St. Clair College's Centre for Academic Excellence and Quality Assurance hosted its annual faculty retreat on Friday, June 13, where nearly 100 faculty members networked, heard from guest speakers and took part in professional development sessions.
The keynote speakers for this year's retreat were Karen Belfer and Sylvie Mainville from the Ontario College Quality Assurance Service (OCQAS).
The self-proclaimed "QA geeks" delivered an address celebrating the contributions to quality made by faculty at St. Clair College, using relatable anecdotes and exploring the many facets of quality in education to illuminate how faculty members can champion excellence in their daily practices.
"Events like 'Reframe and Reassess' are vital because they celebrate and strengthen the foundation of student success: our faculty," said Belfer, the executive director of OCQAS. "Quality education doesn't happen by accident—it's built, bit by bit, through everyday practices that reflect care, intention, and a commitment to excellence."
By sharing their passion for continuous improvement and using the analogy of baking a cake to illustrate the cyclical nature of quality, Mainville and Belfer encouraged a positive and collaborative mindset, ultimately reinforcing the profound impact faculty have on student success and the enduring excellence of St. Clair College.
"When faculty embed quality assurance into their routines—even in Coffee Crisp-sized increments—it adds up to something transformative," said Mainville, a quality assurance manager at OCQAS. "These gatherings not only affirm the great work already happening, but also create space for inspiration, connection, and growth."
Participants were able to partake in walk-and-talk sessions, Yoga, hear about exciting developments around campus and learn about innovative uses of artificial intelligence in the classroom.
Cory Scurr, the associate director of academic integrity at Conestoga College offered a very topical session on AI and academic integrity.
"We know that a lot of faculties are feeling in the dark, feeling a little bit hamstrung with how we're navigating Gen-AI and what we can do about our assessments," Scurr said, noting much of it comes down to assessment design. "We need to look at how we can better position assessments so that we can mitigate misconduct and ensure learning essentially within the college."
He said the best way for faulty – or anyone – to understand AI is to use it a lot, learn how it works and have awareness regarding whether AI is a tool being used in industries related to the school's programs.
"I think we need to inform faculty that we're not in the shadows like we once thought we were a year and a half ago. But in fact, the best way to know how to combat or leverage the tool is to use the tool," Scurr said.
"If AI is not a part of that industry, then we have to be making sure that we have certain guardrails in place and certain assessment expectations," Scurr said. "If AI is going to be a key component when they graduate, and especially in their employment, we have to know how to incorporate that into our assessment designs."
Prof. Kaitlyn Harnden and one of her students in the Pharmacy Technician program also gave a presentation about their recent trip to Guatemala, where they provided pharmacy services to a remote village of El Triunfo.
During the trip, three students and Prof. Harnden helped administer medications to more than 1,100 patients who otherwise wouldn't have had access to services or essential medicine.
"I think it's important to share, because you really have to think about why we're doing it, and what kind of experiences that can be done outside of the classroom, and really what sets St. Clair apart from other colleges," said Prof. Harnden.
The experiential learning from that trip was such a resounding success that next year, mission leaders from Guatemala Hope have invited three students from the Pharmacy Technician program, the Dental Hygiene program and the Paramedic program to take part in next year's trip.
"What sets St. Clair College apart is its commitment to real-world, hands-on learning that goes beyond the classroom," said Jerry Sikl, one of the students who went to Guatemala in January. "Unlike many other institutions, our College gives students the opportunity to travel to places like Guatemala to provide direct medical aid and pharmacy support to vulnerable communities."
"This kind of experience not only helps those in need but also shapes us as future professionals—grounding our education in compassion, cultural awareness, and a true sense of global responsibility," Sikl said.
Through informative presentations like these, the goal of the retreat is to engage faculty, encourage collaboration, and inspire the kind of outside-the-box thinking that makes St. Clair College stand out in the postsecondary education sector.
