Portage College

This article needs additional citations for verification. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. Find sources: "Portage College" – news · newspapers · books · scholar · JSTOR (April 2019) (Learn how and when to remove this message)

Portage College

Former names	Alberta Vocational College Pe-Te-Pun (New Dawn)
Motto	Building success by delivering exceptional learning experiences. [citation needed]
Type	public community college
Established	1968
Chairman	Randolph Benson
President	Nancy Broadbent
Undergraduates	available – 1st & 2nd year university transfer
Location	Lac La Biche , Alberta , Canada 54°45′58″N 111°58′07″W / 54.76599°N 111.96862°W / 54.76599; -111.96862
Campus	urban suburban rural remote
Colours	Teal and Purple
Affiliations	CICan, CCAA, AACTI
Mascot	Eddy Rocks the Voyageur
Website	www.portagecollege.ca

Portage College is a public board-governed community college in Lac La Biche, Alberta, Canada. Portage has seven campus locations throughout northeastern Alberta.

In 1968, Alberta NewStart was established in Lac La Biche as part of the federal government's initiative to research basic adult education. NewStart offered instruction in areas as diverse as academic upgrading, trapping, wild fur management, and oilfield management. However, after several months the government decided to close the facility and cease the research. A group of Aboriginal students faced with the pending closure of their school decided to challenge the government by staging a sit-in. The group was successful, and the government awarded a grant to continue the NewStart program. The school took on a new name “Pe-Ta-Pun” meaning “New Dawn.”

In 1973, the Alberta government took over the program, reopening it as the province's fifth Alberta Vocational Centre. From 1973 to 1980 programs and services expanded to include community-based programs. In 1980, the Minister of Advanced Education announced plans to replace the vocational centre's temporary facilities with a new campus, which was opened in 1985. A board of governors was established for the college in 1998 and the following year the Minister of Advanced Education and Career Development approved a change of name to “Portage College.”

The main campus is located in Lac La Biche, Alberta and regional service centres are located in Cold Lake and St. Paul. Additional campuses are found in Goodfish Lake, Frog Lake, Saddle Lake, and Boyle.^[1]

Portage College offers over 30 certificate and diploma programs, career programs, trades and technical, academic upgrading, business, university studies, human services, health and wellness and native arts and culture. Continuing education is offered in the fields of business, university studies, human services, health and wellness, native arts and culture, trades and technical careers.^{[citation needed]}

The museum is housed at the Portage College Corporate Centre and contains nearly 2000 Indigenous artworks and artifacts. The exhibits provide an in-depth look at North American Aboriginal Art from First Nations, Métis and Inuit cultures.^[2] Since 2018 the museum houses a permanent collection of the Professional Native Indian Artists Inc. (Daphne Odjig, Alex Janvier, Joseph Sánchez, Norval Morrisseau, Eddy Cobiness, Carl Ray and Jackson Beardy).^[3][4]

Portage College is home to seven collegiate teams including men's and women's soccer, men's and women's futsal, men's hockey, golf and curling. The teams compete in the Alberta Colleges Athletic Conference, consisting of teams throughout Alberta and Saskatchewan.

Voyageur curling, soccer, futsal and hockey games/practices are held at the Bold Center in Lac La Biche, a 233,000 square foot facility.

Voyageur Golf is played at the Lac La Biche Golf & Country Club.

The College Team logo depicts the traditional voyageur that used to travel on the lakes and rivers of northeastern Alberta. Team colors are red and navy blue.

The following have been given honorary degrees from Portage College for their work in the community and their continued promotion of the college.

• List of universities and colleges in Alberta
• Education in Alberta

All facts, unless otherwise stated, are from Portage College's web site:

• Portage College website

• Portage College website

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Portage College.