ACC celebrates record number of grads

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This article was published 17/06/2023 (1021 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Assiniboine Community College capped off its biggest graduation season yet with a ceremony at the Keystone Centre on Friday that featured students from the school’s campuses in Brandon, Winnipeg and Portage la Prairie.

Combined with ACC’s Parkland grad ceremony from June 9, college officials recognized approximately 1,248 graduates this month, although the total number of graduates for the 2022-23 academic year is more than 1,570.

Because of the increased number of students, ACC president Mark Frison told the Sun they were forced to split this year’s Brandon ceremony into a morning and afternoon portion for the very first time, which highlights the college’s growth over the past decade.

“When I was president 10 years ago, we had fewer than 1,000 graduates, but there’s been a steady climb,” Frison said following Friday morning’s ceremony.

“There was a slight setback during COVID, but … I think some of that has already worked its way through. Part of [the recovery] is just way more opportunities at ACC, and I think we’re going to see even more of that in the future.”

The sheer scale of Friday’s festivities was definitely welcome to valedictorian Brittany Blair, who began her studies in business administration online due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

However, Blair transitioned to in-person learning during her final year and quickly immersed herself in campus life, assuming the role of vice-president of operations for the school’s student union and raising funds for community groups like the Brandon Friendship Centre.

Being a mother of two and a business owner, Blair remarked on Friday that balancing these new responsibilities wasn’t always easy, especially when she had to sacrifice time with her family to finish a school assignment or study for an exam.

But thanks to support from her family and members of the ACC community, Blair said she was able to make it through the other side and obtain her marketing degree, which will hopefully set a good example for her children moving forward.

“It demonstrates to my kids that the sacrifices and hard work it takes to get [your diploma] only makes getting there that much better,” she said on Friday.

“Doing difficult things builds our confidence and reinforces to ourselves [the idea] that we can do amazing things. It inspires us to reach higher.”

Fellow business administration graduate Sarah Kolody was similarly jubilant about finally picking up her human resource management diploma on Friday, since she’s been working toward finishing this two-year course since January 2020.

Outside of contending with the disruption brought about because of the pandemic, the single mother of two told the Sun that she also endured a brain injury and severe mental health issues, variables that put her academic career in jeopardy.

Thankfully, Kolody said she was able to persevere with the support of members of her family, ACC administration and groups like Manitoba Possible, which gave her the emotional strength and financial support she needed to finally graduate and score a job at Wheat City Electric earlier this year.

“School can be hard and stressful,” she said during a student barbecue immediately following the Friday morning ceremony.

“You definitely have your downs. But there are definitely people who can help you and be there for you. It’s just mind-blowing how understanding they are.”

This year’s ACC grad ceremony in Brandon also marked a major first for former mayor Rick Chrest, who accepted an honorary diploma in community development alongside his wife, Karen.

Despite his success as a municipal politician and local business owner, Chrest admitted on Friday that he never received a post-secondary degree until now.

While this speaks to the changing nature of the job market over the last couple decades, the former mayor told ACC’s class of 2023 that they are actually much better equipped to take on the world after seeking out the realm of higher education, unlike him.

“The sky is the limit for each and every one of you,” Chrest said, addressing graduates directly.

“Your family and friends are proud of you. You should be proud of you. I have high hopes for all of you. I believe in all of you.”

Overall, this year’s graduating ceremony at the Keystone Centre showcased ACC students from 77 certificate, diploma, apprenticeship and post-graduate programs, including early childhood education, public safety, practical nursing, applied plumbing installation and culinary arts.

» kdarbyson@brandonsun.com

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