The third day of Niagara College’s 2023 Spring Convocation ceremonies celebrated more than 1,000 students from the schools of Justice and Fitness, Nursing and Personal Support Worker, Technology and Trades as they received their diplomas and took the first steps towards their futures providing care and specialized services for industries that are in high global demand. Graduates from the School of Nursing and Personal Support Worker also received their pins during the ceremony, a symbolic welcoming of newly graduated nurses and PSW’s into the profession, one which has been practiced for generations.
Graduates from the School of Nursing and Personal Support Worker received their pins during Wednesday’s Convocation ceremony.
“This ceremony marks the achievement of a goal, through much hard work and determination,” said Vice-President Academic Fiona Allan as she welcomed graduates to convocation. “May you never forget or underestimate the magnitude of this accomplishment.”
Addressing graduates from the schools of Justice and Fitness and Nursing and Personal Support Worker during the morning ceremony, Niagara College President Sean Kennedy acknowledged the important role these individuals will play in serving our communities.
“We have much to celebrate this morning as we honour graduands from our School of Justice and Fitness and School of Nursing and Personal Support Worker,” said Kennedy. “We recognize that our graduands will have vital roles providing care in their communities and that many of them have already been putting their sought-after skills to work during their studies with us. We take great pride in your critical contributions to your fields.”
During the morning ceremony, Niagara Health President and CEO Lynn Guerriero was presented with an Honorary Diploma in Health Studies in recognition of her leadership and community collaboration in Niagara and within the Ontario healthcare system.
“While this diploma has my name one it, it is truly a reflection of everyone on the team at Niagara Health who play their own role in caring for the people of this fantastic region,” said Guerriero. “As you’ve likely heard, our healthcare system is facing challenging times and a shortage of skilled healthcare workers is the biggest of our challenges.”
“Thankfully, we know that part of the solution is sitting right here in front of me. No matter what program you are graduating from or what your specialty might be in the future, Ontarians need you,” continued Guerriero.
“On behalf of the entire Niagara Health team, I want to say thank you to everyone at Niagara College for this honour.”
At the afternoon ceremony, nearly 600 students from the School of Trades and the School of Technology were proudly conferred as Niagara College graduates.
Wednesday’s ceremonies also saw four outstanding graduates receive the Dean’s Academic Awards. These awards are presented to individuals who have reached outstanding academic achievement by earning the highest GPA in their academic school.
Kaleigh Keeping from Fort Erie, who graduated from the Practical Nursing program, received the Dean’s Award from the School of Nursing and Personal Support Worker. When asked about receiving the Dean’s Award, Keeping shared, “receiving the Dean’s Award is a remarkable accomplishment that fills me with pride. I surpassed my own expectations.”
Kaleigh Keeping received the Dean’s Award from the School of Nursing and Personal Support Worker
Since completing her studies at Niagara College, Keeping has joined the team at St. Joseph’s Healthcare Hamilton and Hamilton Health Sciences as a Registered Practical Nurse.
The Dean’s Award recipient from the Mechanical Engineering Technology program in the School of Technology, Samantha Woodstock, shared, “I have worked very hard over the past four years, and I am incredibly proud that I was able to achieve this award. I had high aspirations when I started the program, but I never believed I would achieve an honour like this.”
Ottawa native Becket Buskin, a graduate of the Carpentry and Renovation Technician program, earned the Dean’s Award in the School of Trades and is already putting the skills he learned at NC to work as a building technician for the City of St. Catharines.
Adam D’Angelo from the PSI Customs Border Services program was awarded the Dean’s Award from the School of Justice & Fitness Studies.
By the time the College concludes its convocation week on June 16 – each ceremony honouring graduating students from different areas of study – NC will gain 4,500 new graduates. After kicking off convocation on June 12, ceremonies will be held at 10 a.m. and 3 p.m. daily from June 13 to June 15 and will conclude with a final morning ceremony on June 16.
To view the schedule and list of programs graduating within each School, visit the ‘Ceremony Schedule’ section of NC’s Convocation website.
NC’s in-person Spring Convocation ceremonies are also being livestreamed from the Welland Campus. Visit the convocation website at niagaracollege.ca/convocation to watch. Ceremonies will remain on the site for later viewing.
