Articles by author: Brock University

• Brock, Niagara Catholic to launch dual-credit exercise science course

  Monday, June 19, 2017 | By Brock University

  MEDIA RELEASE: 15 June 2017 – R00117
  Brock University is partnering with Niagara Catholic District School Board (NCDSB) to deliver a new dual-credit course intended to give high school students an early introduction to the world of kinesiology.
  The course will see a group of 30 Grade 12 students travelling to Brock twice a week to learn about the science of body movements — all while receiving credit at both the high school and post-secondary level.
  Jamie Mandigo, Brock’s Vice-Provost, Enrolment Management and International, said the University was pleased to work with the NCDSB on such a significant opportunity for students.
  “Offering a course related to student wellness is particularly symbolic,” said Mandigo, “as it represents an area that both Brock and the NCDSB share expertise in, and are committed to supporting together.”
  Some overlap already exists between Grade 12 exercise science classes and the introductory course offered at Brock, said Kinesiology Professor Brian Roy, but those classes are available at only a few high schools.
  “Ideally we would like to see this exercise science course, which really sets students up well for what we offer in the Department of Kinesiology, offered at all high schools,” said Roy, while adding the first step is to begin developing partnerships with local school boards.
  The new course will touch on many aspects of kinesiology, including the role of physical activity in society, ethical issues in physical activity in sport, anatomy, physiology, human performance, biomechanics and nutrition, among others.
  “Welcoming students from secondary schools across Niagara to feel comfortable on a university campus is of particular importance for Brock given that applications from Niagara students to universities in Ontario have decreased 10 per cent since 2011,” Mandigo said.
  “Exposing Niagara students to post-secondary education at an earlier age will help them realize that pursuing and obtaining a university degree is possible.
  “This unique opportunity to obtain a high school credit while also obtaining a Brock University credit speaks loudly to our commitment to supporting our local community and students. It also speaks to the NCDSB’s commitment to encouraging and preparing their students to be successful at their next step of learning at post-secondary institutions.”
  An official announcement ceremony to launch the Exercise Science Dual-Credit Course will take place Monday, June 19 at 9:30 a.m. in Brock’s Bob Davis Gymnasium.
  Representatives from Brock University and the Niagara Catholic District School Board will be in attendance to celebrate the partnership.
  For more information or for assistance arranging interviews:
  • Maryanne Firth, Writer/Editor, Brock University maryanne.firth@brocku.ca, 905-688-5550 x4420 or 289-241-8288
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  Categories: Media releases

• People can feel the buzz’: Brock encouraged by enrolment stats

  Wednesday, June 14, 2017 | By Brock University

  MEDIA RELEASE: 14 June 2017 – R00116

  Even as Ontario high schools produce fewer graduates these days, Brock University’s numbers appear to be defying the gravity. 

  In a year when Brock officials have stepped up efforts to engage potential students, and when spring Open House drew record crowds, Brock’s confirmed applications for 2017-18 are tracking ahead of where they were at this time last year.

  Data compiled by the Ontario Universities Application Centre (OUAC) shows that Brock’s confirmed application numbers for undergrad and graduate students combined were up 5.2 per cent from a year ago. That’s more than double the average 2.4-per cent growth rate for all 20 Ontario universities.

  In the benchmark “101” category — students entering first-year university directly from Ontario high schools — Brock currently has one of the top four growth rates in Ontario, up 8.6 per cent over last year, compared to the provincial average of 1.1 per cent.

  “There’s a momentum,” said Jamie Mandigo, Vice-Provost of Enrolment Management and International. “People can feel the buzz.”

  Brock’s own analytics also turned up other positive indicators:

  • confirmations for international students have surged 29 per cent;
  • applicants with an academic average of 90 or higher are up nearly 20 per cent; and
  • applicants from across Ontario who made Brock their university of first choice went up more than 13 per cent.

  Brock’s enrolment last year reached 18,704, and Mandigo says that no university will know their numbers for this year until classes start in the fall. But he says the latest figures are more evidence that Brock is in major transition.

  “There’s a real sense of renewal,” said Mandigo. “We have a new president coming in, we keep building world-class facilities, and our faculty and staff are actively providing experiential learning opportunities for students throughout the community.”

  In less than a decade, Brock has constructed more than $200-million worth of cutting-edge teaching and research facilities, thanks to generous private and government investments. Major new assets include the Cairns Family Health and Bioscience Research Complex ($120 million) and Marilyn I. Walker School of Fine and Performing Arts ($45 million).

  In terms of teaching, Brock is in Ontario’s top 5 universities for professors who have won 3M National Teaching Fellowships, considered Canada’s most prestigious prize for teaching excellence at the university level.

  Brock graduates also do well on the career front. The Ontario government’s latest figures show that, two years out from graduation, Brock grads had a 95 per cent employment rate, which is higher than the provincial average.

  Mandigo said it is significant that the latest data shows positive signs across a range of categories. While enrolments remain healthy for Brock’s two largest Faculties — Social Sciences and Applied Health Sciences — the University’s other Faculties delivering undergraduate programs (i.e., Math and Science, Humanities and Goodman School of Business) have also seen increased confirmations in excess of 15 per cent compared to last year.

  “Students have many options in where to go to school, but our hard work and reputation is getting noticed,” said Mandigo. “Look at the growing number of first-choice selections for Brock. People know they get a great student experience when they come here.

  “We are becoming a go-to place, and the numbers show it.”

  For more information or for assistance arranging interviews:

  * Maryanne Firth, Writer/Editor, Brock University maryanne.firth@brocku.ca, 905-688-5550 x4420 or 289-241-8288

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  Categories: Media releases