Another 1,000 graduates crossed the stage on the fifth day of Niagara College’s Spring 2024 Convocation ceremonies. The June 14 ceremonies celebrated grads from the schools of Nursing and Personal Support Worker, Business and Management, Academic and Liberal Studies, and English Language Studies.
Among the graduates from the morning ceremony were more than 100 from the Practical Nursing program and over 80 from the Personal Support Worker program, who will go on to fill critical and much-needed healthcare roles in Niagara and beyond.
Amelia Godwin, Practical Nursing graduate and Dean’s Award winner for the School of Nursing and Personal Support Worker, has already started her career in health care in Niagara. Godwin, who achieved the highest GPA within her academic school, was recently hired by Niagara Health as an emergency room nurse in St. Catharines. Her story is one of struggle, triumph, and resilience.
Godwin left high school in her teens and didn’t earn her high school diploma until she was in her 20s. Today, as a mother of two daughters, a neurodivergent woman of colour, and a domestic abuse survivor, she is proud of her accomplishments.
“This graduation symbolizes my independence, sacrifice, and resiliency,” said Godwin. “For my children, this symbolizes a roof over their heads, food in their stomachs, and access to opportunities that I lacked growing up. This ceremony – for myself and for all who see it – represents that struggle does have an end, and that end is something to be fought for and celebrated.”
School of Nursing and Personal Support Worker Dean’s Academic Award winner Amelia Godwin (right) and Sinéad McElhone, Dean, Health Sciences.
During his address, NC President Sean Kennedy echoed the sentiment to reflect on and celebrate well-earned accomplishments.
“Life can be tough, and full of ups and downs. Being kind to ourselves and one another fills our cup and fuels our spirit, our energy, our determination,” said Kennedy. “Work hard and persevere through good days and bad ones, and – like we’re doing today through convocation, remember to take the time to reflect on your accomplishments and to thank and acknowledge those who helped you achieve them.”
Godwin is grateful to her network of supporters, including her grandmother, classmates and instructors for inspiring her to push through. “To me, this award boasts of the community I have made which, in turn, has made me. This award is for the people who supported me and at times carried me through the past two years,” she said.
With a bright future ahead, Godwin aspires to be an emergency medicine physician and has already started preparing to take the Medical College Admission Test (MCAT) to fulfill her dream.
This September, NC will welcome its first cohort of students in the Honours Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BScN) degree program. The new program will expand options for students in nursing education and help meet the demand for more registered nurses.
Two additional outstanding students were also recognized on June 14.
During the morning ceremony, Office Administration-Health Services program graduate Sarah Petrenko was presented with the Dean’s Award for the School of Business and Management. Petrenko returned to school after earning a Bachelor of Arts degree from Brock University and a diploma from the Ontario College of Health & Technology. Enrolling at NC was a way for Petrenko to combine her dream of working in health care with her talent for technology and administration. After completing her placement at Niagara Health, she was recently hired on by the hospital as a switchboard operator.
School of Business and Management Dean’s Academic Award winner Sarah Petrenko (right) and Evan DiValentino, Dean, School of Business and Environment.
In the afternoon, Joel Pruden, a General Arts and Science program graduate received the Dean’s Award for the School of Academic and Liberal Studies. Pruden, a father of three, completed his studies while working full-time and serving part-time with the Canadian Forces. He returned to the classroom to open up his options for career advancement and chose NC because of the flexibility it provided for him to complete his studies remotely.
Also among Friday’s graduates was Peyton Moroziuk, who unearthed a hidden love for horticulture while enrolled in the Community Integration Through Co-operative Education (CICE) program. Moroziuk will begin the Horticultural Technician program part-time in the fall. In the meantime, she is working at the flower shop where she completed a co-op placement during her program.
Dipal Patel, NC Student Administrative Council (NCSAC) President, offered congratulations on behalf of the College’s student government and encouraged the new graduates to savour their special day.
“Today is the day to celebrate what has brought you to your moment. This is a moment that some never experience and that some are lucky enough to experience more than once. Graduates, this moment is for you!” said Patel, who is a double NC graduate from the Exercise Science for Health and Performance (2022) and Autism and Behavioral Science (2023) programs.
NC’s Spring Convocation concludes on June 15 with two final ceremonies at 10 a.m. and 3 p.m., celebrating additional graduates from the School of Nursing and Personal Support Worker.
The ceremonies will be livestreamed from the Simplii Financial Athletic Centre at the Welland Campus via NC’s Convocation website. Ceremony livestreams from all six days, June 10-15, will remain on the website for later viewing.
