College to celebrate almost 4,000 new graduates at Spring Virtual Convocation June 21-25

Niagara College’s Class of 2021 will celebrate the culmination of their studies on a high note – with help from Canadian singer/songwriter/musician Sarah Blackwood.

The leading member of Juno-award-winning band Walk Off the Earth will bring her voice of inspiration to 3,872 of Niagara’s graduating students at the College’s upcoming Spring Virtual Convocation ceremonies. Blackwood will be the special guest speaker and an honorary diploma recipient during the ceremonies, which will take place over five days with 10 virtual events broadcast live from the Welland Campus.

“I am so happy to announce that I will be your spring 2021 convocation speaker,” said Blackwood in a video message addressing the Class of 2021 graduates. “Make sure to join in the virtual celebrations June 21^st to the 25^th as we honour your hard work and all your accomplishments.”

NC president Sean Kennedy noted that the College seeks to offer graduates an exceptional convocation experience after what has been an academic year like no other; many students completed a portion of their programs remotely, while some have not been to campus at all.

“We are thrilled to welcome Sarah Blackwood as our guest speaker, knowing that her extraordinary voice of inspiration will surely strike a chord with our graduates and their families,” said Kennedy. “While we are unable to gather in person, we believe it is vital to continue the tradition of honouring our graduates before they embark on the next chapter of their lives, and we look forward to hosting what will truly be an event to remember.”

College to reach 100,000^th grad milestone

As the College gears up for spring convocation, it also prepares to reach a highly-anticipated historic milepost: its 100,000^th graduate. The identity of the 100,000^thunique graduate – those with multiple NC credentials have only been counted once – will be revealed at the moment the College hits the mark during one of 10 ceremonies, when the graduate’s name is about to be read aloud.

“We look forward to celebrating our 100,000^th graduate along with our growing global alumni community at our upcoming spring convocation ceremonies,” said Marc Nantel, vice-president, Research and External Relations. “This meaningful milestone is a testament to the strength and international reach of our College, which few people would have imagined when we first opened our doors over 50 years ago.”

Virtual ceremonies

Plans for spring convocation follow the resounding success of NC’s trailblazing virtual convocation ceremonies in June and October 2020, as the College continues to comply with ongoing gathering restrictions and safety measures during the global COVID-19 pandemic.

The live, interactive virtual ceremonies will contain many treasured elements of NC’s traditional in-person convocation events – including inspiring speeches and the call-outs of each graduate’s name – while leveraging the use of technology and the College’s broadcasting expertise to connect graduates remotely.

President Kennedy and vice president, Academic, Fiona Allan will preside over each ceremony from the Welland Campus, as a team of students from theBroadcasting – Radio, Television and Film program work behind the scenes, alongside staff and faculty, to bring the ceremony broadcast into the homes of viewers around the world.

As they watch the ceremony in real time, graduates are also invited to connect with their classmates through pre-organized Zoom program parties and make a virtual appearance during the ceremony broadcast.

Convocation will incorporate video well-wishes from faculty, staff, alumni and more. The College has also created a custom social media experience for graduates and guests to post and view live reactions, photos, and messages shared with the hashtag #NCGrad2021 during the ceremonies.

Visit the College’s Spring Virtual Convocation site to view the ceremony schedule or to access the livestream at niagaracollege.ca/virtualconvocation/.

Niagara College offers more than 130 diploma, bachelor degree and advanced level programs; as well as more than 600 credit, vocational and general interest Part-Time Studies courses. Areas of specialization include food and wine science, advanced technology, media, applied health and community safety, supported by unique learning enterprises in food, wine, beer, distilling, horticulture and esthetics. Visit niagaracollege.ca