Stephen Gaskin, Senior Vice-President, Ontario Region, Scotiabank Delivers Third of Four Convocation Ceremonies
(Left to Right) Mr. Stephen Gaskin, Senior Vice-President, Ontario region, Scotiabank; Loyalist College President and CEO Maureen Piercy; and Loyalist College Board Chair June Hagerman
Belleville, Ontario, June 10, 2016 – At the 49th Annual Convocation Ceremony this morning, 374 graduates in the School of Applied Sciences, Skills and Technology and School of Business were presented with 394 Ontario College Advanced Diplomas, Diplomas and Certificates. The College also presented 21 Loyalist College Career and College Prep Certificates and 41 Automotive Apprenticeships. The Convocation Ceremony was the third of four, recognizing a total of 1,887 Loyalist graduates.
Loyalist President and CEO Maureen Piercy addressed graduating students, “You are joining a great family of Loyalist alumni – a family with 40,000 members! I am also a proud Loyalist graduate, and I am always impressed with the fact that Loyalist grads are everywhere, contributing to their professions and their communities.” She introduced guest speaker Mr. Stephen Gaskin, the Senior Vice-President, Ontario region, at Scotiabank. He leads the regional strategy for acquiring, retaining and deepening customer relationships to drive loyal and profitable growth for retail and small business.
“One of your best character traits in this new economy is going to be your ability to be adaptable to changing circumstances,” said Mr. Gaskin. “I encourage you to be positive. Never give up. Don’t be afraid to change direction or chart a new course. Whatever you decide to do, don’t just be good at it – be great at it. Accept and learn from inevitable failures along the way, and be resilient to the one constant we all experience – change. I am a proud alumnus of this College. I know you will represent this institution well. You will take pride in now calling yourselves Alumni of Loyalist College.”
In recognition of his exceptional career in the banking industry as well as his contributions and leadership to his community, Chair of the Loyalist Board of Governors June Hagerman presented Stephen Gaskin with an Honorary Diploma, the College’s highest academic tribute. Mr. Gaskin, a 1985 graduate of the Real Estate Assessment, Appraisal and Management program at Loyalist, was also presented with the Hugh P. O’Neil Outstanding Alumni Award by Mrs. Donna O’Neil, and College President and CEO Maureen Piercy.
Among other distinctions presented Friday morning was The W. Garfield Weston Foundation Fellowship, designed to build awareness of skilled trades, develop interest in skilled trades careers, and support students entering and currently studying in skilled trades. During the course of their studies, recipients who maintain a specified minimum average may receive up to $4,000 in bursaries from The W. Garfield Weston Foundation and tuition credits from the College. The Fellowship, which began as a pilot project at Loyalist College in 2013, will provide financial support for more than 130 students entering skilled trades programs. Forty-one Fellows graduated this year, in Automotive Apprenticeship, Construction Renovation Techniques, Electrical Techniques, Mechanical Techniques, Motive Power Fundamentals, Welding Techniques, Electrical Engineering Technician – Industrial, Manufacturing Engineering Technician, Motive Power Technician – Service and Management, and Welding and Fabrication Technician.
About Loyalist College
We put you to work™. When it comes to grads getting jobs, 87.4 percent of the College’s most recent graduates found employment within six months of graduation compared to the provincial average of 83.6 percent, according to Provincial Key Performance Indicator (KPI) results released in April 2016. Located on more than 200 acres in the beautiful Bay of Quinte region, Loyalist College is a close-knit community where students and their success come first. Loyalist provides personalized attention in small classes, rewarding field placements and superior student services. To prepare students for in-demand careers, Loyalist offers more than 60 full-time programs; apprenticeships; and hundreds of online, distance and in-class courses, as well as opportunities for continuing education through more than 70 university transfer agreements. The College’s wide selection of advanced diplomas, diplomas and certificates aligns with market-driven disciplines including applied sciences, biosciences, building sciences, business and management studies, health sciences, human studies, justice studies, media, arts and design, and skills and technology. In Ontario, the College’s new Digital Media Centre and the LEED® Silver certified Sustainable Skills, Technology and Life Sciences Centre are training centres of choice for students, as well as College business and industry partners. The College is a key driver of the social and economic health and prosperity of the area and contributes 5.4 percent to the Gross Regional Product. This represents an overall effect on the regional economy of $530 million – based on a 2014 Report by Economic Modeling Specialists International (EMSI). For more information on the College’s Belleville and Bancroft campuses, visit loyalistcollege.com.
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Contact: Kerry Lorimer, Director of Marketing and Communications,
Loyalist College, klorimer@loyalistc.on.ca, (613) 969-1913, ext. 2536
Loyalist President and CEO Maureen Piercy, left, and Mrs. Donna O’Neil, right, presented Mr. Stephen Gaskin, a 1985 graduate of the Real Estate Assessment, Appraisal and Management program at Loyalist, with the Hugh P. O’Neil Outstanding Alumni Award