidewalks every year.
And probably a kilometer of roadway.
>> All right, and our skilled trades campus at Stoney Creek?
>> We've got probably about five and a half acres of parking;
not as much roadway and sidewalk,
but still a fairly sizable campus.
>> So when the snow is flying, who has to get out there
in the dead of night or the early hours of the morning
to clear our lots and sidewalks?
>> We have a team, a grounds crew here at Fennel,
which consists of three people.
Because we have so many acres here at Fennel, we also contract
out the major parking lots.
Our crew maintains the roadways
and the sidewalks, day and night.
If it snows in the middle of the night, my crew is in here
in the middle of the night.
>> You're not the one that makes the final call
on whether it's a snow day, so we can't bribe you
and we can't hurl insults at you.
But you provide input into that decision
that ultimately gets made by the president.
So it's 5:00 in the morning, it snowed all night,
you need to call the VP.
What are you telling the vice president that sort
of informs their decision
on whether the campus stays open or closes?
>> The college tries to make a decision as early as possible
to notify students and staff.
So what we're doing in notifying the VP is we're giving him
information on the conditions on campus, a little bit
of information on roadways.
So on campus, our crews are working through the night.
We try to open at least 60 percent of the parking lots
by 7:00 AM, and on a bad day we know that that's enough parking.
We like to have the roads salted,
sanded, the sidewalks safe.
We have security traveling between campuses in the middle
of the night doing rounds at satellite campuses.
So we have an idea of what the roads are like.
We have information from HSR
because the HSR buses are starting much earlier
than our students and staff arrive here.
So we know what they're doing.
We also have a relationship with security at McMaster University.
>> So you've been to the college now for 25 years.
How does this compare to other winters at Mohawk College?
Like is this the worst we've had
or have we just forgotten how bad it used to be?
>> I think we've forgotten some of the really bad ones,
the early to mid-'90s when we use to get real snow.
>> So every year, students
in the financial services program here at McKeil School
of Business, they do an annual fundraiser.
And this is something prof and coordinator,
Christine Decarlo, started.
They've done a blood drive, they've helped rotary last year.
And to find out who they're supporting this year,
we're joined by two students from financial services.
And you are?
>> Victoria.
>> Okay, and?
>> Kylie.
>> Okay, Kylie and Victoria.
Who's the organization
that you're supporting this year in your class?
>> Food for Kids.
>> All right, so you have done some phenomenal fundraising;
we'll get to that in a minute.
So you obviously know what Food for Kids is all about.
Give us, like, the 10-second sales pitch
of what Food for Kids does.
>> So it's a not-for-profit organization that feeds kids
over the weekend that are involved
in a breakfast program all over Hamilton.
And they are looking to expand
in the Halton and Niagara region.
And it's just $10 for a weekend to feed a child.
>> Okay, so because Christine is a bit camera-shy, and modest,
she asked that some students go on camera.
I said, "So who could come on camera?"
She recommended both of you
because you have raised a pile of money.
The most of any of your students in your class,
so you get a little bit of fame here.
How much have you raised?
>> Eleven hundred dollars currently.
>> Okay, Victoria, how did you raise that much money?
>> I did do a bottle drive at first, so I collected empties,
went door to door, and people also donated at the same time.
And then after that I was actually lucky enough to be --
get leaf tickets donated to me to be able to raffle off.
So I've been doing a raffle and selling people tickets,
going door to door, in this school lots
of students have donated, they've been very generous.
>> Right. Ooh, Leaf tickets.
Who are the Leafs playing in this game?
>> The Habs, so it's a very sought-after game to go to.
>> Cool. Alright, Kylie, how much have you raised.
>> I'm up to $1,200 so far.
>> Okay, and how did you raise your money?
>> I was lucky enough to have a job that allowed me
to do a fundraiser through them.
I work at Turtle Jacks, and we did a fundraiser one night.
They donated 10 percent of all of our profits for four hours.
And then I also had Leaf tickets that I was donated
from our Molson rep, and they were raffled off as well.
>> What does this partnership with Food for Kids --
like, how does that help with your skills?
What does that do for your resume?
>> Well, it definitely helps us get out of our comfort zone,
know how to approach someone,
how to sell, how to be able to...
>> Have you done fundraising before?
>> No, never.
No.
>> Okay, so you guys have been like cold-calling then.
>> Right.
>> How did that go?
>> Door-knocking, cold-calling, so basically just being able
to approach strangers, talk with them, small talk,
then tell them all about it and just grab their attention really
and then get them interested in the charity
which they are really interested in, so.
>> Alright.
Have you done fundraising before?
>> A little bit through work.
Nothing too extreme like this.
It's nice because I feel
like it's a great charity to get behind.
>> You guys are in your second year, it's a two-year program.
What are you planning to do once you graduate from Mohawk?
>> I really want to go into a commissioned role,
so like a Sun Life, Edward Jones.
I feel like this would really bring out our, the qualities
that we really need to be able to prospect, cold-call,
door-knock, run seminars.
So this definitely prepares us for that.
>> Okay. Kylie, your plans?
>> Yeah, definitely commission as well.
I would look towards a Sun Life or IG, like investors group.
Somewhere that you can really go out and find your clients
and develop a good relationship with them.
[ Music ]
>> So one of the newest programs here
at Mohawk College: massage therapy.
And it's located in what used to be the old bookstore;
they've done a fantastic job renovating the space.
And to tell us more about the program, we are joined
by Program Coordinator Carmen Farrell.
Carmen, how are you?
>> I'm great.
>> Okay, so listen, first off, is all the faculty and students
in this program the most relaxed students
and faculty of Mohawk College?
>> It depends on when you ask.
I would say mid-term is just
like any other student in the college.
>> All right, I was just wondering
because they give each other massages.
So, how many students are in the program?
>> We have just over 80 students currently,
and that we're running two semesters right now:
a semester one and two.
>> Okay, right, so I think -- do they all end up working in spas?
>> No, that's a fairly common misconception.
A lot of times -- it's pretty varied the workplaces
that our graduates are going to end up in.
A lot of times either physio clinics or chiropractic clinics,
any wellness sort of settings,
rehabilitation settings, and as well as spas.
But a lot of times they are also self-employed or kind
of contractors in businesses.
>> So they've very entrepreneurial.
So how about your background?
Before you came to Mohawk College, what did you do?
>> Okay, I spent quite a lot of --
my first out of school practice in a physiotherapy clinic,
so I did a lot of rehabilitation, a lot of kind
of pre- and post-joint replacements,
a lot of sports injuries, that sort of thing.
I transitioned to a more of a wellness setting
over -- after a few years.
So I ended up doing chiropractic --
or I jumped to chiropractic work.
And then finally I decided I wanted to learn how to ski,
so I did stint in a spa over a ski season in Colorado.
>> That must have been tough.
>> Oh, rough, yes.
>> A big part of how students learn
at Mohawk is learning by doing.
And so will massage therapy students be offering their
services to, you know,
hardworking PR staff here at the college?
>> Absolutely.
Starting actually in the spring-summer semester,
we're going to be offering an in-house student clinic.
So other staff, students,
members of the public are welcome to come
and partake of a hour massage.
>> All right.
And how much will that cost us?
>> We haven't finalized the exact point,
but it's approximately the $30 price point.
>> So 80 students in the massage therapy program, and we're here
with one of those students.
And you are?
>> Sky Bosak.
>> Okay, Sky, you're doing a fantastic job.
What semester are you in?
>> Second semester.
>> Okay, so you came to Mohawk directly from high school.
What attracted you to this program?
>> Giving people massages, and I had a lot --
without any experience I was getting compliments saying I was
really good and I decided to come into the program.
>> You must have been a very popular person.
Yeah. Family dinners you were giving everyone massages.
>> Something like that.
>> Yeah, yeah.
Okay, so, obviously you do a lot of hands-on work,
but it's not just that.
You are in the classroom a lot;
what are you studying in the classroom?
>> We're studying anatomy, palpations,
hydrotherapy, pathologies.
>> Okay, so Sky -- what kinds
of massage are you giving here, Sky?
>> I'm giving a seated massage.
>> All right.
And, so Greg, Greg Christmas, first semester student.
How is Sky doing?
>> She's doing a great job right now.
>> How do you stay awake?
>> You know, honestly it's a difficult thing.
I mean, she's doing a great job right now.
But really, I'm just sitting here,
relaxing, and just enjoying it.
>> So would you give Sky an A?
>> Absolutely, A-plus, actually.
>> You're student clinic doesn't start until late spring;
I was wondering if we get an early appointment for Sean.
Sean has to put up with me in front
of the camera doing multiple, multiple takes.
I think I stress him out.
He's also a new dad,
so if anyone needs a massage, it's Sean.
Any chance we can squeeze him in?
>> Absolutely.
We've actually got a chair set up right here.
>> Okay, let's do it.
[ Music ]
Okay, Sean, is this the best MoCast road trip we have
ever done?
>> By far the best yet.
>> Okay, should it be a recurring feature maybe?
>> I think so.
At least once a term, maybe more.
>> And Carmen, how tense does Sean feel right now?
>> He's got a little bit of tension
through the shoulders here, so you told me that he's a new dad,
so I think that's probably part of that.
>> Well, Carmen, listen, thanks for the tour of the program.
We can't wait to come back
when you start running the student clinics.
We will be here for sure.
And think I have to wake up Sean; it's been awhile now.
I got to wake him up, we got to get to our next segment to film.
So anyway, thank you for the tour.
>> And thanks for coming.
[ Music ]
[ Silence ]
>> See, I'm not even a pretty face.
Sometimes we do whole interviews with the mic off.
One take: this is pretty heavy.
Ah!
>> Okay.
>> So Ron, this is a precious commodity.
You can't really find salt anywhere.
How much could I give you for this bag of salt?
>> Well, if you put it on our sidewalks,
we'll give it to you for free.