News Release Archive
EDUCATION/CULTURE--NEW NAME FOR CAMPUS IN SYDNEY ----------------------------------------------------------------- The new comprehensive campus of the Nova Scotia Community College in Sydney has been named Marconi Campus in recognition of the pioneering work in wireless technology conducted by Guglielmo Marconi in Glace Bay and surrounding areas in the early 1900's. Jack Buckley, president and chief executive officer of the college, said Marconi Campus combines the operation of the Sydney Campus on Prince Street, scheduled to close in July, and the Adult Vocational Training Campus-Cape Breton at the AVTC site on the Glace Bay Highway. It will serve the training needs of students and employers in industrial Cape Breton. "Marconi Campus represents the commitment of the community college to offer quality and accessible in business, applied arts and communications, industrial trades and technologies, health and human services and other areas as well as customized training programs," Mr. Buckley said. He said the college was particularly pleased that the Marconi Towers Foundation has fully endorsed the request to use the Marconi name for the campus. "The name reflects the college's mission to provide high level training and to utilize the latest technology in delivering full-time, part-time, extension and customized training programs and courses." David Parkes, president of the Marconi Towers Foundation, said "given that Marconi's success was based on a solid foundation in education, along with his long association with Cape Breton, I believe he would be proud to have his name associated with this new institution." In 1996-97 Marconi Campus will offer 20 full-time programs, a number of evening/part-time programs and courses and will continue to expand its activities in providing specialized training for business, industry and community organizations in the area, principal Mike Kelly said. A ceremony to launch the new name of the campus will be held in September. It was in 1900 that Guglielmo Marconi, a native of Bolonga, Italy, received a patent covering "tuned" telegraphy, enabling messages to be sent on a specific wavelength. He began his experiments with trans-Atlantic transmission. After initial experiments in Newfoundland, he arrived in Cape Breton to inspect locations for transmission sites. In December, 1902, the Glace Bay site sent the first unbroken transmissions to a receiver in Cornwall, England. -30- Contact: Mike Kelly 902-563-2450 trp May 16, 1996 - 11:58 a.m.