Police Foundations students place second at FIT Challenge
April 11, 2023
Georgian is celebrating four first- and second-year Police Foundations students who came in second place in the recent Peel Regional Police-hosted FIT Challenge. The two teams of two competed against students at eight other Ontario colleges with similar policing programs.
Out of the four years Georgian has taken part in the challenge, the college has received top spot twice and placed second the other two times. Students have also won previously in the top male and top female categories of the competition.
Recruiters were so impressed with team members Easton Farrow, Curtis Henderson, Sheridan Keen and Sierra Pangowish, that they’re pre-interviewing them for available positions when they graduate from the program.
But before they start their promising policing careers, they’ll be using the advanced standing option for diploma grads to complete the Honours Bachelor of Police Studies degree at Georgian. Mike Winacott, a professor in both the Police Foundations diploma and Honours Bachelor of Police Studies degree, says students don’t just test their physical limits through the challenge, they learn about teamwork and leadership.
Students participating in the FIT Challenge gain a sense of pride and camaraderie that is representative of policing, and it allows them to connect with police officers and recruiters throughout the region before they graduate.
We spoke with some of the students to see how the experience has enriched their learning and inspired them to continue their studies.
Easton Farrow chose to study at Georgian because of the college’s esteemed reputation in policing programs (both the diploma and degree). He wanted to take on the FIT Challenge for two reasons: 1. To challenge himself and test his physical limits, and 2. To network with Peel Regional Police recruiters.
By taking part in the fitness challenge, I learned more about the physical demands involved in the policing profession. I found that I’m more than prepared to meet the challenge and can – and already do – perform at the same level as other Ontario college students in similar programs.
He says he’s confident he made the right choice in studying at Georgian and knows the curriculum is setting him up for success – Easton recently accepted his offer to continue his studies in the Honours Bachelor of Police Studies degree program.
Sheridan Keen’s athleticism paved the way to the Ottawa resident becoming a Georgian Grizzly in the Police Foundations program.
“I played high-level basketball and wanted to play at the postsecondary level,” she says. “I wanted to move away from home for college, and Georgian’s women’s basketball coach reached out to me and suggested I apply for a bursary, which I received! That made my decision to study at Georgian’s Orillia Campus a pretty easy one.”
While working out in the Orillia Campus gym, her professor asked her to participate in the fitness challenge and said it would be a great way to test her skills and network with police recruiters.
“I also wanted to see how competitive the field was and what policing students at other colleges were learning and doing,” adds Sheridan. “Taking part in the challenge confirmed I have the physical ability to become a police officer with the education I’m currently receiving.”
Sheridan says that she got an email from a recruitment officer asking for her resumé and offering to mentor her just a couple hours after participating in the challenge.
“I definitely recommend students enrol in the Police Foundations program first like I did,” she says. “I’m going to continue on with the degree program – they’re complementary programs and I’ll come out of postsecondary with both a diploma and a degree!”
Sierra Pangowish also heard about the policing diploma through its strong reputation. And just like her classmates, she plans to continue on in the degree program through the advanced standing option.
Taking part in the challenge allowed me to test my own physical fitness in relation to students taking similar programs. I know I’m on the right path – the Police Foundations program is helping me meet – and be better than – the bare minimum requirements, and the degree program will help build on my communication and analytical skills.
Have a diploma? Complete the policing degree sooner!
Georgian students who complete the Police Foundations diploma can transfer their courses into the Honours Bachelor of Police Studies degree at Georgian and complete the program in two years instead of four with the advanced standing option.
GC Flex option: choice and flexibility
Starting September 2023 with Year 3 of the Honours Bachelor of Police Studies degree, Georgian is offering a GC Flex delivery option to give students more choice and flexibility. Using technology-enabled, purpose-designed learning spaces, professors deliver lectures and labs in the classroom and simultaneously online. The benefits:
- learn how you want, when you want and where you want (you don’t have to re-locate!)
- attend on campus, online at the same time (synchronous), or later at your own convenience (asynchronous)
See policing students in action
Published Tuesday, April 11, 2023