Students jump at chance of planning Cambrian's future

“That day we launched, we doubled our engagement from 1,000 to 2,000, and a lot of it was student-generated,” said Cambrian College president Bill Best.

“I guess you could say we were living where they lived, inside of social media. I'm very, very pleased it turned out so positively.”

Cambrian students have already given such advice as moving art and design programs to the downtown core, ensuring quality education in the comfort of your own home and the creation of a sustainable farming program.

Beyond the current post-secondary cohort, however, Cambrian has also consulted with the college kids of the future — today's Grade 7 and 8 students.

By going into classrooms to speak to these students, college officials have learned they want to change the world. Current Cambrian students, on the other hand, are much more interested in improving their current situation.

“It was very much interesting to see someone of that age and find out what their influences are,” Best said.

He said the next step will be reaching out to some of the people who have provided their input so far, and asking them if they'd be willing to do a “deeper dive,” and participate in consultation sessions this winter.

The information will then be compiled, and the strategic plan is expected to be released next September.

For more information about providing input on Cambrian's future, visit www.futurecambrian.ca.