| 
Your Gift In Action
Evelyn Koski and family
Forty years ago, the government of Ontario unveiled an exciting new system of education aimed at providing a practical, hands-on education and training model to feed regional labour markets and strengthen the backbone of Ontario's economy.
Charged with carrying out this new mandate in Sudbury, Sault Ste. Marie, and North Bay was Dr. John T. Koski.
Dr. Koski began teaching at Ryerson Institute of Technology in Toronto in 1954, and in 1958, he was appointed head of the Electrical Technology department. In 1962, Bill Davis, then Ontario Minister of Education, asked Dr. Koski to establish a "Ryerson for Northern Ontario" to be located in Kirkland Lake. Within seven months, Dr. Koski had this new Northern Ontario institute up and running. With the establishment of the Ontario college system in 1967, it became Northern College.
In 1967, Dr. Koski was appointed founding President of Cambrian College and was charged with establishing three Cambrian campuses - Sudbury, North Bay, and Sault Ste. Marie. Under his leadership, the three campuses grew rapidly and within five years, each became an independent college. Sault campus became Sault College, the North Bay campus became Canadore College, and Sudbury retained the name Cambrian, serving the Districts of Sudbury and Manitoulin.
Dr. Koski then focused solely on the development of Cambrian College in Sudbury. With his characteristic energy, initiative, and complete dedication to students, he developed Cambrian into a major postsecondary institution.
The Dr. John T. Koski Entrance Scholarship was first awarded in 2005 at the annual awards night, which took place on November 22 in the new Student Centre. Established by Mrs. Evelyn Koski and the Koski family, the award recognizes Dr. Koski's foundation-building efforts that are very much in evidence on the Cambrian College campus of today, but also the rich and dignified legacy he has left for education in the North.
The award is especially significant for this year's recipient - Cindy Bertolo - a first-year student enrolled in the Social Service Worker program. A mature student who has returned to the halls of academia, Cindy made the leap back into the classroom with hopes that her "life experience will give [her] the insight to succeed." More so, the return to school has given Cindy the opportunity to "appreciate and focus on education and a promising career helping others."
There is little doubt that it is students such as Cindy who Dr. Koski envisioned filling the classrooms of Cambrian College, pursuing their dreams, and continuing the great tradition of excellence that he helped to create.
Cambrian Foundation • 1400 Barrydowne Road • Sudbury, Ontario P3A 3V8
phone: 705.673.2900 • fax: 705.671.1417 • e-mail: foundation@cambriancollege.ca