6 Sault College grads we're extremely proud of

NEWS RELEASE

SAULT COLLEGE

**************************** Sault College graduates nominated for Premier’s Awards

SAULT STE. MARIE - Six graduates from Sault College are among just over 100 nominees for this year’s Premier’s Awards for outstanding college graduates, which will be awarded Monday, November 28, at a gala event in Toronto. 

Nominations are submitted by Ontario's public colleges in six categories: Business, Creative Arts and Design, Community Services, Health Sciences, Technology and Recent Graduate.

“The Premier’s Awards celebrate the many successes of Ontario’s college graduates,” said Dr. Ron Common, Sault College president. “We are proud of the achievements of all of our graduates, including these nominees, and are pleased to see them being honoured in this way.”

This year’s nominees from Sault College include:

- Business - Peter Politis, mayor of the Town of Cochrane, graduate of Forestry Technician and Forest Management Technology

- Community Services - Brenda Combs, executive director of Nimkii-Naabkawagan Family Crisis Shelter, graduate of Developmental Service Worker

- Creative Arts and Design - Lee Chambers, film professor and producer/ director Make It Short Film Project, graduate of Advertising Art and Graphic Design

- Health Sciences - Tracy Buckler, president and chief executive officer of St. Joseph’s Care Group, graduate of Registered Nursing

- Technology - Dr. Matt Alexander, senior environmental scientist/ hydrogeologist at Fundy Engineering, graduate of Environmental Engineering Technology

- Recent Graduate - Jessica Wendling, owner of FuzedNotions Creative Studio Inc. , graduate of Graphic Design

These graduates were selected by Sault College as individuals who demonstrate outstanding career success related to their college experience, along with having made significant contributions to their respective communities. 

“It is with pride that we congratulate these nominees,” states Rick Wark, chair of the Sault College Alumni Association. “These nominees are six in a long list of Sault College alumni who have taken the academic and applied skills they graduated with from Sault College and have been able to use them to build upon to achieve exceptional career success.” 

The Premier’s Awards ceremony takes place Monday evening at the Sheraton hotel in Toronto.

More than 600 people, including several attendees from Sault College, are expected to attend the celebration, which is part of the college sector’s annual conference, the Higher Education Summit.

A distinguished panel was assembled to judge this year’s awards, including John Breakey (co-founder and CEO, Unis Lumin Inc.), Kevin Constante (deputy minister, Ministry of Education), Laura Formusa (president and CEO, Hydro One), Sue Graham Parker (senior vice-president, public, corporate and government Affairs, Scotiabank), Mary Ito (host of Fresh Air, CBC Radio 1), Frances Lankin (commissioner, Commission for the Review of Social Assistance in Ontario), and Giselle Queenville (host of Panorama, TFO).

“Every one of our nominees has achieved excellence,” Dr. Ron Common said. “These awards honour their achievements and remind us of the value of higher education in Ontario.”   ****************************