Wider Horizons

2016

Jonathan Guignard, Digital Communications and Media

Jonathan is a new reporter at the Westwind Weekly News in Magrath. He is a huge Toronto Blue Jays and Toronto Raptors fan and looks forward to covering the news of southern Alberta.

 

John Manyok, General Studies

Sam Mathon, General Studies

John and Sam, two recent graduates who were featured in the cover story in the spring 2016 issue of Wider Horizons, were accepted in the University of Calgary’s social work program and are looking forward to continuing their studies.

 

Daniel Petker, Multimedia Production

Dan’s online interactive capstone project was featured in Sketchfab, the leading platform to publish and find 3D and VR content, and shows how he created a customizable Dodge Charger model. He created the model of the Charger in Maya, then exported and used Sketchfab to create the interactivity. Sketchfab featured the project as a great example of what can be done with their framework. This project is supported on mobile and is VR ready with support on the Occulus Rift. Dan won the Most Promising Interactive Developer award at Collide-O-Scope this year and has obtained a graphic design position three days after graduation.

 

2015

Gavin Enns, Criminal Justice

Gavin, a hockey ref, was invited to the Western Hockey League's - WHL 2016 High Performance Exposure camp in June. He said it was a very busy weekend both on and off the ice. Enns said refs learned more about the profession and were able to watch video of current WHL refs and dissect how they treated the situation. According to an article in Pembina Valley Online, the biggest lesson Gavin learned from the weekend camp was what it takes to make the jump to the WHL ranks – physical fitness. Gavin is currently a recruit in the college’s Commercial Vehicle Enforcement program.

 

Billie Loder, Business Administration - Accounting 

Billie is attending the University of Lethbridge where he is working on his accounting degree.

 

Logan Schenk, Communication Arts – Broadcast Journalism

Logan is a new reporter at The Mountaineer in Rocky Mountain House, Alta. After graduation, he worked in radio in Dauphin, Man., before moving to Clearwater County. He says he is looking forward to writing about the community and agriculture in particular.

 

2014

Shelby Craig, Communication Arts – Print Journalism

Shelby started working as a reporter for the Lacombe Express in March. In addition to covering local news, Shelby is spearheading the Express’s social media efforts.

 

Lansing Jacobson, Office Administration          

Lansing writes: “Since graduating I have received a position at the University of Lethbridge. I love my job and co-workers.”

 

2013

Steven Hickman, Business Administration - Management

Steven was featured in a May article in the Lloydminster Source describing the seventh annual, bi-provincial Try-a-Trade Career Expo. Steven answered questions from prospective tradespeople about working in the trades and apprenticeship training at his booth. “I just finished my apprenticeship so I feel I am a good fit if they have any questions about the trade or the schooling part of the trade,” he said.

 

Dustin Molleken, Upgrading

After 13 years in the minor leagues, this former PBA pitcher was called up by the Detroit Tigers. In June, he warmed up in the bullpen but didn’t get to pitch in the game, and the Tigers optioned him back to the Toledo Mud Hens. It’s still possible he could return to the Tigers at a later date.

 

Matthew Nyman, Criminal Justice - Policing    

Matthew updated the alumni office with this news: “After completion of my third year of the Criminal Justice BA program, I worked for Paladin Security at the Red Deer Hospital. During this time I was going through the RCMP application process. I went to Depot in Regina at the end of July 2015 and graduated in January 2016. After graduation, I went to Ottawa for two months with my troop to work security on Parliament Hill. I went to my first posting in Manning, AB on April 8.”

 

Keeyah Orr, General Studies

Keeyah was featured in a story in a June issue of the Macleod Gazette highlighting her work with Crystal Cross Child as the new summer program coordinators for Family and Community Support Services. In the article, Keeyah says the summer job program coordinator position ties in to her desire to make a difference in the life of young people.

 

2012    

Steven Brockbank and Sachiko Nakayama, Practical Nursing

Steven writes: “I have worked at the Peter Lougheed since graduating in 2012 as a vascular nurse and work to the full scope of LPN practice. As a vascular unit we recently moved into a new unit within the Peter Lougheed to expand the level of care we provide. I work with great people who are excellent nurses and doctors and am challenged and grow as a nurse constantly. On a personal note I married my wife and fellow LPN graduate of 2012 Sachiko Nakayama on Sept. 7, 2013, and we welcomed our baby boy Kai Lawson Brockbank on Jan. 22, 2016.

 

2011    

Chelsea Cardinal, General Studies

Chelsea told the alumni office she is just two classes away from starting her master’s program.

 

2010

Angela Bourassa, Therapeutic Recreation Gerontology

On May 25, Porcupine Hills Lodge in Claresholm welcomed Angela to its team as the new recreation coordinator. Born and raised in Fort Macleod, Angela grew up around seniors as a volunteers at Extendicare Fort Macleod where her mom worked.

 

Crystal Cross Child, General Studies

Crystal was featured in a story in a June issue of the Macleod Gazette highlighting her work with Keeyah Orr as the new summer program coordinators for Family and Community Support Services. In the article, Cross Child says she sees her job as a great way to provide opportunities for young people and to engage them in the community.

 

2008

Tyler Koyata. Business Administration - Marketing

After graduation, Tyler managed a retail store in the mall for three years before being recruited to work as a support and financial services coordinator with Alberta Works in 2013. Tyler was then promoted to briefly hold the position of career and employment consultant before moving to a new position as the business and industry liaison, the position he holds today although now with the title of career and employment consultant - employment focus. Tyler works primarily with employers in the community, helping them with their recruitment through job postings and job fairs and creating and marketing ads for companies to promote their open positions. He also works with Albertans who are looking for work and has started a “job finding club” with two colleagues in the Alberta Works office.

 

2006

Jillian MacDonald, Communication Arts – Broadcast Journalism

Jillian was one of the finalists on Home to Win, a new series on HGTV Canada that offers Canadian viewers the opportunity to compete for a gorgeous, fully-furnished home, built and furnished by HGTV Canada builders and designers. Jillian, who works as an audio-visual specialist, lost her home in the recent wildfire that ravaged Fort McMurray.

 

2004

Tiffany Wollman, Fashion Design and Marketing

Tiffany showcased her newest collection of beach inspired paintings and waterscapes at an art reception in June. Wollman was introduced to art at an early age and after graduation from Lethbridge College, she travelled to Europe, California and New York before accepting an entrance scholarship and studying Fine Art at the Alberta College of Art and Design. She graduated from the painting program in 2013 with distinction and won the BMO’s first Art Student Invitational Competition for Alberta with her sculptural painting “Pipe”, which was shown with the other National winners at the Museum of Contemporary Canadian Art in Toronto.

 

2002

Ryan MacDonald, Environmental Science - Watershed Management

Dr. Ryan MacDonald was inducted into the alumni honour society at the University of Lethbridge this spring. A three-time alumnus of the university, Ryan has been conducting research and working in the hydrological sciences for more than 10 years. His work on catchment-scale hydrological processes and aquatic ecosystems has played a lead role in the development and application of process-based hydrological models for mountain watersheds. Having established himself as a leader in this critical field, MacDonald regularly works with clients from government, industry, First Nations, and NGOs in Alberta and British Columbia. He continues to collaborate with the University of Lethbridge as an adjunct assistant professor, serving on graduate student committees. He has published numerous peer-reviewed research articles and co-authored two books, making contributions to academia while still providing services to clients from both the private and public sectors.

 

Matt Rolfe, Criminal Justice

Matt was presented with the Camrose and District Kiwanis Club’s Top Cop award in February. Matt is a constable who has worked for the Camrose Police Service for 12 years. He is currently in the patrol division. He just completed a tenure with the K9 police unit, working with the police service dog Mishka until her recent retirement.

 

1999

Chad Nilson, Criminal Justice – Policing

The Centre for Applied Research and Innovation welcomed alumnus Dr. Chad Nilson back to campus in May to lead a pair of Community-Engaged Scholarship Workshops. Chad Nilson is lead investigator at the Living Skies Centre for Social Inquiry at the University of Saskatchewan, where he provides research, evaluation, advising and planning services to various community-based organizations and government agencies in provincial, federal, and aboriginal jurisdiction. The workshops were designed to help reduce the gap between what is practiced in the field and what is taught in the classroom, and to introduce post-secondary professionals to concepts, practices and strategies for effective program evaluation.

 

1998    

Terri Trembath, Communication Arts - Broadcast Journalism   

Terri sent the alumni office this update: “I've managed to weather the ups and downs of changes in the media! I've been in the industry since the day I left college nearly 20 years ago! Cris-crossed the country and planted roots in Calgary. I've been working at the CBC for seven years and live in the city with my wife and 8-month-old twins.”

 

1995 and 2010

Roderick Freeman, Criminal Justice and Correctional Studies    

The alumni office received this update from Roderick: “During my time at the college, I started to work at Sifton for the Government of Alberta as a child and youth care worker. I stayed there for three years and then transferred to Child and Family Services in Crowsnest Pass and started working as an outreach worker through a new project under the Outcomes Based Service Delivery initiative. I remained there for two more years, and then an opportunity came to move back to my community and work as program director for WJS Canada to work with families and youth.”

 

1994 and 2010

Ramin Lahiji, Electronics Technician, Engineering Design and Drafting Technology

Ramin is the engineering and public works manager for the town of Taber and was featured in a May article in the Taber Times discussing his work for the municipality.

 

1991

Tina Andre-Hepple, Business Administration

Tina wrote into the alumni office with this update: “I had a very successful 22-year career with one of the top five charter banks as a financial advisor for lending and investing with personal banking clients and then transitioned into an advisor for small business owners and professional clients. I was looking for a career change and decided to look at options in the post-secondary education world and now work at Lethbridge College as the articulation specialist!”

 

Kristi Bennett, Office/Computer Skills Development

Kristi updated the alumni office with this news: “After I finished the semester with you, I was employed with a law firm for one and a half years. My husband was then transferred to Red Deer where I took more classes at Red Deer College and then graduated with a Bachelor of Education degree in 2000 from their collaborative degree program with the University of Alberta. Thank you for the enjoyable experience I had at Lethbridge College that inspired me to go on with my education. My husband and I are retired now and have just moved back to Lethbridge.”

 

1989 and 1990

Simon Tatlow, Renewable Resources Management and Conservation Enforcement

Simon is the new Fish and Wildlife Officer in Fairview, Alta. He has worked for Fish and Wildlife for 21 years. He was featured in an article in the Fairview Post where he discussed his work - including dealing with bears and his excitement to be in the Peace region.

 

1977

Diane Shanks, Nursing

Diane was featured in an article in a May article in the Lethbridge Herald celebrating National Nursing Week, which recognized more than 400,000 Canadian nurses for their dedication to the profession. Diane is the critical care and emergency director at Chinook Regional Hospital. Her career has mostly focused on hospital nursing, but she has taken on many different roles from assisting bedside to frontline management to nursing administration. National Nursing Week concluded with a centennial nursing display at the hospital, which included nursing artifacts from the College and Association of Registered Nurses of Alberta museum and archives, which travelled throughout the province to celebrate 100 years of nursing in Alberta. Diane received one of the college’s distinguished alumni awards in 2012, when she was named a “Career Virtuoso.”

 

 

 

College grads recognized as some of chamber’s Top 40 under 40

Lethbridge College graduates continue to populate the Lethbridge Chamber of Commerce’s list of the Top 40 under 40. Receiving recognition the last four months are:

 

 


  • Rob Burton (Carpentry Apprenticeship YEAR) was recognized for his innovation, entrepreneurial spirit and excellence in his field. In 2008, Rob founded of Ramton Homes, a home builder in Lethbridge, in 008 and works there with his wife, Amy. The company won an award of excellence from the Canadian Home Builders Association - Lethbridge Region in 2014.



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  • Steve Christensen (Business Administration YEAR) was recognized for his innovative idea and business success. He is the president of NOVO Watch, a company the designs and sells unique, high quality watches. Steve came up with the idea for NOVO Watch in 2009 and launched NOVO Watch on a Shopify channel in 2011. Since then, they have sold to every province and state as well as overseas and have moved sales to their own website.



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  • Steven Foord (Business Administration 2001) was recognized for his work to promote, grow and better the arts community in Lethbridge. He is part-owner of the Owl Acoustic Lounge, a restaurant, live music venue and art gallery located in downtown Lethbridge. He considers the purpose of The Owl to facilitate and further develop the local arts community in its various forms.



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  • Kayla Hellawell (Communication Arts – Print Journalism 2009 and Environmental Assessment and Restoration 2014) and her husband, Josh, were recognized for their dedication to the environment and work within the community. The Hellawells are the owners of Synergy Permaculture, a company that specializes in permaculture design, water management, green waste management, and urban farming. They grow organic, chemical-free produce using sustainable growing practices and local inputs such as composted manure from local stables and compost tea sprayings, and they are strong proponents of urban farming.



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  • Katie Pahara (Child and Youth Care 2010) was recognized for her entrepreneurial success and dedication to the body positivity movement. Katie is a photographer and owner of Katie Pahara Photography, and she shoots everything from weddings to families to boudoir. She started shooting boudoir exclusively because she realized she could turn someone's perception of themselves around just by showing them how they actually looked.



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Wider Horizons
Lisa Kozleski
Original Publication Date: