In January, Durham College’s annual Social Justice Week spotlighted pressing social issues, engaging students and faculty in meaningful dialogue.
Behind the scenes, the event’s success is largely attributed to the work of one of its organizers, Jason Vassell, a professor from the School of Justice and Emergency Services.
With a rich background in law enforcement, including roles with the RCMP and youth corrections, Vassell’s transition to academia was driven by a desire for diverse professional experiences.
His connection to DC, being an alumnus, naturally made it his top choice for a teaching career. “Having been a Durham College alum, I wanted to apply here first,” Vassell said.
When he applied, Bonnie St. George, one of his former professors who had taught him in the Police Foundations program, was an associate dean and played a key role in bringing him on board as a part-time staff member.
He later transitioned from part-time to full-time staff and credits his work experience with enhancing his teaching.
“I’m able to talk about the perspective of working policing, working youth corrections, working lost prevention and translating [it] into the classroom,” he said.
Beyond the classroom, he has been actively involved in initiatives like the Black Student Success Network (BSSN). The BSSN has been out of commission for the last two years, but Vassell says the project might be resurrected by the college’s diversity office.
He expressed his intention to serve as a resource should the initiative be revived.
Vassell also made significant strides in experiential learning by leading the emergency simulation program committee in collaboration with Ontario Tech University. This program acts as a realistic, high-pressure situation for students in multiple programs to gain experience.
His leadership extended to coordinating the college’s Social Justice Week for five years, a role he is passing on to another professor so he can better manage his time.
He’s also part of the Justice Games committee, a project he started in his second year teaching at DC. Students from different Faculty of Social & Community Services programs compete in sports activities to test “strength, speed, and teamwork.”
“These initiatives have had a good reception from people,” Vassell said. “For the Justice Games, it’s a great event to have the students engaged in and have some fun and show some program pride.”
Vassell’s contributions to the DC community were recognized with the Faculty of the Year award in 2023.
“It was a good acknowledgment for some of the work that I … do over and above the classroom,” Vassell said. “It obviously takes a lot of your time, energy, [and] resources, but it was good to have that acknowledged.”
He credits his award win to the support he received from Stephanie Ball, a colleague at DC.
“She would acknowledge my efforts with these initiatives all the time; she’s the one who put forth my nomination,” Vassell said.