Faculty Feature Archives

Connie Godwin studied jewellery design at the Nova Scotia College of Art and Design in Halifax, Nova Scotia where she received her Bachelor degree in Fine Arts in 1998. A native to Ontario, Connie decided to root in her home town of Waterloo where she currently runs her studio.

Connie designs and creates one of a kind and limited edition jewellery pieces of silver, gold and copper alloys. She describes her work as "fluid and organic". "I'm attracted to and inspired by natural form, and am excited about jewellery that feels good on the body." She also feels her pieces are very personal. "I design pieces that have a lot of meaning to me, they remind me of ideas, dreams and things that I love."

Connie currently displays her work at the Williams Mill at the studio of Bonnie Glass in Glen Williams, Ontario and the Harbinger Gallery in Waterloo, Ontario. Connie has participated in countless group shows in galleries across Canada and currently teaches jewellery making and metalsmithing for Conestoga College in Waterloo.

Mike McCormick has been the driving force behind the success of the Motorcycle Training Program at Conestoga. He has been an instructor in the college’s program since 1993. In addition to his teaching responsibilities, he has also been coordinating the program since 1999.

Mike has been innovative in the delivery of the CSC curriculum in that he always seeks ways to improve the learning experience while maintaining the integrity of the curriculum. He inspires the motorcycle instructors to do their best and helps them to improve if they are having problems. As a leader, Mike works closely with his Chief Instructors as well as other members of the college community to make our program one of the best. He shows concern and sensitivity to students who may be struggling with the course and will work with them one-on-one to help them succeed without compromising the program.

Sharon Boyd, Neil Dunford, Brendan Reilly and Bob King represent well over 100 years of teaching experience at Conestoga College. All four of them have been preparing adult students for post-secondary studies, apprenticeship training or employment since the early eighties. Having taught what is popularly called “Home Study” at various campuses and locations over the years they are now the team that provides the CE delivery of Academic Upgrading at Doon, offering a variety of courses in communications (English), mathematics and the sciences (biology, physics, chemistry) to meet the various needs of adult students.

After receiving a science degree from the University of Toronto as well as a degree in education, Sharon taught high school for several years; then she obtained an accounting diploma and has been working for several law firms and small businesses. Not wanting to give up teaching altogether, Sharon joined Conestoga as a teacher in 1982 and has been teaching academic upgrading part-time ever since. In addition to working and teaching part-time Sharon tests recipes for a food writer and does catering.

Neil Dunford started teaching at Conestoga even one year earlier than Sharon. Having followed a lifelong learning path himself, he has a great understanding of what adult students experience when returning to school. He started out as an apprentice, went back to high school to obtain his grade 13, attended teachers college and taught elementary school; then he went to university to receive a B.Sc., worked several years with CUSO in Botswana, Africa, returned to university to get his M.Sc. and joined Conestoga as a part-time teacher in 1981.

Brendan Reilly has a B.Sc. in physics and got hooked on teaching after a work term as an assistant to a high school science department. Having worked in a variety of jobs, including designing electrical transformers, debugging and installing custom robotic automated machinery as well as driving a school bus, teaching part-time in the academic upgrading program, in CE as well as in the day program, since 1983 has been a constant for Brendan. In his spare time he designs and builds wooden clockwork mechanisms, sundials and Sterling engines and likes to make beer and wine. He has always admired his students and feels they work much harder than he does.

Bob King is the longest serving teacher of the team. After having been a full-time math teacher and counselor at Conestoga as well as a part-time teacher in upgrading since the seventies, Bob continues to teach part-time well after his retirement from full-time work, and he is not slowing down. In his spare time he is on the golf course as much as possible, sporting an excellent handicap.

All agree that what has kept them enthusiastic about teaching, and in particular teaching adults, is the dedication with which adult students approach their learning. Hard working and highly motivated to succeed students constantly challenge the creativity of the teachers. Adult students in Academic Upgrading come from very diverse backgrounds pursuing a large variety of goals, from the grandmother, who, as a mother of 5 university graduates, wanted to upgrade her grade 8 education and ended up submitting stories to a literacy competition, the firefighter who commuted from Barrie to take Prep Biology so he could enroll in a paramedic program and who is now teaching it, to the single parent who upgraded to enroll in the Practical Nursing program and who is now a nurse administering flu shots to Sharon. As mature students, often with families and full-time jobs, these students are extremely self-disciplined and independent learners, who possess great time management skills. They take advantage of the very flexible program delivery, which allows students to study at their own pace and use a combination of in-class study and test taking with studying at-home or anywhere else, while receiving ongoing help from the dedicated teachers to support their progress. For them “Academic Upgrading” is a vital stepping stone from their present educational level via their long term education and training goal to a rewarding career.

Academic Upgrading is available at Doon, Waterloo, Cambridge, Guelph, Arthur, Stratford and Listowel. For more information on preparatory programs and courses visit College and Employment Preparation.

It is with great honour that I accept the J. David Stewart Memorial Associate Faculty Award (2006), for teaching excellence and leadership. Anyone who knew Dave, especially those involved in Continuing Education, respected him as a treasured leader, instructor, colleague, mentor, and friend.

He will always be remembered for his dedication to continuous learning, his sense of community pride, and his quiet, unassuming manner. David will always be missed, but never forgotten.

In receiving this award, I wish to thank my peers who nominated me for this coveted award. Nothing is quite as rewarding as the recognition of one’s peers. Peer recognition takes on a special importance because it suggests an insider’s knowledge of the commitment to adult education, and an appreciation of the rewards as well as the challenges. Indeed, I teach with many deserving associate faculty members who are talented, dedicated, and “real-world” professionals. I also wish to thank my husband, children, colleagues, support staff, and those in administration, who have given me strong support and generously assisted me during my thirty years of part-time instructing. Over those years I have had the opportunity of teaching and coordinating in the Ontario Management Development Program (OMDP), Human Resources Management Program, Teacher/Trainer of Adults Certificate Program, and our partnership with Brock University’s Bachelor’s of Education in Adult Education Program.

Time has flown by and I have fond memories of my students who I hope are benefitting from their educational pursuits and career choices. Please continue to embrace lifelong learning, even applying for the J. David Stewart Scholarship for students. Teaching is a noble profession and I am grateful for the privilege to be associated with Conestoga College.

Patsy Marshall, 2006 Winner of the J. David Stewart Award

“It is a great honour to have been selected as a recipient of the J. David Stewart Memorial Associate Faculty Award for two reasons. First, Dave was not only a colleague of mine but also a good friend. For several years we studied, worked and learned together. His enthusiastic sense of humour and his dedication to the process of continuous learning made being his "study buddy" an enjoyable and memorable time.
Secondly, it is an honour to have been selected from the many talented, dedicated and enthusiastic members of the Associate Faculty at Conestoga.

My involvement with Conestoga College actually began as a student in the Ontario Management Development Program (OMDP). I really enjoyed the courses and found it to be an exceptional opportunity to share knowledge with the students who are all experienced business people. As a full time Sales Manager, the opportunity to be a facilitator in OMDP has allowed me to keep myself current in a rapidly changing workplace. Perhaps the best part of being a facilitator is that it is just plain fun to spend time with a group of enthusiastic adult learners.

In recent years my work responsibilities have made it increasingly difficult to be available to facilitate classes which are scheduled at a particular time and evening of each week. The development of online learning has allowed me to work with my wife Ann as an online instructor. We can work at anytime that is convenient and by taking our lap top with us can even facilitate courses as we travel.

Being involved with Conestoga for more than twenty years has been a source of pleasure and has provided an opportunity to contribute to the local community. I have worked with students, faculty and administrators that have become friends. My involvement with the college has been a privilege for which I am very grateful.”

Dave Ashberry, B.A. MEd.
Coordinator/Facilitator, Ontario Management Development Program