Convocation 2018
Ceremony Archives
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Lakeland College marked the end of its 100th academic term with three convocation ceremonies in 2018.
Graduates from business, energy, health and wellness, street rod technologies and
university transfer programs received their credentials on May 25. Approximately 230
graduates celebrated at the Lloydminster campus ceremony.
Two convocation ceremonies were held at the Vermilion Regional Centre on June 1. Approximately
554 graduates from the environmental sciences, human services, interior design technology,
emergency services technology and agricultural sciences programs were recognized during
the celebrations.
“For our Class of 2018, convocation marks an exciting transition. It marks the end
of a journey filled with student-led projects, presentations, practicums and more.
And it marks the start of something new,” says Dr. Alice Wainwright-Stewart, president
and CEO of Lakeland College. “Wherever you go and whatever you strive to achieve,
I believe each and every one of you will excel and make us proud.”
Each ceremony featured an honour song by The Pipestone Creek Singers from Onion Lake
Cree Nation and congratulatory messages from a number of dignitaries, including Dr.
Richard Starke, MLA for the Vermilion-Lloydminster constituency. He encouraged graduates
to remember one word going forward: courage.
“Have the courage to make the decisions that are sometimes difficult; have the courage
to make decisions that leave you standing alone because those can be difficult too;
and have the courage to take risks and not be scared to fail,” he said. “Failure,
in fact, in many ways is a better teacher than success. I encourage all you to have
courage in your life.
Photos: Top - A group of indigenous grads pose with a Class of 2018 sign outside the Lloydminster campus. Bottom - Vermilion's convocation was on a rainy June day. Grads had to walk to the regional centre for the ceremonies.
Below are links to photos on Flickr, the convocation programs as well as stories, photos and videos about award recipients.
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- Lloydminster Convocation 2018
- Vermilion Convocation 2018 morning ceremonies
- Vermilion Convocation 2018 afternoon ceremonies
- Vermilion Class of 2018 on Flickr
Check out the 2018 Vermilion Convocation program.
Check out the 2018 Lloydminster Convocation program.
Jonathan Kuzek
Richard Kuzek was the 2018 Lloydminster campus president's medal winner.
Graham Letts
Graham Letts, the 2018 Vermilion president's medal winner, also received a generatiion
alumni pin. His grandfather, Park Letts (right), was in the Vermilion School of Agriculture's
Class of 1955.
Mandy Davediuk, Interior Design Technology, Vermilion was presented with the Governor General's academic medal after convoction ceremonies.
Sean Lessard, Class of 1994
Dr. Sean Lessard is an Indigenous education champion. He’s dedicated his life’s work to improving the lives and experiences of Indigenous youth.
Sean was born on the Montreal Lake Cree Nation and later adopted by a family in North
Battleford, Sask. He graduated from Lakeland’s Rehabilitation Services program in
1994 and was a member of the Rustlers men’s volleyball program.
He later studied at the University of Alberta, earning a Bachelor of Education in 2000, a Master of Educational Psychology in 2009, and a Doctorate of Elementary Education and Teaching in 2012.
Outside of his education, he focused on the education and wellness of Indigenous youth. Sean worked as a respite worker, social worker, teacher, counsellor and consultant focusing on Indigenous education.
He’s also had faculty positions at the University of Regina in Education and the University
of Alberta in Teacher Education. While at the U of R, Sean helped establish the Growing
Young Movers After-School program, an award-winning intergenerational wellness program
for Indigenous youth.
While Lessard currently shares his love of learning as a professor in the U of A’s Faculty of Education’s Department of Secondary Education, his passion for Indigenous youth takes him across the country for research, speaking engagements and program development.
He’s also the CEO of his own company – Name to Place Educational and Community Consulting.
Sean’s commitment to Indigenous youth has earned him the Canadian Education Association’s Pat Clifford Award and the Myer Horowitz Outstanding Dissertation
Award. He co-authored Engaging in Narrative Inquiries with Children and Youth (2016),
and The Relational Ethics of Narrative Inquiry (2018).
It is with great honour that Lakeland College inducts Sean Lessard, Class of ‘94, to the Alumni Wall of Distinction.
Photos: Top - Lessard (right) with former volleyball teammate, Ken Rutherford (left), currently a Lakeland instructor. Middle - Lessard posing for photo after receiving the distinguished alumni award from Lakeland VP Georgina Altman. Bottom - Lessard in front of the Alumni Wall of Distinction.
Gary Moses, Class of 1967
For Gary Moses, Class of ‘67, the limelight was never something he sought.
“To me, good leadership is achieved by working hard, behind the scenes, on any given project.”
When Gary wasn’t running an 8,000 acre family farm in the Vermilion area, he was making
an impact in the community. He was president of the Vermilion Agricultural Society
from 1983-85, as well as a committee head of the society’s machinery display.
Gary was a regional director on the provincial board of the Alberta Association of Agricultural Societies and received the award for Outstanding Supporter of Agriculture in 2015. Gary was president of the Western Canada Fairs Association in 1985, and received an honorary life membership in 2000.
In 2005, he was one of 8,000 Albertans to receive the Alberta Centennial Medal. Gary was also a UFA delegate, and served a term as Exalted Ruler of the Elks.
The agriculture technology - farm management major alumnus has a long-standing history
with Lakeland. The Moses family has been neighbours with Lakeland for over 100 years.
Gary was vice-chair for Lakeland’s Board of Governors from 2011-17. He was also a member of the crop technology program’s advisory committee and was involved in the founding of the Student-Managed Farm – Powered by New Holland. Being a part of the advisory committee, he says, is one of his biggestaccomplishments.
Gary was considered the go-to person for almost anything. If someone described Gary, they would say he works hard and doesn’t give up.
It is with great honour that Lakeland College inducts Gary Moses, Class of‘67, to
the Alumni Wall of Distinction.
Photos: Top- Moses shakes hands with board chair Darrell Howell as president Alice Wainwright-Stewart looks on. Middle- Moses speaks to the graduating class. Bottom- Moses poses with his distinguished alumni award with Wainwright-Stewart (left) and Howell (right).
Alexandra Cooke, Heavy Oil Power Engineering (left) Father: Leonard Cooke, Class of 1996
Shayna Naistus, Health Care Aide
Mother: Patricia Naistus, Class of 2011
Morning Ceremony
Quinn Hlus, Environmental Conservation and Reclamation
Mother: Leanne (Pickett) Hlus, Class of 1986 Father: Darrel Hlus, Class of 1987Edna Kulczycki (second from right), Child and Youth Care with her Father: Jason Boorse (right), Class
of 1998, Grandfather: David Boorse (left), Class of 1969 Grandmother: Sharon Clark),
Class of 1969 Great Grandmother: Elizabeth Laird, Class of 1941 (in the photo Edna
is holding).
Mary Joanne Roberts, Early Learning and Child Care Certificate Mother: Kim (Ironside) Roberts, Class
of 1990
Ashton Stieb, Early Learning and Child Care Certficate
Mother: Kimberley (Barnett) Stieb, Class of 1990
Marina Veenstra, Early Interior Design, Mother: Holly (Buttery) Veenstra, Class of 1987
Afternoon Ceremony
Alex Antos, Animal Health Technology
Father: Darren Antos, Class of 1988
Kyle Dodgson, Animal Science Technology
Grandfather: Rick Dodgson, Class of 1967
Graham Letts, Crop Technology
Grandfather: Park Letts, Class of 1955
Kaitlin Nichol, Veterinary Medical Assistant
Father: Jason Nichol, Class of 1991Denver Prior (centre), Crop Technology
Mother: Mary-Lee (Armitage) Prior (right), Class of 1986 Father: Blake Prior (left),
Class of 1984
Grandfather: William Armitage, Class of 1953
Chloe Samycia, Animal Health Technology
Grandfather: James Carson, Class of 1951
Liam Speers, Crop Technology
Grandfather: Martin Krupa, Class of 1955
Brittany Trynchuk, Agribusiness
Mother: Tracy (Poliakiwski) Trynchuk, Class of 1992
Jadeene Wolfe, Animal Health Technology
Great Grandfather: George Sexty, Class of 1952
Lisa White, Agri-Business
Grandfather: Charlie White, Class of 1959
Richard Klinger
Starting in oilfield service work with one pumper truck, oilfield pioneer Richard Klinger grew Klinger’s Oilfield Services into a nationally respected company.
Born and raised in Lashburn, Sask., Richard planned to take over his family’s grain
farm. With only a high school credential, he bought the farmland to do so.
However a few years into the oilfield sector with Husky Energy, Richard started working with trucks, which piqued his interest, and he veered from farming.
It didn’t take long for Richard to go on his own and start Klinger’s in 1976. Richard grew Klinger’s into a major company with operations in Lloydminster, Bonnyville, Vermilion, Edmonton, Lashburn, Macklin and the Northwest Territories.
Under Klinger’s leadership, his business pioneered many innovations such as a stinging process for removal of sand from cold heavy oil production tanks, a dry sand transport vehicle and master driver certification program.
The company also held alliances with Imperial Oil’s Cold Lake operation and Husky Energy’s Lloydminster operation. The company held those contracts long after Richard sold Klinger’s to Flint Energy Services in 2001, the same year the Lloydminster Chamber of Commerce recognized Klinger’s as the Business of the Year.
When Klinger’s was sold, the company was operating with more than 300 employees and
150 service trucks. Richard remains active in the community. He’s the past president
of the local Saskatchewan Progressive Conservative Constituency Association, a major
donor and supporter of the Lashburn Community Hall, and the founding and major donor
to Project Sunrise through the Lloydminster Region Health Foundation.
It is with great respect that Lakeland College recognizes Richard Klinger of Lloydminster as a Distinguished Citizen and awards him an Honorary Bachelor of Applied Business Degree.
Photos: Top - Klinger in front of his plaque on the wall of distinction. Bottom - Klinger accepting his honorary degree from Alice Wainwright-Stewart (left), Lakeland's president, and Darrell Howell (left), chair of the college's board of governors.
Judy Woyewitka
Distinguished Citizen 2018
Judy Woyewitka is never one to sit back and wait for life to happen.When she decides something is worth doing it’s done and done well. Whether as the first female mayor of Vermilion or Lakeland College’s first registrar, that’s an approach that’s guided her in many different roles.
Since 1969, Judy has championed the Town of Vermilion and Lakeland College. At Lakeland, Judy was an accounts clerk, switchboard operator, Continuing Education secretary, registrar, academic advisor, and Marketing and Communications manager. She was also a member of Academic Council and Lakeland’s Board of Governors.
In Vermilion, she was a town councilor and then mayor. She was, and still is to some, a member of several committees and organization including the Vermilion Heritage Park Committee, Vermilion Seniors’ Centre executive, and a trustee at Faith Lutheran Church.
You’d think she’d done it all, but that’s just breaking the surface. She also spearheaded
the Vermilion Regional Centre development, assisted in the Vermilion Senior Citizen’s
Centre upgrade, and was integral to various infrastructure projects. She’s received
numerous accolades such as Vermilion’s Woman of the Year, the Alberta Centennial Medal,
Staff Appreciation Award from Lakeland students, and Outstanding Student Service Award
from the Colleges and Universities of Alberta.
Judy always says, “To be a leader you have to have a vision, put it into practice and, most importantly, you have to get people to follow your vision. If no one thinks your vision is worthy then you're not a leader, you're taking a walk.”
It is with great respect that Lakeland College recognizes Judy Woyewitka of Vermilion as a Distinguished Citizen and awards her an Honorary Bachelor of Applied Business Degree.
Photos: Top - Woyewitka in front of the Distinguished wall on the Vermilion campus. Bottom: Accepting the honorary degree from Alice Wainwright-Stewart (left), Lakeland's president, and Darrell Howell (right), chair of the Lakeland board of governors.