海角社区官网

But the students say their actual experience fell far short. And once the 海角社区官网school revealed it was shuttering, pledges of support to help them move on and refunds never fully materialized. The students describe feeling misled, jaded and now, financially strained聽鈥� with many having paid more than $40,000 in tuition and expenses.

鈥淲e trusted the school and whatever information they gave us before we came here, but we did not get the education we expected or paid for,鈥� says Isa Romero, a 27-year-old graphic designer from the Philippines who had hoped to build her portfolio and become an art director.

, who with聽聽co-founded the 海角社区官网school, told the Star that “broader industry conditions and prior changes at the global brand” prompted them to wind down the college.聽

“It is not our intention for anyone to be negatively affected. We remain committed to resolving the outstanding items transparently and respectfully so everyone can move forward,” she said, adding that the school is continuing to work with the ministry of colleges and universities to “finalize the remaining funds and close this in an ethical, compliant way.”聽

The Miami Ad School was founded in Florida in 1993 by husband-and-wife team . This past May, it was named marketing/advertising festival. Its including Madrid and Sao Paulo but .

The offering a flexible quarter system of one-to-two-year programs in art direction, copy writing and creative strategy. Since then, 80 students have graduated with diplomas and more than 100 professionals have taken part in boot camps.聽

The contract the students signed describes the 海角社区官网school as a 鈥渉osting franchise,鈥� but it also notes that 鈥渨hether it鈥檚 Berlin, New York, 海角社区官网鈥�(listing all locations)聽鈥� it鈥檚 always Miami Ad School.鈥�

The Star contacted Miami Ad School鈥檚 headquarters, which did not respond, as well as Atlanta-based development officer聽Carolann Robinson聽鈥� previously the only person to reply to students鈥� emails to head office. At the time, she told students she had no insight into the situation but offered to help them transfer to other campuses. Responding to the Star, Robinson said she had “zero ties to the 海角社区官网campus,” though she noted that she had assisted one affected student in enrolling in the school鈥檚 online program.

Given the political climate in the U.S. and restrictions on international students, the 海角社区官网students told the Star that transferring to an American campus was not feasible. They also emphasized that online classes couldn鈥檛 replace hands-on internships, which they consider the most valuable part of the diploma program and a key reason for choosing the college.

Alumni, in chatting with potential students, had praised the internships and mentoring opportunities.

鈥淚t seemed like a really creative, alternative school,鈥� says Elio Manjarres, 21, a student from Colombia.

鈥淚t seemed to get what being creative was, and it was a globally recognized and awarded college. So, I fully believed it.鈥�

But from the get-go, things seemed off.

The campus moves west

Expecting classes to be at the original location in the聽 on Queen Street West聽鈥� and having found housing nearby聽鈥斅爉ost of this group of nine arrived in 2024 to discover campus had moved west, to a couple of rooms in a co-working space in Liberty Village.聽

Communication was poor and proper onboarding was lacking, they allege. International students say they were either not informed they had to arrange for private health insurance or not properly signed up, so when two later became sick, they had to pay hundreds out of pocket.

Dhaliwal acknowledged that while the relocation was inconvenient for some, the school “tried to mitigate it through flexible scheduling.” She also said the school was required to ensure international students had private health insurance before starting classes and she outlined the school’s normal process for this service but聽didn’t specifically address the students’ allegations that they weren’t properly informed.

Come January, there were no new students, a course had been cancelled and instructors were openly voicing frustrations over management.

Instructors, who were given a course stipend of $2,500 per semester, told the Star they were repeatedly ghosted by the owners and often waited months to be paid 鈥� one said they were only compensated after publicly tagging the school on social media.

Rumours that the school was closing began to spread, fueled by intel that an applicant shared with winter-term students.聽Kent MacDonald, a聽graphic designer from B.C., had paid $5,150 in November to secure a seat in the winter term, only to allegedly be told by Dhaliwal in December that the campus was shutting down. When MacDonald saw the school was still operating in January, he contacted enrolled students for information.

鈥淚 was incredibly stressed and looking for answers. No one from the school was responding, and I wanted to understand why I hadn鈥檛 received my refund yet,鈥� said MacDonald, 29, who had already given notice on his apartment in Victoria, paid first and last months’ rent in 海角社区官网and had bought non-refundable flights.

鈥淭his was more than inconvenient. It was traumatic,鈥� said MacDonald, adding that his tuition was eventually reimbursed in late January but only after persistent emails and showing up at the college.

Students demand tuition refund

Alarmed at the news, current students said they tried to contact the owners 鈥� with little success.

Students said it took until February for Dhaliwal to confirm the school would be closing this year聽鈥� the final day of instruction was March 14聽鈥� but she allegedly told them they could continue their studies and the school would try to get them their diplomas. The students said they wanted to remain and secure the much-desired internships.

However, by the end of March, Dhaliwal changed tack, according to students, encouraging them to transfer elsewhere, and despite assurances that the school would contact colleges and help with transferring credits, students say they were left on their own to figure out next steps. Some have chosen to go to local public colleges, but worry about the expense of starting over. With savings drained and the loss of what they thought was going to be a paid internship, Manjarres returned to Colombia.聽

The students initially demanded a refund for the one cancelled course and a couple of cancelled classes. According to correspondence seen by the Star, Dhaliwal agreed to reimburse them if they signed a document indicating they had voluntarily withdrawn and the school was under no further obligation.聽The students refused.

“If any student felt unsupported, that was not our intention as our goal was to create the smoothest possible path in a difficult situation,”聽Dhaliwal told the Star, adding that the form is a standard administrative document.

The students are now demanding a full tuition refund. In written statements, Arjun Hari and Tig Hanna say the college did not uphold its obligations and failed to protect students鈥� rights. They are among seven students who have submitted formal complaints to the ministry.

A ministry statement noted the complaints are under review, adding 鈥渢he government holds a high standard for the quality and integrity of post-secondary education delivered in Ontario.”聽

There are 596 registered career colleges聽in Ontario. A , but following last year鈥檚 federal cap聽鈥� and Ontario鈥檚 decision to award none of its allocated study permits to career colleges聽鈥� that enrolment dropped.

Dhaliwal said study permit changes did not significantly affect Miami Ad School Toronto, or the decision to cease operations. At the time of closure, there were 17 students, three of them international.聽

Instructors, who responded to the Star but didn’t want to be named because they work in the industry, spoke highly of the students and their work, and expressed hope they would be reimbursed.

鈥淚t鈥檚 really a shame. I was really impressed with what the students were doing,鈥� said one, adding that the owners鈥� 鈥渁bility to manage seems to be what fell apart, and they coped by just cutting off communication.”

Jennifer, a 24-year-old student from 海角社区官网who wouldn鈥檛 share her last name, says in the wake of what’s happened, she feels like 鈥渁 fool鈥� and is no longer interested in a career in advertising.

鈥淭he one thing the school taught me is you have to fend for yourself.鈥�