49th Commander of 8 Wing Trenton Colonel Colin Keiver Addresses Graduating Students at the Second of Four 50th Anniversary Convocation Ceremonies
(L-R) Convocation speaker Colonel Colin Keiver, 49th Commander of 8 Wing Trenton, is presented with an Honorary Diploma by Chair of the Loyalist College Board of Governors June Hagerman
Belleville, Ontario, June 8, 2017 – On the afternoon of June 8 at Loyalist College’s 50th Annual Convocation Ceremony, 321 graduating students in the School of Applied Sciences, Skills and Technology and the School of Health, Human and Justice Studies were recognized with Ontario College Advanced Diplomas, Diplomas and Certificates. The ceremony was the second of four, recognizing a total of 1,819 graduates.
Loyalist President and CEO Ann Marie Vaughan addressed graduating students and guests, “It’s a year of many milestones – with the 150th Anniversary of our country and province, the 200th Anniversary of the City of Belleville, and of course the 50th Anniversary of Loyalist College! 2017 is also a special year of recognition of the 100th Anniversary of Vimy Ridge. The poppies displayed at the front of the auditorium are placed here to remind us all of this important part of our history as a country, and to honour all those who have served and continue to serve in our military. We are honoured to have Colonel Colin Keiver with us today to deliver the Convocation address.”
Born and raised on a farm in Alberta, Colonel Keiver’s love of aviation emerged early. He has logged almost 5,000 hours of Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) flight time in his career. Colonel Keiver was the 27th Commanding Officer of 436 Transport Squadron from 2010 to 2012 and in 2015 was appointed the 49th Commander of 8 Wing Trenton, the largest base in the RCAF. He holds a BA degree in Political Science, a Masters in Defence Studies and is a graduate of the Royal College of Defence Studies in London, UK.
“Learning and personal development need to be lifelong activities,” said Colonel Keiver. “This applies to both your professional and personal lives. It will become even more important as you move on in your careers and have people working for you. Your single greatest responsibility will be to ensure they are as ready as they can be for what you are going to ask them to do. The most important thing is to be ready to learn because if there is one certainty in this world, it is change.”
In recognition of his exceptional and distinguished career and service to Canada and the Canadian Forces, Colonel Keiver was presented with an Honorary Diploma by Chair of the Loyalist Board of Governors June Hagerman.
Valedictorian Daniel Schell, a 2017 Loyalist Public Relations graduating student, addressed his peers, “Let’s be known as a group of people, living from the mission statement of being secretly incredible; living our everyday lives, believing deeply that when we decide to live every day for the good of others, that we can make a difference. Let’s make our legacy be a belief that we can change the world for the better, loving what we do, doing it with love, one day at a time.”
Among various Achievement Awards presented to graduating students was the new MADD Quinte Award, presented to Kaytlin Jean Karges of Foxboro.
About Loyalist College
Located on more than 200 acres in the beautiful Bay of Quinte region, Loyalist College is a close-knit community where students and their success come first. Loyalist provides personalized attention in small classes, rewarding field placements and superior student services. To prepare students for in-demand careers, Loyalist offers more than 65 full-time programs; apprenticeships; and hundreds of online, distance and in-class courses, as well as opportunities for continuing education through more than 70 university transfer agreements. The College’s wide selection of advanced diplomas, diplomas and certificates aligns with market-driven disciplines including applied sciences, biosciences, building sciences, business and management studies, health sciences, human studies, justice studies, media, arts and design, and skills and technology. In Ontario, the College’s new Digital Media Centre and The Bay of Quinte Skills Centre, which is LEED® Silver certified, are training centres of choice for students, as well as College business and industry partners. The College is a key driver of the social and economic health and prosperity of the area and contributes 5.4 percent to the Gross Regional Product. This represents an overall effect on the regional economy of $530 million annually – based on a 2014 Report by Economic Modeling Specialists International (EMSI). For more information on the College’s Belleville and Bancroft campuses, visit loyalistcollege.com.
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Contact: Kerry Lorimer, Director of Marketing and Communications,
Loyalist College, klorimer@loyalistc.on.ca, (613) 969-1913, ext. 2536