More than 7,000 new graduates will be recognized at Conestoga’s fall convocation ceremonies from November 6 to 10. The event, held at Bingemans Conference Centre in Kitchener, is a culmination of hard work, passion and commitment in celebration of academic achievements.
“Conestoga graduates are known across their communities and around the world for their talent, drive and entrepreneurial spirit,” said Conestoga President John Tibbits. “It is an honour to recognize the accomplishments of our newest graduates who will use their skills and knowledge to help build stronger, more prosperous communities.”
In conjunction with the celebration, the Conestoga community will also recognize several college-wide achievements:
The Mastercraft Award will be presented to Mechanical Engineering Technology - Robotics and Automation students Lisa Baillieul-Fine, Christian Barry, Joel Drake, Kohl Grevenstein, Adrian Hudson, Josiah Klynstra, Ryan Mcsheffery, Tyler Mihkelson, Jonathan Ramlall, Guilherme Santos and David Vuong. The award recognizes student achievement in program-related technical skills as demonstrated at the college’s Tech Showcase.
For their winning project, the team developed an automated pill sorting, packaging and labelling system. Toggle Bit Automation was designed to assist pharmacists with organizing patient pill requirements into a blister pack. The fully automated system incorporates robots, controllers, vision systems and handling to reduce the risk of manual pill sorting and human contact contamination.
Alivia Chanyi, an Aviation - General Arts and Science graduate, will receive the President’s Award of Excellence in Student Leadership. The award recognizes a student who has demonstrated positive leadership through their contributions to the program, the college or the community and has supported students and the development of future student leaders.
Chanyi is a first-generation female pilot who found her passion for aviation through a sightseeing flight more than five years ago. She advocates for the industry through volunteer positions that inspire young females to pursue careers in aviation. Chanyi has been recognized with numerous program awards for her professionalism and achievements and was nominated for a 2023 Kitchener-Waterloo Oktoberfest Rogers Women of the Year Award.
The Governor General’s Academic Medal - Silver will be presented to Bachelor of Engineering - Electronic Systems Engineering graduate Spencer Cave. The award recognizes the graduating student who achieves the highest academic average for all courses in a bachelor’s degree program.
Caitlin Harvey, a graduate of the Early Childhood Education program, will be presented with the Governor General’s Academic Medal - Bronze. The award recognizes the graduating student who achieves the highest academic average for all courses in a diploma program.
The Aubrey Hagar Distinguished Teaching Award will be presented to Debashis Dutta, a professor in the School of Community Services. The award recognizes a faculty member for outstanding contribution and leadership in the teaching-learning process.
All ceremonies will be live streamed and recordings will be made available through the college’s website.
Conestoga’s alumni network is now over 180,000 strong, with graduates from across the region and around the world using their knowledge and skills to launch successful careers and impact their industries and communities.
For more information, visit the convocation web page.