THUNDER BAY – NEWS – Over 1450 graduates received certificates, diplomas and advanced diplomas today at the Thunder Bay Community Auditorium during Confederation College’s 2015 Convocation ceremonies.
Graduates from the School of Health and Community Services were featured in the morning, while the afternoon ceremony included the School of Aviation (ACE), School of Engineering, Technology and Trades and the School of Business, Hospitality and Media Arts.
Confederation College President Jim Madder, presided over the ceremonies. “This represents a significant crossroad for our students as they continue on in the pursuit of their dreams,” he said. “We are extremely proud of our students for all that they have accomplished. We wish them continued success as they move forward into the next phase of their individual journeys and remind them that Confederation will always be there to support them.”
President Madder conferred the Governor General’s Academic Medal this afternoon. This award is presented to the student who has achieved the highest academic standing at the College in the final year of a diploma level post-secondary program earning an average of 80% or better.
The recipient of the Governor General’s Award for 2015 is Paul Robitaille, who graduated with a 4.0 GPA from the two-year Forest Ecosystem Management Technician program. Previously, Paul successfully earned a degree in Environmental Sciences from McMaster University. Paul is someone who has truly made the most of his time at Confederation College, having become fully immersed in the College community and having taken on a variety of leadership roles. Paul will be staying in Thunder Bay to pursue the Master of Science in Forestry program at Lakehead University this fall.
Paul Robitaille was also awarded the Academic Award of Excellence for his program, the President’s Award for the School of Engineering Technology, the Derek and Joan Burney Award, and the SUCCI/OASA Student Leadership Award. The Student Leadership Award is presented to a graduating student who has demonstrated exceptional leadership skills, is a positive role model and has effected change. Paul deliberately chose to dedicate much of his after school time to improving the community both locally and provincially. He encouraged dialogue across the campus about more ecologically responsibly living and has volunteered his time in creating related student initiatives and in establishing a College Student Sustainability Club. Through this work, and his role as Sustainability Ambassador for SUCCI, Paul brought two Eco Fairs to the college community, raised awareness among his peers and motivated other students to take an active role in supporting sustainability on campus and beyond. He also has been a positive role model to other students, was a peer tutor, mentor to first year students, and proudly volunteered as a Student “Counsellor/Steward” for the Metis Nation of Ontario.
Academic Awards of Excellence were also presented to the following students featured in the backgrounder for their respective programs: Bobbi-Lee Anderson, Anton Bokhanchuk and Cheyanne Degagne.
Bobbi-Lee Anderson – Construction Techniques, Anton Bokhanchuk – Instrumentation Engineering and Control Technician, Cheyanne Degagne – Aboriginal Community Advocacy, Sandra Fox – Business Administration – Accounting, Reeni Rajan – Critical Care Nursing and Paul Robitaille – Forest Ecosystem Management Technician are excellent representatives of the 2015 graduating class.
