Lethbridge College graduate Oliver Namugerwa stands near the college’s main entrance, waiting for family to gather and take pictures after the fall convocation ceremony on Oct. 15, 2022. Namugerwa graduates with Honours from the Early Childhood Education certificate program.
Lethbridge College graduates crossed the stage during the fall convocation ceremony Saturday afternoon – despite a challenging two years of Zoom-filled classes, battling sickness and being isolated from the college community.
The Val Matteotti gymnasium roared with applause as the 166 graduates received their diplomas after making it through college in a global pandemic.
Dr. Brad Donaldson, Lethbridge College’s newly appointed President and CEO, said the last couple of years have been unlike any other for students.
“To have graduated in the environment where they’ve had to face uncertainty… and depending on the program, do a lot of the content online – I give them a lot of credit. It’s resilience,” Donaldson said.
The president said the college’s convocation ceremonies in the fall and spring are the most gratifying days of the year.
“Convocation represents the purpose of the college as students complete their programs and move on in their lives and careers. You see such joy on the faces of the graduating students and their families. It’s such an accomplishment – it’s something so novel and wonderful. [Today] is a day of celebration,” he said.
Among those graduating on Saturday afternoon were Practical Nurse students in the college’s School of Health Sciences.
Jordyn Koples, a graduate of Lethbridge College’s Practical Nurse diploma program, said she started college at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic.
“In 2020, it was difficult starting a healthcare program online. [The program] is more catered to an in-person learning environment. But it turned out. We still got to do labs and have a hands-on learning experience. It was different, but I wouldn’t change it,” Koples said.
Before the ceremony, Koples said she was excited to celebrate her accomplishments in person.
“I’m really excited. I think I’m most excited to cross the stage and throw my cap in the air,” she said.
The celebration was the second convocation with both graduates and invited guests in attendance since 2019 – the first being in the spring of this year.
Like other post-secondary institutions, the college cancelled convocation in 2020.
In 2021, Lethbridge College moved to a virtual format for its spring convocation and in the fall, only faculty, college leaders and graduates attended the ceremony due to COVID measures.
Denise Serrano, the valedictorian for the college’s fall 2022 convocation, said delivering her speech at the in-person ceremony was a special moment.
“Getting on the stage and giving my speech was the highlight for me… it was a great honour,” Serrano said.
The valedictorian and Multimedia Production graduate said she believes the class of 2022 has gained something unique from attending college during the pandemic.
“We learned how to adapt to a new learning environment quickly. It was difficult for some students, but we developed skills and learned in ways that were not really there before,” Serrano said.
The recent graduate said her instructors were supportive throughout her studies – and added they are the cornerstone of the Lethbridge College community.
“The instructors are the best. They’re the ones that believe in your potential,” she said.
Serrano also had one message for her fellow graduates: take risks.
“Don’t hesitate. Be eager to learn and grow from any challenge. Try new things and accept different opportunities. It’s okay to fail or make mistakes… just don’t give up. Take risks and you will go far.”
