St. Clair College – Cheers to Hope brings community together to support health research and innovation, showcase projects

The core community partners in the project, including Hiatus House, the Sexual Assault Crisis Centre, and Legal Assistance of Windsor, along with more than 18 other organizations, have since secured nearly $2.5 million in funding for the Hub Without Walls (HWoW) initiative to further address gender-based violence.

“On a personal note, it has been incredible to see several of our former St. Clair College graduates, including one who worked on this very project, now hired within the HWoW network and contributing to this work every day,” said Dr. Peirone. “For me, that’s the full circle: students working with and learning from the community, contributing to research, and then stepping into the field to help lead the work forward.”

The WE-SPARK Grants Program provides seed funding for local researchers to launch new projects and foster collaboration among clinicians, educators, and scientists. Since its launch in 2020, the program has awarded 137 grants totaling nearly $2.5 million, supporting innovative research in other areas such as cancer, brain health, chronic disease management, rehabilitation, and health equity.

“WE-SPARK Health Institute is dedicated to advancing healthcare research and innovation in our region and beyond,” said Monica Staley Liang, St. Clair College Senior Vice-President of Academic and Career Supports. “A research idea is just a concept until someone puts faith and financial support behind the work.

When that happens, these ideas can transform into solutions to real problems facing society, which in many cases can foster lasting and meaningful change.”

WE-SPARK Health Institute extends heartfelt thanks to all attendees, sponsors, partners, and volunteers who helped make the evening a success, and to the Windsor-Essex community for their continued support of local health research and innovation.

“Cheers to Hope is more than a celebration. It is a powerful reminder of the transformative potential of research when rooted in community,” said Dr. Karamjeet K. Dhillon, the Director of Research and Innovation at St. Clair College, noting the department is working closely with stakeholders across the College to document its collective worth and the tangible impact the College creates. “When collaboration is synergetic, doors open, and efficiencies emerge that allow meaningful work to be completed with purpose and speed.”

“Cheers to Hope reflects the power of grassroots research embedded in community relationships,” Dr. Dhillon said. “At St. Clair College, we are working collaboratively to demonstrate how locally engaged scholarship, aligned with community needs, creates pathways for trust, shared purpose and measurable impact.”