Joe McWilliams
For Spotlight
June 3 was a big day for Northern Lakes College. Convocation is always a big day, but this year bigger than most, because of the record number of graduands from various college programs.
The number was 893 from NLC programs, with another 492 in a category called ‘continuing education.’
Most of those did not attend the June 3 ceremony in Slave Lake. But a couple hundred did, and with friends and family in attendance, it made for a packed house and a festive atmosphere.
Keynote speaker Tyler Warman, in an entertaining address to the graduands, urged them to ‘push their boundaries,’ to discover new possibilities in life. He gave examples from his own life, such as going into the egg-marketing business at the age of seven, or jumping out of an airplane as an adult.
Warman’s message echoed some of elder David Matilpi’s opening remarks, when he advised the grads, “Dreams happen when you make them happen.” This followed a story about taking adult upgrading at the age of 42.
The valedictory address was delivered by Lindsey Goodswimmer, a student at the Valleyview campus of NLC
“You can achieve anything if you want it bad enough,” she said.
Several scholarships and awards were announced. Academic Upgrading students Bailey Lamarche, Quentin L’Hirondelle and Ashleigh Laderoute won the Board of Governors Scholarship, the Board of Governors Leadership Award, and the Doreen Bellerose Memorial Award, respectively.
Jacklyn Deley won the Governor General’s Collegiate Bronze Medal for having the highest academic standing in a diploma program (Social Work). Deley also won the Louise McKinney Scholarship.
The Mabel Grey Award went to Academic Upgrading student Donny Yellowknee, for academic achievement and contribution to a positive learning environment at the Atikameg campus.
The Student Convocation Award went to Deanna Nanooch (Academic Upgrading).
