Convocation 2014

Every graduate's photo was taken after they crossed the stage. They were posted on our Alumni Facebook Page and also uploaded to Lakeland's flickr account. There are also an assortment of pre- and post-ceremony photos.

Use the links to individual albums or collections to see the photos.

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Rob Saunders, Lloydminster mayor and Distinguished Alumni Award recipient, told grads that Lakeland College played an important role in his life.

“(The college) gave me the opportunity to advance my career in the oil and gas business and in this community,” he says.

The Class of 1983 grad offered a smorgasbord of tips for the Class of 2014 including respect seniors, be the best you can possibly be, share your ideas, be entrepreneurial, start early and finish late, study, read, and vote in municipal elections.

At right, Saunders standing by his plaque on the wall of fame.

From helping establish the 4-H Foundation of Alberta to playing a lead role in the development of the Agricom at Northlands in Edmonton, Allan Shenfield has made an extraordinary difference in his community and in Alberta through volunteer work.

After graduating from the Vermilion School of Agriculture in 1949, Allan Shenfield returned to his family’s dairy farm north of Spruce Grove, Alta.

Like his father, he had a desire to volunteer his time for the betterment of the community. “My father was very active in the community and I thought I should get involved too,” he says.

In 1949, he became the leader of the Spruce Grove 4-H Grain Club. Later he would serve on regional and provincial 4-H advisory councils and help establish the 4-H Foundation of Alberta, a nonprofit organization that built and now operates the Alberta 4-H Centre at Battle Lake. 

During his tenure as president of Northlands, he spearheaded the development of the Agricom. Now known as the Edmonton EXPO Centre, the facility serves as an event venue for livestock shows, trade fairs, meetings and much more.

In his hometown of Spruce Grove, few capital projects took place without Allan Shenfield’s involvement, including agricultural and recreational facilities and a seniors’ centre. His extensive involvement helped make the city what it is today.

Among his many awards and honours, he received the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal and the City of Spruce Grove named the Shenfield Civic Centre in his honour. 

Shenfield modestly says that he received more from his volunteer efforts than he gave.

“Being a volunteer is very rewarding. You don’t do this for the recognition; you do this to help others.”

Photos: Top  - Shenfield speaking at the Vermilion convocataion. Bottom - Shenfield with his wife and grandson at the convocation ceremony,

Vic Juba, one of Lloydminster’s most involved citizens, was truly humbled to receive Lakeland College’s 2014 Distinguished Citizen Award for the Lloydminster campus.

The consummate volunteer and community builder was also awarded an honorary bachelor of applied business degree.   

“I’ve received congratulatory letters, certificates, plaques and medals, but today I’ve received the most prestigious award of my life,” says Juba. “Thank you for this honour.”

Speaking to the Class of 2014 during the Lloydminster Campus convocation ceremony on June 6, Juba congratulated the graduates on their decision to pursue a post-secondary credential.

“In this bustling economy, particularly in Lloydminster, it’s so easy to find a job that pays $20 or $30 an hour. You had a decision to make – school or money. Congratulations on choosing the right channel,” he says.

Talking about his commitment to volunteerism, Juba recalled how he got involved with the Lions Club in 1954 as a way to meet new people. He soon realized that volunteerism had many other benefits including helping others, making communities stronger, and having fun.

“Volunteering is like icing on the cake. It only makes your life experience that much more pleasant,” he says.

His high school yearbook predicted Ed Stelmach’s political success, naming him a future prime minister of Canada.

Rather than the national stage, he focused on Alberta politics. First elected in 1986 as a municipal councilor in Lamont County, he was elected to the Alberta Legislature in 1993. Stelmach eventually became Alberta’s 13^th premier serving between 2006 and 2011.

Like Lakeland College, Ed Stelmach’s roots are agricultural. The grandson of Ukrainian immigrants, he was born and raised on the family farm near Lamont.

A life-long farmer, he originally intended to become a lawyer before family circumstances brought him back to the farm.

Agriculture, Food and Rural Development was one of four portfolios he held as a cabinet minister. Although never in the advanced education portfolio, Ed Stelmach was a supporter of post-secondary institutions.

Under his leadership Alberta’s advanced education system enjoyed fiscal stability. Lakeland College, in particular, was able to finalize building and capital renovation projects and re-start applied research.

Integrity and transparency were hallmarks of Ed  Stelmach’s time as premier. It even provided him with the nickname of “honest Eddie”.

Photos: Top - Stelmach receives an honorory degree from college president Tracy Edwards. Bottom: Stelmach addressing the Vermilion convocation.