Charitable Programs

Columbia College, established in 1936, is an independent not-for-profit institution dedicated to empowering students to find their voice and use it confidently to shape their future. As a registered charity, all revenues and resources are reinvested into education. The College has a rich history of supporting students from diverse backgrounds through unique initiatives aimed at fostering their success.

In 2018, the College community decided to enhance activities aligned with its charitable status. Three Centers were established to further this mission, enabling reinvestment of resources, donations, and proceeds from partnerships to support the success of students from all backgrounds.

International Centre For Student Success (Icss)

The ICSS provides a comprehensive wrap-around supports designed to assist students from diverse backgrounds in accessing, continuing, or restarting their academic journey. Programs and services provided by the ICSS include:

Counselling
Tutoring
Academic advising
Immigration advising
Career support
Annual events like the LIMITLESS Conference, which aims to foster and showcase leadership skills among international students

These initiatives are tailored to support the holistic success of students at Columbia College.

Essential Technology And Workplace Skills Program

The Essential Technology and Workplace Skills Program at Columbia College aims to enhance learners' digital literacy and workplace readiness through accessible and current training modules. The program includes:

Fundamental training in Microsoft Word, Excel, and PowerPoint
Typing Essentials Program

We also offer the LinkedIn Learning Circle program which gives students free access to the LinkedIn Learning platform. It features modules covering Business, Technology, Creativity, and Leadership, providing valuable skill development opportunities. These programs are designed to prepare students for success in both academic and professional settings at Columbia College.

Community Connections Program

CentRe FOR EQUITABLE ACCESS TO TRANSFORMATIVE EDUCATION (CREATE)

Equity in education at Columbia College involves understanding and addressing the unique challenges faced by individual students, ensuring access to transformative education across diverse populations through tailored systems and supports. Since 2016, the College has demonstrated commitment and leadership in expanding equitable opportunities for education access.

The CentRe provides the following funding and programs to support youth facing barriers to higher education:

Global Scholars Program: Student Refugee Program
- Internal Claimant Bursary
- Resettlement Bursary
Global Scholars Program: World University Services of Canada
- WUSC Local Committee
Equitable Access to Education
- Canadian Mobility Exchange
- Scholarships and Bursaries
Student Emergency Support and Technology Access Program
Transit Subsidy: ACCESS Card

These initiatives aim to promote equity by providing financial assistance, support services, and resources to ensure all students have equal opportunities to pursue their educational goals at Columbia College.

Collaborative Education Lab (Co-Lab)

The Co-LAB offers space, resources, and support for multi-disciplinary projects that aim to: a) innovate student-centered learning approaches, and b) empower students, instructors, and alumni to lead initiatives addressing social, economic, and environmental challenges.

Co-LAB Project Categories:

1. Open Educational Resources Fund
2. Innovations in Learning
3. Faculty-Student Research Projects
4. Community Development Accelerator