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Backgrounder – Confederation College Class of 2020

This backgrounder includes information about the Class of 2020 Award Recipients and Student Success Stories.

CLASS OF 2020 AWARD RECIPIENTS The below graduates are recipients of Confederation College’s top leadership and academic awards.

Governor General’s Academic Medal The Governor General’s Academic Medal is one of the most prestigious awards that a student in a Canadian educational institution can receive and is granted to the graduate who has achieved the highest academic standing with a minimum grade point average of 3.50 in a diploma level program. The recipient is chosen from among the President’s Award of Excellence recipients.

HANNAH PAWLUK, Recreation Therapy, Thunder Bay Campus

Derek and Joan Burney Award of Excellence The Derek and Joan Burney Award of Excellence is awarded to the graduating student who achieves the highest academic standing in a diploma level program and displays leadership potential.

HANNAH PAWLUK, Recreation Therapy, Thunder Bay Campus

SUCCI/OASA Student Leadership Award The SUCCI/OASA Student Leadership Award is presented to a student who demonstrates exceptional leadership skills, is a positive role model and has affected change with integrity, compassion and understanding.

GAURAV GANJOO, Dental Hygiene, Thunder Bay Campus

VANESSA DEVION, Social Service Worker, Lake of the Woods Campus

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Board of Governors’ Achievement Award The Board of Governors’ Achievement Award is granted to one graduate from each academic school. Recipients are selected based on outstanding academic achievement and contribution made to student life, community affairs and/or citizenship.

School of Business, Hospitality SUN HEE BAIK Tourism – Travel and Eco-Adventure & Media Arts Thunder Bay Campus School of Engineering GREGORY GAGNON Aerospace Manufacturing Engineering Technology Technology, Trades & Aviation Thunder Bay Campus School of Health, Negahneewin GAURAV GANJOO Dental Hygiene & Community Services Thunder Bay Campus

President’s Award of Excellence The President’s Award of Excellence is granted to the graduate who has achieved the highest academic standing in each academic school, enrolled in a two- or three-year postsecondary program. A minimum grade point average of 3.50 is required. Recipients are chosen from among the Academic Award of Excellence Recipients.

School of Business, Hospitality JESSICA REINIKKA Business Administration – Accounting & Media Arts Thunder Bay Campus School of Engineering MATHEW SOUSA Computer Programmer Technology, Trades & Aviation Thunder Bay Campus School of Health, Negahneewin HANNAH PAWLUK Recreation Therapy & Community Services Thunder Bay Campus

Campus Award of Excellence The Campus Award of Excellence is granted to the graduate from each campus who has achieved the highest academic standing with a minimum grade point average of 3.50 in a diploma level program.

Dryden MANDY-DAWN RIGHT Early Childhood Education Greenstone MELISSA GROOM Educational Support Lake of the Woods () MEGAN CADIEUX Early Childhood Education Northshore (Marathon) BRADY SCHWANTZ Social Service Worker Rainy River District () YVONNE FRIESEN Social Service Worker Red Lake MARGARETTE ROSE Early Childhood Education Distance Education LAUREN BAYS Social Service Worker

Academic Award of Excellence The Academic Award of Excellence is granted to graduates who have attended full-time and have achieved the highest academic standing from each postsecondary program. A minimum grade point average of 3.50 is required.

Review the Class of 2020 Graduates List to review Academic Award of Excellence Recipients (recipients’ names appear in bold under each program)

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STUDENT SUCCESS STORIES Featured below are special interest stories about successful graduates from the Confederation College Class of 2020. Graduates are listed alphabetically by last name as follows:

Graduate Name Campus Program

Idrissou Ahamadou Rainy River District (Fort Frances) Social Service Worker

Sun Hee Baik Thunder Bay Tourism – Travel and Eco-Adventure

Brennan Barkausks Early Childhood Education

Jennifer Betts Northshore (Marathon) Educational Support

Social Service Worker & Vanessa Devion Lake of the Woods (Kenora) Aboriginal Canadian Relations

Jeremy Fobister Lake of the Woods (Kenora) Business – Accounting

Aerospace Manufacturing Engineering Gregory Gagnon Thunder Bay Technology

Gaurav Ganjoo Thunder Bay Dental Hygiene

Daniel Hill Dryden Paramedic

Daniel Legros Thunder Bay Welding Techniques

Erin Letourneau Greenstone Early Childhood Education

Clara Moses Thunder Bay Native Child and Family Services

Hannah Pawluk Thunder Bay Recreation Therapy

Jessica Reinikka Thunder Bay Business Administration – Accounting

Margarette Rose Red Lake Early Childhood Education

Mathew Sousa Thunder Bay Computer Programmer

Community Integration Through Edward Stachiw Thunder Bay Co-operative Education

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Idrissou Ahamadou – Rainy River District Campus (Fort Frances) Graduate of the Social Service Worker program

Idrissou Ahamadou knows how important language is. Originally from Cameroon in Africa, Idrissou met his wife Tammy in Egypt where he played professional soccer, and they moved back to her hometown of Fort Frances. At that time, he spoke French, Haoussa, Arabic and Bassa, but not English. Today, as he graduates from the Social Service Worker program at the Rainy River District Campus, he speaks English very well. But he sees what you might call the “language of people” as being more important.

“I learned that the way you treat people, the way you talk to somebody, the way you move around – it’s all very important,” Idrissou said. “I didn’t just learn about social work, but I grew as a husband, as a father, as a human.”

Before going to school, Idrissou worked part-time at the Tribal Area Health Services in addictions and mental health. He enjoys making a difference, and he wanted to expand his knowledge and skills. He said that the fact there is a Confederation College campus in Fort Frances made it much easier – especially with three children at home.

“I would have gone to Thunder Bay. It’s a program I wanted to do,” Idrissou said. “But to be away from the family and kids, it would have been hard.”

Idrissou appreciated all the support he received from his teachers and classmates. Thanks to their help, he’s now looking for a full-time social work position.

“I would like to thank all the staff at the College, my classmates and my family. I couldn’t have made it without them, and I’m grateful for that.”

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Sun Hee “Sunny” Baik – Thunder Bay Campus Graduate of the Tourism – Travel and Eco-Adventure program Recipient of the Board of Governors’ Achievement Award for the School of Business, Hospitality and Media Arts and the Academic Award of Excellence for the Tourism – Travel and Eco-Adventure program

Adventure is in Sunny Baik’s blood. Originally from South Korea, Sunny travelled to Thunder Bay for school with her two young daughters as a single parent. With her daring spirit, it’s no surprise that she graduates from Confederation College’s Tourism – Travel and Eco-Adventure program.

“My friends and my relatives – everyone told me, ‘You’re so crazy!’” Sunny said, when she told them she was coming to Thunder Bay.

Sunny has friends in London, Ontario and almost went to . The city has a Korean community, so it would have been like home. “But I thought, why travel all the way to Canada to have the same life?” Sunny was already familiar with Thunder Bay, having come here when her husband took Aircraft Maintenance in 2002.

After Sunny took the English as a Second Language (ESL) and English for Academic Purposes (EAP) programs, she signed up for the Early Childhood Education program. After a couple of weeks, she switched to the Tourism program – and it turned out to be the right move.

“I love travel and I love people all over the world, so it was the perfect choice.”

School was difficult while raising two kids – often, Sunny didn’t go to bed until 1am. She devised a scheduling system though to keep organized. She said her professors were a huge help answering all her questions. She also thanked the friendly Confederation College staff including those in the International Education Centre and in the library.

Sunny would like to stay in Thunder Bay and find a job in eco-tourism.

“I’m so comfortable with the people here. I love this city!”

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Brennan Barkausks – Sioux Lookout Campus Graduate of the Early Childhood Education program

Brennan Barkausks was already working with children in the Catholic School Board in Sioux Lookout for two years when he decided to upgrade his skills. The Early Childhood Education (ECE) program was the perfect fit for him – in part because he could take it at the Sioux Lookout campus.

“It was really convenient.” At that point, the program was offered once every two years through Distance Education, so when registration opened up, he applied straight away.

Brennan said he would have moved to Dryden or Thunder Bay to go to school if he had to, but thanks to the campus in Sioux Lookout, he could stay closer to his family and his fiancée.

Many of the classes he took were through the Distance Education system. Brennan had no problems with the technology, he said. He was the only one in his class during his first year, but he met other ECE students who started the next year. Brennan said the staff and faculty were all very helpful, especially Rikki Burke and Kerri Favreau.

“They were understanding and very patient when I had questions.”

He and his fiancée recently moved to Lindsay, Ontario in April where she also found a job working with children as a Communicative Disorders Assistant. Brennan hopes to work in the same school system come September.

“The school board here said that once I graduated, they could hopefully find a suitable position for me,” Brennan said.

Overall, Brennan said it was a great experience, and he’s glad he had the opportunity to get his diploma.

“I’m glad that I’m an Early Childhood Educator now.”

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Jennifer Betts – Northshore Campus (Marathon) Graduate of the Educational Support program

After over 10 years working as a PSW, Jennifer Betts wanted a career change and a pension plan. She applied to Confederation College to upgrade her skills, and graduates this year from the Educational Support program at the Northshore Campus in Marathon.

“I wasn’t really moving forward in life,” Jennifer said. She considered nursing and business, but ultimately decided on education.

Jennifer is no stranger to the Northshore Campus. She’s taken several programs and has worked as a peer tutor during her academic career. With graduation this year, Jennifer has four diplomas.

“I think we’re really lucky to have a campus here,” Jennifer said. She holds down three jobs and had a teenager at home, so going out of town for school wasn’t an option. That’s okay though – Jennifer loves the Distance Education platform. “A classroom is more distracting. I found it much easier to learn this way.”

When she wasn’t in class, Jennifer tended to go to the campus anyway to study and do assignments. “I did most of my work there. The staff was really supportive and helped me to be successful.”

That was especially true near the end of the semester when she got sick, she said. They pushed back assignment dates so she could complete the program.

Jennifer started working part-time at École Val-des-Bois, the French Catholic elementary school in Marathon, even before she graduated, and hopes to work there full-time.

“I got a contact job after my first placement, and then worked this year in another contract position. It made me feel good to know they’re considering me for their team.”

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Vanessa Devion – Lake of the Woods Campus (Kenora) Graduate of the Social Service Worker and Aboriginal Canadian Relations programs Recipient of the SUCCI/OASA Student Leadership Award and the Academic Award of Excellence for the Social Service Worker program at the Lake of the Woods Campus

Today, Vanessa Devion wakes up every morning with a smile on her face, excited to go to work. That’s the difference that Social Service Worker program at Confederation College’s Lake of the Woods campus made for her. Vanessa found a position three days after she finished her last course – and long before graduation.

“As far back as I can remember, I always wanted to help people,” Vanessa said. Now that her kids are older, she decided it was time to follow that dream. “I applied spur of the moment in mid-August 2018 and got my acceptance a week later.”

Vanessa worked towards her Aboriginal Canadian Relations certificate at the same time – and encouraged her classmates to do the same. She believes taking that program is an important part of providing good care to clients.

“A lot of the clientele in this area are of Indigenous descent. It’s really important to understand the context of why intergenerational trauma happens, why there is an over- representation in the justice system, and so on.”

There are many other examples of Vanessa’s insightful compassion – planning potlucks so people can share their culture and understand others, stepping in as student council secretary and then president when she saw the need, and stocking the student lounge with healthy foods. Through this, Vanessa maintained a 4.0 GPA and won a record eight student awards.

Although Vanessa returned as a mature student, she found the Distance Education technology no problem to navigate. “These platforms open up a whole new world allowing you to connect with people you’ll never see face-to-face.”

Those virtual connections with classmates and teachers were vital, Vanessa said.

“The faculty here in Kenora are phenomenal. They played a huge role in my success story. This isn’t just about me. I could not have done this without my professors, my classmates, and my family.”

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Jeremy Fobister – Lake of the Woods Campus (Kenora) Graduate of the Business – Accounting program

Jeremy Fobister isn’t quite sure what he wants to do in his career. That’s okay – figuring that out is part of what going to Confederation College is all about. But as Jeremy graduates from Confederation College’s Business – Accounting program at the Lake of the Woods Campus, he knows he’s coming back for third year. After that...

“I might stay in Kenora and find a job here. But I’m also looking into maybe going to ,” he said. Thanks to Confederation College’s Pathways program, Jeremy could transfer to the third year of Lakehead’s Bachelor of Administration program. Forensic accounting is a possible career choice for Jeremy, and an accounting degree would help.

Jeremy initially went to the University of Manitoba for engineering, but he decided that a business program was a better fit for him. Jeremy, who is from Grassy Narrows First Nation, said he would have travelled to Thunder Bay if need be. Having a campus in Kenora is definitely more convenient though.

“I have family here and it’s closer to home – it’s only an hour away.” Jeremy was able to live with his aunt in Kenora, which made going to school there easier as well.

Jeremy said he initially had difficulties with the Distance Education aspect of the program, but he got used to it. Besides, the campus offered opportunities he might not have had elsewhere. Jeremy worked as a summer student and got hands-on experience planning events like Convocation and the campus’ annual golf tournament.

“I continued to work with them part-time into my second year. It was a good experience.”

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Gregory Gagnon – Thunder Bay Campus Graduate of the Aerospace Manufacturing Engineering Technology program Recipient of the Board of Governors’ Achievement Award for the School of Engineering Technology, Trades and Aviation and the Academic Award of Excellence for the Aerospace Manufacturing Engineering Technology program

As Greg Gagnon knows, it’s usually a good sign when your program hires you in your second year. Greg graduates from Confederation College’s Aerospace Manufacturing Engineering Technology program. As great as the three-year program was, the hands-on experience working part-time in the College’s Technology, Education and Collaboration (TEC) Hub was just as valuable. By his final year, he worked four different jobs in his field, which he considers one of his greatest successes.

“When you’re going into the aerospace industry, employers want experience,” Greg said. “I’m able to say that I’ve had two years of experience before even leaving school.”

The program also gave Greg options. He connected with several local companies through the TEC Hub’s state-of-the-art facility, leading to possible job opportunities in Thunder Bay – none of which are in aerospace.

“For students coming out of this program, aerospace isn’t the only option,” Greg said. “They teach us how to manufacture products to the high precision needed in the aerospace industry. You can apply those skills to any manufacturing operations.”

Greg first heard about the program during a Trades Fair at Westgate. He considered both welding and engineering, but having variety in his career was very important to him. The Aerospace Manufacturing Engineering Technology program was the perfect mix, he said.

“When I got home that day, I knew this was the program I was going to choose.”

With his 4.0 GPA, Greg was accepted to a degree program at McMaster University. He is currently deciding between that or several job opportunities available in Thunder Bay.

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Gaurav Ganjoo – Thunder Bay Campus Graduate of the Dental Hygiene program Recipient of the Board of Governors’ Achievement Award for the School of Health, Negahneewin and Community Services and the SUCCI/OASA Student Leadership Award

It’s quite possible that Confederation College benefitted from having Gaurav Ganjoo as much as he benefitted from the Dental Hygiene program. Gaurav was incredibly involved in school life holding various positions including SUCCI VP External and Director of Athletics, and Student Appointee on the Confederation College Board of Governors – all while maintaining a high GPA.

“I loved helping students and bringing their voices to different levels,” Gaurav said.

Gaurav was also an International Student Ambassador and the first person many international students met after landing in Thunder Bay. Gaurav, who is originally from India, understands how difficult it is coming to a completely different culture. He would help them find transportation, set up bank accounts, and essentially help them adjust to life in Canada.

“They’re not always proficient in English, so it’s nice to have someone to help you out.”

Of course, his schoolwork was his focus. Gaurav said that he appreciated the staff, teachers and the incredible facilities where he trained.

“I love the clinics – the best that I’ve ever seen,” he said. “It makes a huge difference when you have that kind of dedicated faculty.”

Despite Gaurav’s academic successes, this year is a little unusual for job hunting.

“We literally work in the mouths of patients,” Gaurav said, adding that protocols for dental offices are changing. “COVID definitely has impacted the industry on the business side too.”

First things first though – Gaurav and the rest of his class are studying for their licensing exams in July. He’s both optimistic and philosophical about his own future afterwards. “Whatever comes my way, I’ll go with that.”

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Daniel Hill – Dryden Campus Graduate of the Paramedic program

Daniel Hill always wanted to work in emergency services. Police, fire, EMS... Daniel saw them all as heroes when he was growing up. He decided on pursuing a paramedic career because it seemed to be the most interesting. Now he is already working in the field, graduating from the Paramedic program at Confederation College’s Dryden campus.

Daniel started working casual shifts after getting his certification.

“I got hired by KDSB (Kenora District Services Board) in April,” Daniel said. He chose to base himself an hour away in Sioux Lookout – KDSB covers a large part of . “I figured I would get the most shifts there, and the drive’s not too bad.”

Except for his physical education and labs, all of Daniel’s classes were through the Distant Education system. “I’m more of a self-learner, so it worked well. There were three other students in Dryden by the end – it was nice with the hands-on stuff to have other people there and learn from each other.”

Daniel originally planned to go to the Thunder Bay campus. In fact, he took his pre- health classes there. But he decided to move back home for several reasons.

“I ended up spending a lot of money that I really didn’t need to spend. There are fewer distractions here as well, so I could focus on the program and the work I needed to do.”

Daniel said his class was lucky to have completed their clinical hours before COVID shut things down.

“We were pretty much finished our ride-outs, so it didn’t affect me at all.”

He plans to apply for a full-time position when it becomes available.

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Daniel Legros – Thunder Bay Campus Graduate of the Welding Techniques program

When Daniel Legros first took welding in high school, he knew it was the career for him. It was a good choice. As he graduates from Confederation College’s Welding Techniques program, he has already found a job. Daniel said that although he learned the basics of welding in high school, the College program took that learning to a whole different level.

“It was a huge difference. At high school, they only have a little bit of time with you. The program at Confederation College was way more in-depth about welding – more the theory of it,” he said. “For example, they would show you different things about how beads work and how to get a better bead to make your welds look better.”

Confederation College was a great learning environment, too.

“I enjoyed it. The facility is state-of-the-art, with new machines,” he said. Daniel added that he felt like everyone in the program really wanted him to succeed. “The teachers are really good. They helped me out a lot, and if I needed to come in and catch up, that wasn’t a problem.”

The biggest highlight of the program, Daniel said, was when he earned his Canadian Welding Bureau (CWB) certification. Today, Daniel works full-time at Steve Ward Contracting, making repairs to excavators, buckets and other heavy machinery. He works mostly in Thunder Bay at the moment, but the contractor has projects across the region, which means he may get to work out of town this summer.

“It’s slowly getting busy. Jobs are opening up again, along with the mines.”

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Erin Letourneau – Greenstone Campus Graduate of the Early Childhood Education program

For Erin Letourneau, the Early Childhood Education program was an easy path to choose, though not an easy one to follow. She overcame several challenges to graduate from the program at Confederation College’s Greenstone campus and start searching for her dream job.

“I’ve always liked kids,” Erin said. “They’re so happy and ready to learn.”

Erin first took the program five years ago but had to drop out for personal reasons. By the time she was able to enrol again, she had started her family. Having three kids made going to school difficult, but the convenience of the local campus definitely helped, she said. What she enjoyed most were her placements. She did two at separate daycares and one at a school.

“I fell in love with all the kids and all the staff at each placement.”

When COVID shut down all the schools and daycares, Erin couldn’t complete her final placement so the College added an online course.

“I appreciate the fact that they were able to figure something out so we can all graduate.”

Erin’s mother helped her with the kids, which made getting to classes easier. She said her friend Ashley was a big help too, and coincidentally Ashley started at the Greenstone campus at the same time. “We’ve been friends our whole lives. It made it so much easier to have a friend to study with.”

Overall, she had a great experience and will apply for jobs this summer and fall.

“I would definitely recommend Confederation College,” Erin said. “They helped me in more ways than they know.”

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Clara Moses – Thunder Bay Campus Graduate of the Native Child and Family Services program

Clara Moses probably learned as much from her extracurricular activities at Confederation College as she did from her coursework. She was president of the Oshki Anishinawbeg Student Association (OASA), and worked hard as an advocate and a voice for Indigenous students. Now that Clara is graduating from the Native Child and Family Services program, she’s ready to make a career in social services.

Clara said she appreciates the program’s wholistic approach. “I noticed the program turning into a wellness program, teaching us how to advocate for the people we’re working with, and to do it in a good way,” she said.

Those were lessons she applied right away. Clara said that the first thing she did as OASA president was to strip away all titles. “That’s one thing I learned through this course: social services is political. If we can create organizations that have a flat hierarchy, we will do better work.”

Clara also did what she could to make safe spaces for Indigenous students at Confederation College. She sees a direct connection to her work here and moving out into the community.

“We’re going to be working with vulnerable people, so we have to be able to make those safe spaces.”

It was Clara’s own experiences with Ron Kanutski when she was young that inspired her to enter the social services field herself. “He had an impact on a lot of youth and helped a lot of people. I always knew I wanted to give back to community.”

If her efforts at the College are any indication, she will do very well at it. “I never thought in my whole life I’d come this far.”

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Hannah Pawluk – Thunder Bay Campus Graduate of the Recreation Therapy program Recipient of the Governor General’s Academic Medal, the Derek and Joan Burney Award of Excellence, the President’s Award of Excellence for the School of Health, Negahneewin and Community Services and the Academic Award of Excellence for the Recreation Therapy program

After working in retail for several years, Hannah Pawluk decided it was time for a change. She looked into health care programs at Confederation College. Now, as she graduates from the Recreational Therapy program, Hannah knows it was the best decision for her.

“I wasn’t really sure what direction to head, except that I knew I wanted to help people,” she said.

Technically, Hannah came to Confederation College as a mature student. Despite this, she was amazed at how quickly the class came together as friends.

“It was lovely. They made me get Instagram the first week, though I can’t say I posted anything other than my dog. They all have caring hearts, so I found it easy to connect with everyone. They want to be there.”

Hannah was a natural leader in class – a calm, uplifting influence according to Program Coordinator Stephen Holloway. For her part, Hannah appreciated how comprehensive her classes and placements were.

“The program is well done, and our profs are very knowledgeable – they get to know each student.”

Luckily, Hannah was able to complete her placements before COVID changed everything. She found a position at Southbridge Roseview about two months ago, long before graduation. Even though she was new to the industry, Hannah noticed a change to her pre-COVID placements.

“You can’t do large group sessions, so you spending a lot of one-on-one time. You’re helping them connect with loved ones on FaceTime or in other ways. I’m also trying to keep them as active as possible. I love that we’re making such a difference in their lives.”

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Jessica Reinikka – Thunder Bay Campus Graduate of the Business Administration – Accounting program Recipient of the President’s Award of Excellence for the School of Business, Hospitality and Media Arts and the Academic Award of Excellence for the Business Administration – Accounting program

Jessica Reinikka worked at an accounting firm long before she applied to Confederation College. At first, Jessica planned to go to school for a year to upgrade her skills, taking the Business Fundamentals program. But she ended up staying for three years, and graduates this June from the Business Administration – Accounting program.

“I found I liked accounting,” Jessica said. She was offered a permanent full-time position at LCPS Chartered Accountants in town, and actually started the week before graduation.

It’s a position she enjoys, but Jessica hasn’t ruled out going to Lakehead to continue her accounting education through the Pathways program. However, after three years of college and four years of university (Jessica got her honours degree in math from Lakehead) she said she’s ready to stay in the workforce for a while.

“I was thinking about going back to become an accountant myself, but I want to take some time before I go back to school.”

Jessica said that the highlight of the program was Alain Gosselin, the Program Coordinator, who helped her in class and let her know about upcoming positions.

“Alain is a superstar,” Jessica said. “He’s a really good teacher and keeps you accountable. He makes accounting fun.”

Jessica paid it forward as well, becoming a peer mentor during her second and third years. The program helps new students connect with those in advanced years in an academic buddy system.

Overall, Jessica said that Confederation College was a good experience. Most importantly, she came out with two employment offers, a solid position at a Chartered Accountant firm, and future career options.

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Margarette Rose – Red Lake Campus Graduate of the Early Childhood Education program Recipient of the Academic Award of Excellence for the Early Childhood Education program at the Red Lake Campus

Margarette Rose sat watching her son at the childcare centre one day and thought, “I wish I could do this all time...” After getting laid off from her mining job, she applied to Confederation College to get the skills she needed to do just that. Margarette graduates from the Early Childhood Education program at the Red Lake Campus with a new appreciation for the field.

“It’s not just daycare – it’s child development care,” Margarette said. “By going back to school to become qualified, I have a chance to give back to my community.”

Margarette found it difficult coming back to school after so long. She passed the Mature Student Assessment and discovered where she could use extra work.

“My writing skills weren’t that good in the beginning. The expectations of my instructors were high – I didn’t know if I could do it for two years.” But now she sees a world of difference. “It was challenging, but my writing has improved dramatically.”

Many of Margarette’s courses were through Distance Education, but she didn’t have many problems with the technology. The staff were always around and helpful, she said.

“We sign into this virtual classroom at the same time, and we can all see and talk to each other,” Margarette said. “I found that those discussions were most meaningful to me to learn what I needed.”

Margarette believes jobs will become available once schools open again after COVID. In the meantime, she is taking a family literacy facilitation certificate. Eventually, Margarette hopes to open her own outdoor Forest and Nature childcare program.

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Mathew Sousa – Thunder Bay Campus Graduate of the Computer Programmer program Recipient of the President’s Award of Excellence for the School of Engineering Technology, Trades and Aviation and the Academic Award of Excellence for the Computer Programmer program

Mathew Sousa has always been interested in computers – it’s what he feels he’s best at. Now that Mathew has graduated from the Computer Programmer program at Confederation College, he can start following his career.

“I’d like to work in software engineering,” Mathew said. “I’m hoping to find a job in Thunder Bay.”

He said there is more call for software engineers here than you may think. Mathew had a placement at a local institution updating inventory management software. He became team leader on that project and kept working at it for about a month after the placement finished, just to make sure everything was working.

“Their equipment management software was really old. So, we pretty much rebuilt it from scratch,” he said. They built it using C#, a relatively new programming language. “There were a few hiccups, but it turned out well. It’s a lot better than their previous software.”

Mathew said that there isn’t much of a job market at the moment due to COVID. But he expects that to change soon. In the meantime, he’s lucky enough to have a summer job in construction.

A diploma and a real-world project to put on his résumé aren’t the only things Mathew got from the program.

“I worked really hard to maintain a 4.0 GPA,” he said. Mathew sees this as one of his biggest accomplishments. “I didn’t do great in high school, so I wanted to prove to myself that I could succeed in the program. I definitely put in a lot of extra hours.”

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Edward Stachiw – Thunder Bay Campus Graduate of the Community Integration Through Co-operative Education program

Edward Stachiw, Ed to his friends, said he enjoyed his time at Confederation College. He graduates from the Community Integration Through Co-operative Education (CICE) program.

“I loved every minute of it, making friends with my classmates and inspiring them while they inspired me,” Ed said. He added ironically, “I found out that I was smarter than I thought.”

Ed took a wide range of courses including food prep, sociology and English. He said he didn’t have a favourite class but the food prep class helped him at his placement. Ed worked at the Regional Food Distribution Association (RFDA) for three months, making sandwiches.

Ed is known around campus for his positive attitude and uplifting messages such as “you’re doing it” and “you’re a beautiful human being.” One Confederation College highlight for him was giving a speech to his classmates about changing his name to “Victory” because there was no way he was going to fail. Ed credits his uncle for giving him his positive attitude.

“I want to thank my uncle for teaching me to make a win-win situation no matter what life throws me.”

Ed especially enjoyed talking to all the international students he would meet at the College, always taking a moment to welcome them to Thunder Bay.

“It’s a delight interacting with them all and hearing their stories, making them laugh and welcoming them to the best city on the planet.”

Ed, who refers to himself as the “second-best snooker player in Thunder Bay”, isn’t sure what his plans are yet for after graduation. But he does know one thing: it will involve his mission of making everyone smile.

Confederation College Backgrounder – Class of 2020 Page 20 of 20