Assiniboine celebrates record high 2,700 graduates this year

Assiniboine College will see a record of 2,777 graduates this academic year, with approximately 2,293 graduates recognized at ceremonies this month. Today in Brandon, the college will celebrate graduates from 85 certificate, diploma, apprenticeship and post-graduate diploma programs at the college’s largest ceremonies of the year. Of particular note, 26 per cent of domestic graduates this year are Indigenous.

“Graduation day is a momentous occasion. I find it rewarding year after year to see students and their families take in the moment after the hard work that brought them here,” said Assiniboine President Mark Frison. “To pursue and complete an education journey takes a significant effort from all involved; the students, their families, and the faculty and employees who help them along the way. Today, we celebrate the successes of our students, and thank those who helped to get them across the stage.”

Valedictorian for one of the Brandon ceremonies, Alycia Canada, is graduating from Business Administration with an Accounting Specialization. She is now headed to Brandon University, with her Assiniboine credits transferring, to pursue her Business Administration degree.

“I did not know what to expect coming in as a 31-year old mom of three. When I came to Assiniboine though I was welcomed with open arms, I was recognized for my experience, and most importantly I was able to find a new community of people I would have never found anywhere else,” said Canada. "I’m very excited to see all the students cross the stage. It is a huge moment for not only myself, but all my other classmates.”

The ceremonies in Brandon today recognize graduates completing programs at Assiniboine campuses in Brandon, Winnipeg and Portage la Prairie, as well as those from various community sites and enrolled in distance education. The graduation ceremony for Parkland campus was held last week.

Carlos Jose Dominguez Pallares was also a valedictorian at one of today’s ceremonies, a graduate of the college’s Human Resource Management advanced diploma program.

“It was a good experience for me at Assiniboine. I look forward to expressing the feelings of my fellow graduates as valedictorian,” said Carlos Jose Dominguez Pallares. “I started over a year ago in English upgrading programming at the college before entering the (Human Resources Management advanced diploma) program. The education here is very different from my home country (Columbia), and I found the classes very interesting. The most important thing I love about Assiniboine College though is the instructors really allow you to learn by doing. You can find ways to apply the knowledge you’ve learned in the real world.”

Each year, the Province of Manitoba awards a Governor General’s Medal to the student who has achieved the highest overall average in a diploma program. This year’s recipients for Brandon are Sheila Foreman, Brittany Free and Madison Mork, all graduating from the Practical Nursing program.

The province also awards Lieutenant Governor’s Silver Medals to students who have achieved outstanding academic performance and contributed in significant ways to the college and their community. This year’s recipient is Dustin Bauer, a graduate of the Land & Water Management program.

Today’s event also officially recognized Honorary Diploma recipient, Johanne Ross, announced earlier this week.

True to our mission of transforming lives and strengthening Manitoba, Assiniboine’s most recent Graduate Satisfaction and Employment Survey shows that 94 per cent of graduates have jobs within nine months of completing their studies, with 95 per cent remaining in Manitoba.

The ceremonies in Brandon begin at 9:30 a.m. and 2 p.m. today at the Keystone Centre. Event details are available at assiniboine.net/grad.