Convocation 2017

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2017 Convocation flickr collections. Each collection has several albums from each event:

• Lloydminster Convocation 2017 Flickr collection
• Vermilion Convocation 2017 Flickr collection

View the 2017 Vermilion Convocation Program.

 View the 2017 Lloydminster Convocation Program.

Distinguished alumnus faced experiences and opportunities head-on

Living by the advice he received from his dad, Class of '87 alumnus Scott Musgrave says to treat any job like it is the best job in the world.

“If you treat your job like it is special you end up growing and being promoted into something bigger and better. Always treat your job like it is the best thing ever,” he says.

As a graduate of the business administration diploma program, Musgrave was the first Lakeland College business student to open a new opportunity and further his education transferring his diploma credits to a university program. He earned bachelor of education and bachelor of management degrees at the University of Lethbridge, and a master of business administration at the University of Saskatchewan.

“Regardless about what you want to pursue or are excited about, if you believe in it and you truly want it to happen, with effort and energy, it will happen,” Musgrave says.

In 1995, Musgrave returned to Lloydminster to manage Musgrave Agencies Ltd. His leadership style and belief in finding and creating opportunities helped the family-oriented business expand and diversify.

Today, he is an executive and shareholder within the Musgrave group of companies, primarily a real estate and development company.  In addition to this core business, the Musgrave group has ownership and provides managerial involvement for a diversified group of businesses throughout Western Canada.

He has also been involved in various industry boards including the Saskatchewan Information Services Corporation and Saskatchewan Real Estate Association. Locally, he’s volunteered with the Lloydminster Chamber of Commerce and the Lloydminster Real Estate Board. An IFR rated high altitude professional pilot, Scott Musgrave is also a member of the Lloydminster Flying Club.

Pulling from his Lakeland College experience and watching the graduates from the Lloydminster campus convocation on Friday, May 26, Musgrave says they should be proud of where they came from.

“Lakeland College is very unique and there are tons of positives the students can share; having coffee with their instructors, the size of the classes, and having the opportunity to learn in an environment where they are treated like a person and not a number.”

Photo: Lakeland College's President and CEO Alice Wainwright-Stewart and Darrel Howell, chair of the Board of Governors, recognize Scott Musgrave, Class of 1987, with the Distinguished Alumni Award, during Lakeland's Lloydminster campus convocation on Friday, May 26, 2017.

Distinguished citizen shares willingness to learn

The willingness to learn from other people is what Lakeland College’s 2017 distinguished citizen credits for his successful career.

Ken Kay of Lloydminster, Alta./Sask., who received an Honorary Bachelor of Applied Business degree from Lakeland during the Lloydminster campus convocation ceremony on May 26, proudly admits to relying on educational opportunities from others throughout his career.

“It is a great honour, especially for me who didn’t get a great education, to be recognized by such distinguished educators who do so much for our community and for our business as well,” Kay says. “I didn’t start out with an extensive education but I had a lot of help from others and this great community.”

What started as a 13-year-old’s summer job at a John Deere dealership in St. Walburg, Sask. turned into a life-long career in agriculture for Kay. He worked for John Tingley on Tingley’s farm and then, in 1957 when Tingley bought the John Deere dealership in Lloydminster, Kay began work there. A few years later, Kay was named partner.

During his time with Tingley, he enrolled in boarding school in Kitscoty, Alta. While there, he also took construction, mechanics and welding at the Vermilion School of Agriculture, now Lakeland College.

“The three classes I was the happiest in, during my schooling years, were the ones I took at Lakeland in Vermilion and it still seems to be a happy place,” he says.

He added finding happiness is an aspect of life that the graduates have to carry as they go forward in the world to make their place.

“The ones that are going to succeed are the students who are going to learn to work with other people and to change when things come along to make life work.”

Kay credits Agland’s staff for helping him build a successful career at the dealership. In turn, Agland and Kay have given back to the community.

He is a 30-year member of the Lloydminster Rotary Club, and a 50-year member of the Elks Club. He was named Lloydminster Lions Club’s Citizen of the Year in 2010, and was instrumental in the modernization and expansion of the Grace United Church in Lloydminster.

Lakeland College awards honorary credentials to citizens who have made significant contributions to the community. In addition, the person displays the values Lakeland College strives to cultivate including respect, safety, trust, pride, ethics, quality and accountability.

Photo: Lakeland College’s President and CEO Alice Wainwright-Stewart and Darrel Howell, chair of the Board of Governors, present Ken Kay (centre) of Vermilion with an honorary bachelor of applied business degree during Lakeland’s Lloydminster campus convocation on Friday, May 26, 2017.

John Stewart named Distinguished Citizen

Wiping tears from his eyes, John A. Stewart walked on stage to a standing ovation during the Lakeland College Vermilion campus convocation ceremony on Friday June 2.

The lifelong Vermilion resident was clearly touched to receive an Honorary Bachelor of Applied Business degree from Lakeland and be recognized as a Distinguished Citizen.

John’s son Doug Stewart addressed the crowd and thanked the college for recognizing his dad. “It means so much to him and to all of our family. Dad always viewed the college … as one of the cornerstones of this community and region,” says Doug.

Craig’s of Vermilion, the retail business which has been in their family since 1905, has supported the college’s awards program since 1927. The business, which John joined in 1959 a few years after earning a business degree at the University of Montana, has also contributed to numerous other Lakeland initiatives and student groups throughout the years.  John and his late wife Sally funded an on-campus gallery to showcase the work of interior design technology students. 

Many local organizations have benefited from John’s involvement including Vermilion Agricultural Society, Kinsmen Club of Vermilion, and Vermilion and District Chamber of Commerce. He helped with numerous major projects such as hosting professional rodeos and building a grandstand on the Vermilion Agricultural Society fairgrounds. John and Craig’s have also been strong supporters of many youth teams and organizations, including 4-H.

“Dad has always been a strong believer in contributing to and supporting the community,” says Doug, reminding the graduates that many of the facilities and activities they enjoy today are the result of the volunteer work done by previous generations.

“Dad would (say) that contributing to your community in whatever form you choose offers many personal rewards: it builds character, integrity, pride, and friendship.”

Doug encouraged the graduates to continue the service legacy of previous generations by getting involved with a service group, coaching a sports team or helping out with special events. “I know the community and your life – like Dad’s – will be richer in so many ways.”

Photo: Top – Holding his Lakeland College credential, John Stewart is pictured with his children Doug, Lori, Greg, Cam and Susan following his induction as a Distinguished Citizen during Lakeland College's Vermilion campus convocation on Friday, June 2. Bottom  – John, Lakeland VP Academic Mike Crowe, Lakeland President Alice Wainwright-Stewart, and Lakeland Board of Governors Chair Darrel Howell laugh at a story John’s son Doug Stewart shared during John’s induction.

Dream big, dream far and dream often

Since Lakeland College gave him the opportunity to excel, Mike Kotelko likes to return the favour to his alma mater.

Since graduating from the ag systems technician program in 1982, the agribusiness mastermind has served two terms on Lakeland’s Board of Governors and hires Lakeland College alumni to his business, Highland Feeders Ltd., which is the sixth largest feedlot in Canada and one of Alberta’s leading agribusinesses.

“The college has been a huge part of my life and continues to be with employees we hire at the feedlot, and it has certainly been an honour to serve as a board member and contribute back to the college,” says Kotelko, who was inducted to the Lakeland College Alumni Wall of Distinction on Friday, June 2 during the afternoon convocation ceremony at the Vermilion campus.

He recalls his time at Lakeland as a memorable one, saying he made the greatest friends and was exposed to many opportunities.

“Lakeland has helped me excel by exposing me to different operations and ideas. It provided a platform for me to work with my own thoughts and creativity, and build a business from there,” he says.

A few short years after graduating, Kotelko along with his father Jack, Class of ’38, and brother Bern diversified their Vegreville, Alta. grain operation to include a purebred cattle farm. He then helped expand the family farm - which was settled by their Ukrainian ancestors in 1918 - into a 6,000-acre feedlot with 36,000 head of cattle.

Kotelko is the co-inventor of Integrated Manure Utilisation System biogas digester technology that is used at Highland, and co-founder of Himark BioGas, a waste-to-energy technology and engineering services company.

It is because of this success that he advised the 2017 graduates to follow their heart and not accept no for an answer.

“Don't let failure stop you – jump over the hurdles and be energetic about things. The challenges that are presented to you become opportunities, so follow those things and enjoy what you are doing,” he says. “Dream big, dream far and dream often – anything is attainable. There is no such thing as never being able to achieve anything.”

Photo: Mike Kotelko (right) was inducted to the Lakeland College Alumni Wall of Distinction and provided a plaque by Georgina Altman, VP advancement and external relations, during Lakeland College's Vermilion campus convocation ceremony on Friday, June 2, 2017.

Lakeland's President's Medal recipient came into her own by taking lead

Casey Finstad will remember her Lakeland College experience as one that nourished her leadership capabilities and helped her come into her own.

“It has been an absolute honour to have been selected to receive the President’s Medal. I was heavily involved with the school, which made my experience so great. I was happy to contribute everything I could to the college,” she says. “Coming to Lakeland has helped me bloom and become comfortable in my own skin. I realized how much of a leader I can be if I push myself a little bit further - I can do amazing things.”

Finstad, a graduate of the western ranch and cow horse in 2015 and animal science technology program in 2017, immersed herself in active roles in her third and final year at Lakeland College.  She was finance officer of the Students’ Association at the Vermilion campus and manager of the commercial beef research unit on the Student-Managed Farm (SMF) – Powered by New Holland.

She was also a member of the Stock Dog club and for two years, the Rustlers’ rowing team. She attended the Student Leadership Conference in Niagara, Ont. in November 2016, represented Lakeland at a meet-and-greet with New Holland and student speaker event, and spoke on behalf of award recipients at the 2017 Donor Celebration.

“After my second year I realized I had one more year left and as a student, I wanted to be as involved as I could. I didn’t want to sit back and watch the year go by,” she says of her lengthy extracurricular resume.

Finstad received the Jason Lang Scholarship, Centennial President’s Leadership Scholarship, ARAMARK Canada Ltd. Award, and the Centennial Agricultural Sciences Achievement Award. 

This summer, Finstad will be working at Western Beef Development Centre in Lanigan, Sask. Afterward  she’ll move home to Etzikom, Alta., to help her family with harvest.  

“It has been quite the journey here; it has been three years and I am finally done. It is bittersweet to put an end to it, but it is definitely an experience I won’t forget,” she says.

To future students, Finstad encourages them to get involved and not be afraid to take the lead when the opportunity presents itself.

Photo: Casey Finstad, graduate of the animal science technology program, receives the President’s Medal for the Vermilion campus from Alice Wainwright-Stewart, president and CEO, Lakeland College, during the convocation ceremony on Friday, June 2..

Seize the moment advice from medalist

Seizing the moment is what Kendall Stewart, business administration diploma graduate, credits to his President's Medal recognition.

"This award means a lot to me. I worked hard and participated in many extracurricular activities at Lakeland College. There have been lots of opportunities and I tried to seize as many as I could,” Stewart says.

Stewart received the accolade during the Lloydminster campus convocation ceremony on Friday, May 26. The President’s Medal is the most prestigious award given out by Lakeland College. It recognizes a graduating student - nominated by faculty, support staff, and students - who excelled in both academic excellence and leadership in student activities. Medalists are chosen from both the Lloydminster and Vermilion campuses.

At Lakeland, Stewart was a student ambassador, member of the business case team and business club, and participated in Synergy Speakers’ Corner, all of which provided him the opportunity to grow outside the classroom.

 “Being a member of the case team is something I am grateful for - going down to Lethbridge and competing at the 12th annual Alberta Deans of Business Case Competition. It took a lot of practice and extra time, so I feel I made the most out of that and my entire college career.”

An influential element of his college career was the guidance from business instructor Ben Acquaye, Stewart added.

“Ben was a huge part of my education here. Public speaking was one thing I wanted to strengthen and he helped me with that. I also had him as a mentor in the case and business clubs. It is always fun around Ben, he is a great person.”

Acquaye says throughout Stewart’s time at Lakeland, he showed the attributes necessary to receive the President’s Medal, including strong community involvement and support for other students. He also excelled academically.

“He is very willing to learn, which a good attribute for anybody. He will do very well going forward,” Acquaye says. “Kendall’s ability to work with other people is a skill he sharpened during his time here, so it doesn’t surprise me that he considers the case team to be one of his major highlights.”

Currently, Stewart is using the skill set he acquired at Lakeland in the workforce, with plans to start his own business. His advice to future students and graduates is to “do all you can do.”

“You are here for a short amount of time, so do your best, study when you need to, and don’t procrastinate. Other than that, get involved in whatever you can.”

Photo: Kendall Stewart, graduate of the business administration diploma program, receives the President’s Medal for the Lloydminster campus from Alice Wainwright-Stewart, president and CEO, Lakeland College, during the convocation ceremony on Friday, May 26.

Dedication to education leads to prestigious accolade

Following her second round of post-secondary studies, Deanna Heather couldn’t hide her shock when she became the recipient of the Governor General’s Academic Medal.

The animal science technology graduate received the honour at Lakeland College’s convocation ceremony at the Vermilion campus on Friday, June 2.

“More than anything, I wasn't expecting anything like that,” Heather says. “I had been to university before, so this time around I was definitely here for the learning. That made a big difference because I wanted to do my best and focus on my studies.”

The medal is awarded to the student who graduates with the highest academic standing in a diploma-level post-secondary program. Her medal is numbered and engraved with the Crest of the Royal Arms of Canada, and Heather will be registered with the Chancellery of Canadian Orders and Decoration at Rideau Hall in Ottawa, Ont.

Heather was a member of the Ag Tour Club and organized a tour of a local bison farm, member of the Lakeland Animal Care Committee, peer tutor, and continuously stayed involved with the Student-Managed Farm – Powered by New Holland. Outside of Lakeland, she was a member of the Vermilion Curling Club and an assistant coach with the Vermilion Junior Curling program.

Her efforts didn’t go unnoticed at Lakeland, as she received multiple scholarships and bursaries including the Louise McKinney Post-Secondary Scholarship, Ron and Faith Kenyon Academic Award, Highland Feeders Agricultural Leadership Award, and the Leonard and Mary Burton Farm Management Award.

After earning an education degree and teaching for a few years, Heather decided to expand her opportunities with an agriculture education.

“I decided that I wanted to farm as well as teach, so I did a lot of research and Lakeland seemed to have the best cattle-based program in the province,” she says.

Over the course of the two years she attended Lakeland, Heather says the small classroom sizes, lasting friendships, and student-led opportunities made her experience a valuable one.

“The most valuable thing for me was acting as the finance manager for the commercial beef unit. I think that gave me useful skills that I can use after college.”

This fall the Milo, Alta., native will be teaching in Vulcan County, as well as buying a small herd of cows.

Photo: Deanna Heather, graduate of the animal science technology program, is awarded the Governor General’s Academic Medal - for having the highest academic standing at Lakeland College – by Darrel Howell, chair, Board of Governors, Lakeland College.

Jenny Arts (right) and her grandmother June MacMillan (left) repeated their generation alumni photo two years after Arts earned an environmental sciences diploma. Her brother Ardon was also a third generation alumnus.

Arts was one of two three-generation alumni recognized at the three convocation ceremonies in 2017.

Lloydminster

Kyla Andersen, Business Administration
Mother: Kari Heinemann-Andersen, Class of 1986
Braelene Barlow,(left) Business Administration
Grandmother: Inez Curtis (right), Class of1993
Shelby Dimmel, Heavy  Oil Power Engineering
Mother:  Marina McKechnie-Dimmel,  Class of 1983 Father: Randy Dimmel, Class  of 1984
Meagan Yakimowich, Heavy  Oil Power Engineering
Father: Ken Yakimowich, Class of 1987

Vermilion - morning

Traye Armitage,  Street Rod Techonology 
Father: Jason Armitage, .Class of 1993  Mother: Charity Pozdzik-Armitage, Class of 1992
Jenny Arts,  Bachelor or Applied Science: Environmental Management 
Grandmother: June Sterling-McMillan, Class of 1958 Great Grandmother: Jannet Edgeson-Sterling, Class of 1939
Jordan Carstairs,  Early Learning and Child Care 
Mother: Tricia Martin-Carstairs, Class of 1989
Seanna Ewasiuk,  Bachelor or Applied Science: Environmental Management 
Mother: Shannon Ballas, Class of 1986
Carley Fadden,  Child and Youth Care 
Father: Darcy Fadden, Class of 1989
Meagan Giddings,  Conservation and Restoration 
Father: Scott Giddings, Class of 1987
Duncan Kirk,  Wildlife and Fisheries 
Father: Clinton Kirk, Class of 1990
Hannah Musterer, (left) Conservation and Restoration 
Mother: Starlene Futoransky-Musterer, Class of 1985. VP Mike Crow presented her with her generation pin.
Cody Petracek,  Environmental Monitoring and Protection 
Mother: Connie Petracek-Hill, Class of 1999 
Caitlin Ronnmark,  Early Learning and Child Care
Grandmother: Kathleen Koehli-Todd, Class of 1970 
Erin Tyner,  Educational Assistant 
Great Grandmother: Grace Clark-Hesby, Class of 1935  

Vermilion - afternoon

Dustin Babij, Crop Technology
Mother: Patricia West-Babij, Class of 1986 Great Grandfather: Fred West, Class of 1928
Alyson Brad, Animal Health Technology
Father: Neil Brad, Class of 1984
Cheyenne Catley, Animal Science Technology
Mother: Tracey Usselman-Catley, Class of 1987 Father: Trent Catley, Class of 1989
Cole Dodgson, (right) Animal Science Technology
Grandfather: Rick Dodgson, Class of 1967. Distinguished alumnus Mike (left) Kotelsko presented the alumni generation pin.

Kristen Evans, Crop Technology
Mother: Jeanne Hood-Evans, Class of 1986
Devon Fox, Animal Science Technology
Great Grandparents: (Molly Sutherland) Fox and Jonathon Fox, Class of 1938
Zoe Gray, Animal Health Technology
Father: Ralph Gray, Class of 2007
Ryan McLean, Crop Technology
Mother: Heather Bauer-McLean, Class of 1987 Father: Patrick McLean, Class of 1998
Lee Morey, Agribusiness
Mother: Tracy Pfannmuller-Morey, Class of 1987 Father: David Morey, Class of 1987
Amber Prichard, Veterinary Medical Assistant
Grandmother: Jean Huyghe-Prichard, Class of 1954 Great Grandfather: Wayne Prichard, Class of 1928
John Storch, Animal Science Technology
Mother: Louise Morin-Storch, Class of 1990 Father:Jim Storch, Class of 1990 & 2009