FORT ST. JOHN – Approximately 460 students at the Fort St. John Campus of Northern Lights College, or who were enrolled in online programming, were recognized at the annual Convocation ceremony held on June 20 at the North Peace Cultural Centre.
Students in 38 program areas were honoured through the conferral of certificates and diplomas.
Also recognized was Allan P. Markin, a longtime philanthropist who played a significant role in the construction of the Jim Kassen Industry Training Centre. Markin was conferred with an Honorary Associate of Arts Degree.
Tara Good, a graduate of the Business Management Certificate program, was named the Valedictorian. In addition to her studies at NLC, Good served as one of two student representatives on the Board of Governors.
In her valedictory address, Good recalled how she was working as a server at a local restaurant, and one of her tables was a group of accountants. Throughout the evening, they told her they thought she would make a good accountant.
“Something just felt right, and the day after that I was enrolled in Business Management with classes starting in just over a week,” Good said, reminding her fellow graduates that you never know what the future holds. “Sometimes you have to wait for things to fall into place, just like they did for me one fateful night.”
Other special guests in attendance included City of Fort St. John Mayor Lori Ackerman; Karen Simpson, Chair of the NLC Board of Governors; and Dr. Peter Nunoda, Vice-President Academic and Research of NLC. A blessing by Elaine Catto, who is an NLC Social Services Worker Diploma graduate from 2011, opened the ceremony.
NLC hosts three Convocation ceremonies each year. Other Convocation ceremonies are held in Dawson Creek (June 6) and Fort Nelson (June 13).
