Dawson College
Encyclopedia
Dawson College was the first English CEGEP
and is located in Westmount
, just west of downtown Montreal
, Quebec
, Canada
. Dawson College is located near the heart of downtown Montreal in a former nunnery on 4.85 hectares of green space. It is the largest CEGEP in Quebec, with a student population of about 7,500 day students and 2,500 night students enrolled in more than 50 fields of study.
Evening courses are offered through Continuing Education in both credit and non credit division and corporate training is available as well. Dawson recently partnered with the University of Sherbrooke to launch the Confucius Institute in Quebec on its campus.
(later the location of Le Collège militaire royal de Saint-Jean). It was a satellite campus set up on September 26, 1945 by McGill University
to handle the overflow registration of students after the Second World War and the returning veterans. Those students in the first 3 years of the Faculty of Engineering were taught there, thus relieving the McGill campus for the later 2 years for the degree course. That version of Dawson College was closed in May 1950.
The college traces its origins to the merger of several institutions which became public in 1967, when the Quebec system of CEGEPs was created. The current Dawson College was the first English-language institution in the Quebec network of CEGEPs when it opened its doors to 1,200 students in the fall of 1969. The College is named for Sir William Dawson
, a principal of McGill University
from 1855 to 1893.
The College was originally housed in a converted pharmaceutical factory at 350 Selby Street in Westmount. In 1970, a second campus (used mostly for Creative Arts programs) was opened on Viger Street just to the north of Old Montreal
. Two years later, its third campus was opened near Parc Lafontaine
. By 1988 Dawson either still or had also operated the Richelieu campus in St. Henri, the DeLorimier campus, the Victoria campus on McGill Street
(in Old Montreal), with additional facilities on Saint Catherine Street
among other locations.
In 1988, Dawson College occupied the former Mother House of the Congrégation de Notre-Dame. Full consolidation under one roof only happened in 1997, when the Selby building was finally closed. Extensive renovations transformed the century-old building into an attractive, modern, and well-equipped college, occupying an entire city block between de Maisonneuve Boulevard
and Sherbrooke Street
and Wood Avenue in Westmount and Atwater Street
in Montreal.
The Dawson Student Union (DSU) is the Dawson College students' union
representing the approximately 7,500 full-time students and 2,500 part-time students. It funds, coordinates and regulates clubs and activities, and is a resource for students to direct them to appropriate departments and services. The union also does its part to inform students of their rights and also lobbies for them when necessary.
In November 2008, the Dawson Student Union contacted Montreal police after an estimated $840,000 in union funds were misappropriated. This came after much criticism towards the union for not publishing financial statements since its 2005 accreditation.
The DSU has since been working to establish itself as a functional, autonomous, accredited student union.
, CIXS: The Edge, as well as a student newspaper
, The Plant, which publishes every Thursday during term, with a circulation in 2007 of about 2000 copies. Founded in 1969
, it is a member of Canadian University Press
(CUP), and is the largest CEGEP
newspaper in Quebec. Editors are chosen at the end of each semester (August–December, January–May) for the upcoming semester based on a democratic vote by the previous editors and the 'Writing For The Plant' class.
The majority of the clubs are in the 2C wing of the college. This wing is also on the ground-level in the center of the school, while the athletics department is located in the 1H wing, in the metro-level south-west corner of the school. New clubs can be formed with the help of the DSU.
award the Dawson College Blues a banner representing "25 Years of Basketball Supremacy".
On September 13, 2006, a shooting
occurred at Dawson College. Kimveer Gill
, a 25 year-old resident of Laval
, Quebec, entered the school armed with a variety of guns. Gill began firing on students outside of the entrance and again in the Atrium, before committing suicide after being shot by police. Some witnesses reported to having seen a second gunman, a claim later proven incorrect by local police. There was one other death, 18-year-old female student Anastasia Rebecca de Sousa, nineteen more were injured, eight critically.
Gill was dressed in black trenchcoat, military clothes and combat boots, resulting in comparisons with Columbine High School
killers Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold
. He was a member of gothmetal.net where he is seen holding guns and favored the video game depicting the Columbine High shootings. A similar profile has been depicted on the website www.vampirefreaks.com, though it was taken down by the website administrators for reasons as of yet unknown. His profile name on that website is fatality666. Around 10:41 that morning, Gill made a final entry on the Vampirefreaks
and listed his mood as "No mood." He wrote "Whiskey in the morning, mmmmmm, mmmmmmmmm, good!!"
The media developed a theory that Gill's motive was to copycat the Columbine shootings. Students say Gill was calm and shot randomly.
The college was closed until Friday, September 15, when teachers and support staff returned. Students were given access to the campus again on Monday, September 18, and classes resumed the following day.
Other schools in Canada, including the four universities in Montreal, provided grief counseling for their students. Some had also put up special messages regarding this incident.
English-language CEGEP
s:
Cégep
CEGEP is an acronym for , which is literally translated as "College of General and Vocational Education" but commonly called "General and Vocational College" in circles not influenced by Quebec English. It refers to the public post-secondary education collegiate institutions exclusive to the...
and is located in Westmount
Westmount, Quebec
Westmount is a city on the Island of Montreal, an enclave of the city of Montreal, in southwestern Quebec, Canada; pop. 20,494; area 4.02 km²; population density of 5,092.56 inhabitants/km²....
, just west of downtown Montreal
Montreal
Montreal is a city in Canada. It is the largest city in the province of Quebec, the second-largest city in Canada and the seventh largest in North America...
, Quebec
Quebec
Quebec or is a province in east-central Canada. It is the only Canadian province with a predominantly French-speaking population and the only one whose sole official language is French at the provincial level....
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
. Dawson College is located near the heart of downtown Montreal in a former nunnery on 4.85 hectares of green space. It is the largest CEGEP in Quebec, with a student population of about 7,500 day students and 2,500 night students enrolled in more than 50 fields of study.
Programs
The CEGEP offers two types of programs: pre-university and technical. The pre-university programs, which take two years to complete, cover the subject matters which roughly correspond to the additional year of high school given elsewhere in Canada as well as university-level introductory courses in preparation for a chosen field in university. The technical programs, which take three years to complete, apply to students who wish to pursue a skilled trade.Evening courses are offered through Continuing Education in both credit and non credit division and corporate training is available as well. Dawson recently partnered with the University of Sherbrooke to launch the Confucius Institute in Quebec on its campus.
History
Dawson College was first based at the Royal Canadian Air Force Base, St. Jean (now Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu), Quebec, in the MontérégieMontérégie
Montérégie is an administrative region in southwest Québec. It includes the cities of Boucherville, Brossard, Granby, Longueuil, Salaberry-de-Valleyfield, Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu, Saint-Hyacinthe, Sorel-Tracy, and Vaudreuil-Dorion....
(later the location of Le Collège militaire royal de Saint-Jean). It was a satellite campus set up on September 26, 1945 by McGill University
McGill University
Mohammed Fathy is a public research university located in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. The university bears the name of James McGill, a prominent Montreal merchant from Glasgow, Scotland, whose bequest formed the beginning of the university...
to handle the overflow registration of students after the Second World War and the returning veterans. Those students in the first 3 years of the Faculty of Engineering were taught there, thus relieving the McGill campus for the later 2 years for the degree course. That version of Dawson College was closed in May 1950.
The college traces its origins to the merger of several institutions which became public in 1967, when the Quebec system of CEGEPs was created. The current Dawson College was the first English-language institution in the Quebec network of CEGEPs when it opened its doors to 1,200 students in the fall of 1969. The College is named for Sir William Dawson
John William Dawson
Sir John William Dawson, CMG, FRS, FRSC , was a Canadian geologist and university administrator.- Life and work :...
, a principal of McGill University
McGill University
Mohammed Fathy is a public research university located in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. The university bears the name of James McGill, a prominent Montreal merchant from Glasgow, Scotland, whose bequest formed the beginning of the university...
from 1855 to 1893.
The College was originally housed in a converted pharmaceutical factory at 350 Selby Street in Westmount. In 1970, a second campus (used mostly for Creative Arts programs) was opened on Viger Street just to the north of Old Montreal
Old Montreal
Old Montreal is the oldest area in the city of Montreal, Quebec, Canada, dating back to New France. Located in the borough of Ville-Marie, the area is bordered on the west by McGill St., on the north by Ruelle des Fortifications, on the east by Berri St. and on the south by the Saint Lawrence River...
. Two years later, its third campus was opened near Parc Lafontaine
Parc Lafontaine
Parc La Fontaine is a 36-hectare urban park located in Montreal's Plateau Mont-Royal district. Named in honour of Louis-Hippolyte Lafontaine, features include two linked ponds with a fountain and waterfalls; the Théâtre de Verdure open-air venue; the Calixa-Lavallée cultural centre, a monument to...
. By 1988 Dawson either still or had also operated the Richelieu campus in St. Henri, the DeLorimier campus, the Victoria campus on McGill Street
McGill Street (Montreal)
McGill Street is a street in Montreal named after James McGill after whom McGill University is named. The former head office building of Canadian National Railway Company, built for its predecessor Grand Trunk Railway, still stands on McGill Street and is now occupied by Quebec government...
(in Old Montreal), with additional facilities on Saint Catherine Street
Saint Catherine Street
This article is about the street in Montreal called the rue Sainte-Catherine in French. For other streets of this name, see Rue Sainte-Catherine ....
among other locations.
In 1988, Dawson College occupied the former Mother House of the Congrégation de Notre-Dame. Full consolidation under one roof only happened in 1997, when the Selby building was finally closed. Extensive renovations transformed the century-old building into an attractive, modern, and well-equipped college, occupying an entire city block between de Maisonneuve Boulevard
De Maisonneuve Boulevard
De Maisonneuve Boulevard is a major westbound boulevard located in downtown Montreal, Quebec, Canada. It is named after the founder of Montreal, Paul Chomedey de Maisonneuve. De Maisonneuve Boulevard is about 11 kilometres long and begins on Havre Street in the east end, and ends in the...
and Sherbrooke Street
Sherbrooke Street
Sherbrooke Street is a major east-west artery and at in length, is the second longest street on the Island of Montreal. The street begins in the town of Montreal West and ends on the extreme tip of the island in Pointe-aux-Trembles, intersecting Gouin Boulevard and joining up with Notre-Dame...
and Wood Avenue in Westmount and Atwater Street
Atwater Street
Atwater Avenue is a major north-south street located in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. It is links Doctor Penfield Avenue in the Ville-Marie borough to the north, and Henri Duhamel Street in the Verdun borough to the south...
in Montreal.
Dawson Student Union
Students' union
A students' union, student government, student senate, students' association, guild of students or government of student body is a student organization present in many colleges and universities, and has started appearing in some high schools...
representing the approximately 7,500 full-time students and 2,500 part-time students. It funds, coordinates and regulates clubs and activities, and is a resource for students to direct them to appropriate departments and services. The union also does its part to inform students of their rights and also lobbies for them when necessary.
In November 2008, the Dawson Student Union contacted Montreal police after an estimated $840,000 in union funds were misappropriated. This came after much criticism towards the union for not publishing financial statements since its 2005 accreditation.
The DSU has since been working to establish itself as a functional, autonomous, accredited student union.
Campus activities
Dawson College has a very large number of clubs, 25 officially funded by the College and 8 that receive no funding. These include religious and language-themed clubs, para-academic groups, athletic clubs, program-based clubs, cultural clubs and more. Dawson also has a radio stationRadio station
Radio broadcasting is a one-way wireless transmission over radio waves intended to reach a wide audience. Stations can be linked in radio networks to broadcast a common radio format, either in broadcast syndication or simulcast or both...
, CIXS: The Edge, as well as a student newspaper
Student newspaper
A student newspaper is a newspaper run by students of a university, high school, middle school, or other school. These papers traditionally cover local and, primarily, school or university news....
, The Plant, which publishes every Thursday during term, with a circulation in 2007 of about 2000 copies. Founded in 1969
1969 in Canada
-Incumbents:*Monarch - Elizabeth II*Governor General - Roland Michener*Prime Minister - Pierre Trudeau*Premier of Alberta - Harry Strom*Premier of British Columbia - W.A.C...
, it is a member of Canadian University Press
Canadian University Press
Canadian University Press is a non-profit co-operative and newswire service owned by almost 90 student newspapers at post-secondary schools in Canada. Founded in 1938, CUP is the oldest student newswire service in the world and the oldest national student organization in North America. Many...
(CUP), and is the largest CEGEP
Cégep
CEGEP is an acronym for , which is literally translated as "College of General and Vocational Education" but commonly called "General and Vocational College" in circles not influenced by Quebec English. It refers to the public post-secondary education collegiate institutions exclusive to the...
newspaper in Quebec. Editors are chosen at the end of each semester (August–December, January–May) for the upcoming semester based on a democratic vote by the previous editors and the 'Writing For The Plant' class.
The majority of the clubs are in the 2C wing of the college. This wing is also on the ground-level in the center of the school, while the athletics department is located in the 1H wing, in the metro-level south-west corner of the school. New clubs can be formed with the help of the DSU.
Campus athletics
Dawson College, known nationally as the “Blues” has one of the largest intercollegiate programs in Canada. A large number of recreational and intramural programs are also offered to the student population. Although Dawson College offers a wide variety of sports to its student body, the national governing body of college athletics, the Canadian Colleges Athletic Association (CCAA) only sanctions five sports nationally (AAA), those sports are: Basketball, Soccer, Golf, Badminton, and Cross Country Running. Of these five sports Dawson College competes nationally in four, Basketball, Golf, Cross Country Running and Soccer. Some of Dawson's highlights from its athletic history include winning the Men's and Women's Provincial Hockey Championships and having the CCAACanadian Colleges Athletic Association
The Canadian Collegiate Athletic Association is the national governing body for organized sports at colleges in Canada. It was formed in 1974. The CCAA hosts nine annual national championships. The CCAA's name in French is l'Association canadienne du sport collégial .Its equivalent body for...
award the Dawson College Blues a banner representing "25 Years of Basketball Supremacy".
School shooting
Shooting
Shooting is the act or process of firing rifles, shotguns or other projectile weapons such as bows or crossbows. Even the firing of artillery, rockets and missiles can be called shooting. A person who specializes in shooting is a marksman...
occurred at Dawson College. Kimveer Gill
Kimveer Gill
Kimveer Singh Gill was the Canadian perpetrator of the Dawson College shooting at Dawson College in Westmount, Quebec, Canada on September 13, 2006. He killed one student and wounded nineteen others before he committed suicide.-Background:Kimveer Gill was a 25-year-old Indo-Canadian born in...
, a 25 year-old resident of Laval
Laval, Quebec
Laval is a Canadian city and a region in southwestern Quebec. It is the largest suburb of Montreal, the third largest municipality in the province of Quebec, and the 14th largest city in Canada with a population of 368,709 in 2006...
, Quebec, entered the school armed with a variety of guns. Gill began firing on students outside of the entrance and again in the Atrium, before committing suicide after being shot by police. Some witnesses reported to having seen a second gunman, a claim later proven incorrect by local police. There was one other death, 18-year-old female student Anastasia Rebecca de Sousa, nineteen more were injured, eight critically.
Gill was dressed in black trenchcoat, military clothes and combat boots, resulting in comparisons with Columbine High School
Columbine High School
Columbine High School or CHS is a high school in unincorporated Jefferson County, Colorado, United States.- History :Columbine High School opened in the fall of 1973. There was no senior class in its first year. The school's first graduating class was the class of 1975...
killers Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold
Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold
Eric David Harris and Dylan Bennet Klebold were American high school seniors who committed the Columbine High School massacre. They killed 13 people—including teacher Dave Sanders—and injured 24 others, three of whom were injured as they escaped the attack...
. He was a member of gothmetal.net where he is seen holding guns and favored the video game depicting the Columbine High shootings. A similar profile has been depicted on the website www.vampirefreaks.com, though it was taken down by the website administrators for reasons as of yet unknown. His profile name on that website is fatality666. Around 10:41 that morning, Gill made a final entry on the Vampirefreaks
Vampirefreaks
VampireFreaks.com is an online community for the Gothic–industrial subcultures. It was created by site owner Jethro Berelson in 1999. It began with a small number of forums dedicated to Gothic–industrial music....
and listed his mood as "No mood." He wrote "Whiskey in the morning, mmmmmm, mmmmmmmmm, good!!"
The media developed a theory that Gill's motive was to copycat the Columbine shootings. Students say Gill was calm and shot randomly.
The college was closed until Friday, September 15, when teachers and support staff returned. Students were given access to the campus again on Monday, September 18, and classes resumed the following day.
Other schools in Canada, including the four universities in Montreal, provided grief counseling for their students. Some had also put up special messages regarding this incident.
Notable alumni
- Jon LajoieJon LajoieJonathan "Jon" Lajoie is a Canadian comedian, actor, rapper, singer, musician and Internet celebrity from Montreal, Quebec.- Background :...
– ComedianComedianA comedian or comic is a person who seeks to entertain an audience, primarily by making them laugh. This might be through jokes or amusing situations, or acting a fool, as in slapstick, or employing prop comedy... - Steven PinkerSteven PinkerSteven Arthur Pinker is a Canadian-American experimental psychologist, cognitive scientist, linguist and popular science author...
– PsychologistPsychologistPsychologist is a professional or academic title used by individuals who are either:* Clinical professionals who work with patients in a variety of therapeutic contexts .* Scientists conducting psychological research or teaching psychology in a college... - Rachelle LefevreRachelle LefèvreRachelle Lefevre is a Canadian actress. She has starred in the television series Big Wolf on Campus and had recurring roles in What About Brian, Boston Legal, and Swingtown. She played the vampire Victoria in the first two films of the Twilight saga, before being replaced by Bryce Dallas Howard...
– Actress in such movies as TwilightTwilight (2008 film)Twilight is a 2008 American romantic vampire film based on Stephenie Meyer's popular novel of the same name. Directed by Catherine Hardwicke, the film stars Kristen Stewart and Robert Pattinson. It is the first film in The Twilight Saga film series... - Eddy DorozowskyEddy DorozowskyEddy Dorozowsky is a Canadian professional wrestler and former promoter, best known by his ring name SeXXXy Eddy. He has competed several in North American independent promotions including Chikara, Combat Zone Wrestling, IWA Mid-South, Jersey All Pro Wrestling, Northern Championship Wrestling, Pro...
– Professional Wrestler - Luc LafortuneLuc LafortuneLuc Lafortune is an award-winning lighting designer for the entertainment industry as well as one of the original designers of the world-renowned Cirque du Soleil...
– Lighting DesignerLighting designerThe role of the lighting designer within theatre is to work with the director, choreographer, set designer, costume designer, and sound designer to create an overall 'look' for the show in response to the text, while keeping in mind issues of visibility, safety and cost... - Joel AnthonyJoel AnthonyJoel Vincent Anthony is a Canadian professional basketball player in the NBA who is currently a member of the Miami Heat. He is also a key member of the Canadian national men's basketball team.-High school career:...
- Center for the NBANational Basketball AssociationThe National Basketball Association is the pre-eminent men's professional basketball league in North America. It consists of thirty franchised member clubs, of which twenty-nine are located in the United States and one in Canada...
's Miami HeatMiami HeatThe Miami Heat is a professional basketball team based in Miami, Florida, United States. The team is a member of the Southeast Division in the Eastern Conference of the National Basketball Association . They play their home games at American Airlines Arena in Downtown Miami... - Marie-Philip PoulinMarie-Philip PoulinMarie-Philip Poulin is a Canadian ice hockey forward, now playing for the Boston University Terriers. Poulin was a member of the Canada women's national ice hockey team that won the gold medal at the 2010 Olympic Winter Games in Vancouver, and had previously played for the Dawson College Blues...
- Canadian Olympic Medalist - Kaniehtiio HornKaniehtiio HornKaniehtiio Horn is a Mohawk actress. She was nominated for a Gemini Award for her role in the television film Moccasin Flats: Redemption...
, film and television actress - Nadia GiosiaNadia GiosiaNadia "Nadia G." Giosia is a Canadian chef and comedian who transitioned her web cooking series into a TV cooking show. She now hosts Cooking Channel's and Food Network Canada's, Bitchin' Kitchen....
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and Food Network (Canada). - Jeff FuchsJeff FuchsJeff Fuchs is a noted explorer, mountaineer and writer. He gained prominence with his successful bid to become the first westerner to trek the entire Yunnan-Tibet Ancient Tea Horse Road, stretching almost six thousand kilometers through the Himalayas and a dozen cultures, documented in the book The...
, Explorer and author - Shira LazarShira LazarShira Lazar is a Canadian television personality, actress, writer and video blogger who currently resides and works in Los Angeles....
, internet talk show host - Harley MorensteinHarley MorensteinHarley Morenstein is a former substitute high school teacher known for creating internet YouTube show Epic Meal Time with friend Sterling Toth....
, host of the popular YouTubeYouTubeYouTube is a video-sharing website, created by three former PayPal employees in February 2005, on which users can upload, view and share videos....
series Epic Meal TimeEpic Meal TimeEpic Meal Time is a YouTube cooking show known for creating extremely high-calorie meals, generally out of meat products and including alcohol . It debuted in October 2010, and since then has started to release an episode every Tuesday. It is hosted by Harley Morenstein and a group of his friends...
See also
- List of colleges in Quebec
- Higher education in QuebecHigher education in QuebecHigher education in Quebec differs from the education system of other provinces in Canada. Instead of entering university or college directly from high school, students in Quebec leave secondary school after Grade 11 , and enter post-secondary studies at the collegiate level, either in CEGEPs...
- Atwater StationAtwater (Montreal Metro)Atwater is a station on the Green Line of the Metro rapid transit system operated by the Société de transport de Montréal . It is located on the border between the city of Westmount and the borough of Ville-Marie in Montreal, Quebec, Canada....
,
nearest metro stationMontreal MetroThe Montreal Metro is a rubber-tired metro system, and the main form of public transportation underground in the city of Montreal, Quebec, Canada....
English-language CEGEP
Cégep
CEGEP is an acronym for , which is literally translated as "College of General and Vocational Education" but commonly called "General and Vocational College" in circles not influenced by Quebec English. It refers to the public post-secondary education collegiate institutions exclusive to the...
s:
- ChamplainChamplain Regional CollegeChamplain Regional College was founded in 1971 and named in honour of Samuel de Champlain, the first governor of New France. The College offers post-secondary pre-university , technical and training programs to communities in three distinct regions of Quebec.-History:The college was named after...
- HeritageHeritage College (Gatineau)Heritage College is a CEGEP located in the City of Gatineau. It is the only English-language college in western Quebec.-History:What began as an offshoot of the much larger Collège de l'Outaouais, with an initial enrollment of 7 students, evolved into an official campus and eventually a college...
- John Abbott CollegeJohn Abbott CollegeJohn Abbott College is an English-language general and professional educational college located in Sainte-Anne-de-Bellevue, Quebec, Canada, near the western tip of the Island of Montreal. The enabling legislation is the General and Vocational Colleges Act -History:The college was accredited in...
- Marianopolis CollegeMarianopolis CollegeMarianopolis College is a private, subsidized CEGEP in Montreal nestled against the side of Mount Royal in Westmount, Quebec, Canada. It is one of the smallest anglophone colleges, with a student body of fewer than 2,000...
- Vanier CollegeVanier CollegeVanier College is an English-language public college located in the Montreal borough of Saint-Laurent, Quebec, Canada. It was founded in 1970 as the second English-language public college of Quebec's public college system...