The College of New Caledonia (CNC) celebrated a record number of graduates at its 2019 convocation ceremony.
More than 400 students walked across the stage to accept their parchment at the CN Centre on Saturday (June 1), up from 300 in 2018.
The record number of graduates accepted certificates, diplomas and associate’s degrees from a diversity of programs.
CNC President Henry Reiser takes a selfie with the grads. (via Facebook/CNC)This year, CNC also expanded the number of student speakers addressing the graduating class from two to four.
Priyanka Balley spoke about the inspiration she discovered at CNC as an international student in the Human Resource Management program.
“At CNC, we got a chance to not just learn, but also apply our ideas and skills in the real world,” she said. “CNC has inspired us to help shape a diverse and inclusive Canada where everyone gets an equal opportunity to voice their ideas. No matter where we go from here, let us be an inspiration for others.”
Other highlights from the ceremony included the presentation of the Governor General’s Academic Collegiate Bronze Medal to 2018 CNC practical nursing graduate Hannah Joy Vandenberg and the Lieutenant Governor’s Silver Medal to 2018 CNC Early Childhood and Learning graduate Chelsea Hann.
The Mary John Award of Excellence, which recognizes an Aboriginal CNC student who strives to emulate the legacy of Mary John Senior through service to the community, was awarded to Stephanie Jack.
Mary John was born in Lheidli in 1913 and grounded her work in traditional practices and principles, and was a visionary who hoped for a better future.
“Graduation is a time to celebrate student success with family, friends and fellow classmates,” Reiser said in the release. “These students have worked hard to finish their courses, and we are proud to see them cross the stage and graduate.”
