Congratulations to All of Our 2014 Graduates!
by Matt Refghi | June 18, 2014
Last night we had the pleasure of hosting our second graduation ceremony for both Continuing Education students and RAC candidates, with a total of 119 graduates present. With friends, family, graduates, and staff combined, the event was attended by more than 450 people across 6 different programs and services. We were thrilled to see so many of our graduates at the event, and would like to congratulate them again for their outstanding achievements. It was truly a pleasure to witness.
For our staff, the evening was extremely significant – it was a moment where the individual successes of our candidates and graduates were grouped together in one large display, truly emphasizing what Champlain staff felt – that they were helping to make a difference in people’s lives. Though graduation ceremonies are commonly quite formal by nature, it could not be denied that the advisors and content specialists had a special connection with their candidates. This was evident in the presentation of the certificates, which featured an abundance of hugging, rather than the handshakes one might expect.
Often, RAC candidates are highly-experienced, busy individuals – and like many, they have families they need to support. The reception that followed the ceremony allowed RAC staff a rare chance to meet their graduates’ families and friends, while also allowing said graduates to share their moment of triumph with their close ones. A booth was also set up to record testimonials, with an emphasis on hearing each graduate’s story, and how RAC helped them given their unique life paths.
The event also marked the first time that First Nations graduates were present. Multiple members of the Naskapi nation travelled from Kawawachikamach (which is near Schefferville) to attend the ceremonies. We’re planning to write a blog post specifically about our Naskapi graduates in the near future.
Multiple speakers took their turn to express how proud they were of the graduates’ achievements, including: Dr. J. Kenneth Robertson, Director General of Champlain Regional College, Don Shewan, Campus Director, Mark Wallace, Director of Continuing Education, and Danielle Lafaille, Director of Studies. Sherry Romanado, Assistant Director of Continuing Education also deserves a mention for being the evening’s emcee, one who both entertained and kept things proceeding smoothly.
2 responses to “Congratulations to All of Our 2014 Graduates!”
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Thank you to all contributed to a memorable night!!!!!!!
[…] the 2015 edition will be held in the gym, greaty increasing the maximum capacity. Graduates are encouraged to bring their friends and family to share in their moment of […]