Red Deer Polytechnic 2023 Convocation (rdnewsNOW/Alessia Proietti)

By Alessia Proietti

Recognizing achievements

Red Deer Polytechnic encourages graduates to get involved in community at 2023 Convocation

Jun 2, 2023 | 2:17 PM

Red Deer Polytechnic (RDP) celebrated the Class of 2023 on Friday with families, community members and employees at the 59th Convocation Ceremonies.

More than 620 of 1,470 eligible RDP graduates attended in the Gary W. Harris Canada Games Centre. Little Buffalo Drum Group welcomed the graduates with an Indigenous Grand Entry Song, performed to acknowledge and celebrate significant achievements in life.

“Convocation is the most important day of the academic year, when we come together as a community to celebrate our graduates and all they have achieved,” said Stuart Cullum, RDP President.

His first convocation as the President, he said it was a memorable experience to see the beaming smiles of students and have an amazing staff behind him to share the celebration.

“We’re all responsible to be good citizens of the world,” he said. “We have a community of graduates representing a diversity of programs that have a lot to offer our community and our world.”

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“Keep your options open, look for the right opportunities and have fun. Use your credentials to its fullest extent,” his advice was to graduates.

Red Deer Polytechnic President Stuart Cullum hands degree to graduate at 2023 Convocation. (rdnewsNOW/Alessia Proietti)

New this year are the first graduating classes of RDP’s Bachelor of Science in Biological Sciences, Business Certificate, Business Diploma, Business Certificate Skywings and Bachelor of Applied Arts in Film, Theatre, and Live Entertainment – Film Production.

RDP Board of Governors Chair Guy Pelletier said the Polytechnic’s integration of workplace experience with education attracts students to the region and encourages them to stay in the area following graduation.

While Cullum says the student population is roughly equal between locals and those from outside the Red Deer region, Pelletier added that their indigenous students are also proportionally representative.

Pelletier’s advice for graduates is to get involved and contribute in their communities to make the world a better place.

“Whether it’s in their workplace, their community association, whatever drives their spirit; community is made up of all of them, all of us,” he said, adding that alumni can get involved with the Polytechnic through their Board or mentorship opportunities.

Erin Bast, graduate from the Legal Assistant program and returning for Open Studies towards a Business degree, is doing just that as the new Students’ Association President.

She says she is excited to advocate for student issues, like food and housing insecurities, as well as ensuring the increasing international students are looked after.

Brittany Parker received the Governor General’s Academic Medal (Collegiate Bronze Level), achieving the highest academic standing among all graduates from the Polytechnic’s diploma-level programs. Parker completed an Occupational and Physical Therapist Assistant Diploma, earning seven grades of A+ and a GPA of 4.0 during the 2022/2023 academic year.

“To earn the Governor General’s Academic Medal takes hard work, commitment and effective time management,” said Dr. Paulette Hanna, Interim Vice President Academic. “Brittany has demonstrated these important skills throughout her time at Red Deer Polytechnic and we are very proud of her accomplishments. We wish Brittany well as she embarks on her career.”

The graduates now join a group of more than 80,000 RDP alumni.

The institution also granted Honorary Bachelor of Interdisciplinary Studies Degrees to both Dr. James Barmby and Dr. Russell Schnell for providing meaningful impact in Alberta and around the world.

READ: RDP announces two honorary degree recipients for 2023

They join a group of nine other individuals who have also received Honorary Degrees from RDP. The Polytechnic first began bestowing this honour in 2014.

For more information, visit the RDP website.