The Grande Prairie Regional College is honouring the achievements of its students from both the Grande Prairie and Fairview campuses with a virtual convocation celebration Friday. Due to ongoing concerns over the COVID-19 pandemic, both in-person convocation ceremonies were cancelled, but the college created a virtual convocation to celebrate graduates from their homes.
“As my first graduating class as President and CEO, I wish we could be celebrating together in-person, but no circumstance, not even a global pandemic, could take away from what you’ve worked so tirelessly to achieve,” says Robert Murray, addressing the graduating class.
2020 Fairview Valedictorian, Victoria Ivanus, is an Animal Health Technology diploma graduate and will be representing her fellow classmates virtually.
“I know how hard my classmates, and everyone else on the Fairview campus, have worked to get here,” says Ivanus. “This is why it’s such an honour to have the privilege to represent them as their valedictorian.”
Grande Prairie campus’ valedictorian, Educational Assistant Certificate graduate Jillian Brace, praises her fellow classmates for their resiliency over the course of the unexpected conclusion to their experiences at GPRC.
“The class of 2020 faced and overcame challenges unheard of in past years. When the COVID-19 pandemic hit like a storm and our campuses were closed, we didn’t waver for a single second. The quality of work that came from the students graduating this year is undeniable.”
Leading up to the virtual celebrations, students, staff, and community members were offered an opportunity to submit congratulatory messages to graduates via the college’s website. The celebration is open to graduates and the entire GPRC community and is available to view at the GPRC website.