Congrats to colleagues who completed Sustainable Happiness
Another group of colleagues has completed the Sustainable Happiness non-credit course. Congratulations to Antoine Bergeron, Marilou Berlow, Eva Helms, Raisa Palencia, Carmen Saileanu and Kayla Smith!
Participants in the certificate are introduced to the concept of sustainable happiness and explore its implications, both personally and professionally. Topics covered include sustainability, connecting with Nature, positive psychology, well-being, happiness, and healthy/sustainable lifestyles. The course is offered regularly and is free to employees. The College gives work time to take it. To complete the certificate, participants have to create and complete a final project related to sustainable happiness and submit a reflection on it.
Antoine chose to join the cooking team of the Early Bird Breakfasts. He said the project helps get the day off to a good start for students and employees. “Through this project, I learned more about how a small collective kitchen works. I’m also someone who loves to cook (especially for others), and this project confirmed that,” he said. “This project has made me quite happy… I feel I can make a difference that goes beyond my regular duties.”
Carmen chose to create a zero-waste kitchen in the Finance department. “My project was not the most glamorous,” she said. “It was just a decision to replace all kitchenette related supplies with reusable items, such as glasses and ceramic plates and bowls and take advantage of Sustainability’s eco-friendly dish-washing service.
“One of the most exciting things about our workshop was the community-building. People were engaging with people they had never met before or may not have the opportunity to work with. It all began with a simple conversation about which essential oils one preferred or if they had a pet. These experiences and the professional networks built are a positive contribution in the workplace.”
Eva loves bringing people together and this project enabled her and the team to do that. “It reminds us that our environment (work, home, earth) is not about just me, it’s about us. We are not alone because we are all in this together.”
Eva says that we are all part of the Dawson community and all can contribute to strengthening it: “Meeting colleagues is a catalyst for maintaining open lines of communication between departments/sectors and within….Do not hesitate to ask your manager for their approval to do this workshop. Both introverts and extroverts can thrive in Sustainable Happiness.
Sustainable Happiness as an amazing opportunity for Dawson employees, Eva said. “Since the world reopened after the pandemic, many of us have gone through a period of readjustment to both social and work environments,” she said. “For some, that has meant navigating feelings of social awkwardness or becoming easily overwhelmed. Meeting in a small group like this was genuinely therapeutic for me. We created a space where everyone was respectful and truly listened. Never underestimate the power of being heard—it fosters validation, which in turn leads to genuine connection. Now, more than ever, we need that connection. We need community.”
