Wider Horizons

We love hearing from Lethbridge College alumni, and our readers do too! You can find additional updates online at widerhorizons.ca. To submit your news to share with your classmates and the college community, drop us a note at WHMagazine@lethbridgecollege.ca.


2010's

2019

Lizzie Black Plume

Business Administration – Management

After graduation, Lizzie started working as an administrative assistant at the college throughout the summer. In the fall, she is planning to continue her education at the University of Lethbridge in the management program.


2018

Tyson D. Baldrey

Engineering Design and Drafting Technology

Tyson recently sent this update to the Alumni office: “Following graduation in the Spring of 2018, I began working with a local mechanical engineering firm. During the final year of studies in the E.D.D.T. program, a group including myself and two other alumni began working on a capstone research project involving the assessment of bamboo as a viable alternative to steel reinforcement in concrete. Our efforts were rewarded in the form of selection as one of two teams chosen to represent Lethbridge College on a provincial level. Ultimately, my group was selected from eight nominees by the Association of Science and Engineering Technology Professionals of Alberta (ASET) to receive the 2019 ASET Capstone Project of the Year Award. We were invited to attend ASET's Awards Gala and General Assembly Meeting where our work was formally recognized in front of ASET's pool of members. The trophy accompanying this honour now resides with Bill Smienk, chair of the School of Engineering Technologies, and is in the care of Lethbridge College for a year. All three members remain active in our volunteer work with Lethbridge College – Engineering Technologies and are currently working on furthering alumni feedback and student engagement with ASET.”


2017

Jessica Giles

Business Administration – Marketing

Jessica was featured in an April article in the Canadian Cattleman celebrating her work as one of two people enrolled in the 2018-19 Cattlemen’s Young Leaders Program. The article states that Jessica’s “love for the beef industry was sparked on the family farm, a mixed grain and commercial cow-calf operation, and fuelled by her experience in the Longview 4-H Beef Club.” After graduation from the college, she returned to her family’s mixed grain and commercial cow-calf operation. She is now based near High River where she’s an agriculture reporter for Golden West Radio. She has also been building her own small herd over the last several years and is a 4-H project leader.


John Manyok (General Studies – Psychology and Sociology 2016) john-and-sam.jpg
Sam Mathon (General Studies 2016)

Congratulations go out to John and Sam, who received their Bachelor of Social Work degrees from the University of Calgary in June. John and Sam were featured in the 2017 Wider Horizons cover story recounting their experiences as “Lost Boys of the Sudan” and the path they took to Lethbridge College and beyond. One of their instructors, Keith Dudley, was there at graduation to celebrate with them. Keith told Wider Horizons: “We went up to Calgary yesterday and watched Sam and John walk across the stage; it was quite a day. They even did a formal tribute to these two boys in the President’s address before reading out all the names and had them both stand and wave; they told a bit of their story and summarized much of what you had written in Wider Horizons. There was major applause and even a few audible gasps.” Thanks to Keith for the update and photo, and best wishes to these two inspiring alumni.

Photo courtesy of Keith Dudley


2016

Connor J. Benis

Civil Engineering Technology

“I was hired by Stantec in February 2017 for the role of CAD technologist,” Connor recently told the Alumni office. “Since then I have been involved with a variety of work including design and drafting, construction inspections and surveying. I have completed many topographic surveys including construction layout surveys for underground utilities and surface works.”


2015

Marc Plamondon

Conservation Enforcement, Natural Resource Compliance

Marc was one of the new recruits featured in an April story from the government of British Columbia celebrating the new seasonal officers added to the B.C. Conservation Officer Service. The article said that working as a conservation officer was something he had thought about since Grade 10, and that a seasonal position in Terrace was the perfect opportunity to get a feel for the job. “I was educating the public about how to prevent bears getting into their garbage, responding to various calls and doing basic angler checks,” said Marc about his time in Terrace in the article. “There's no better way to prepare for the job than to be a seasonal conservation officer. You are doing exactly what the regular officers are doing and learning how to do the job.” At the end of six months, Marc was offered another seasonal position. This time it was for eight months in Vernon, where, in addition to his regular duties, he patrolled B.C.'s backcountry enforcing snowmobile regulations in protected caribou habitat. That experience led to a third seasonal position in Maple Ridge, where Marc was recently hired on full time.


2013

Jennifer Callihoo

Fashion Design and Marketing

Jennifer was featured in a March article in the Georgian Strait, the Vancouver-based newspaper that is Canada’s largest urban weekly. The Q&A focused on Jennifer’s work as a designer, including the unveiling of her Clara/Callihoo line, which took place in April at Kwantlen Polytechnic University’s newly opened Wilson School of Design building in Richmond. The article states that Jennifer “sees design as an opportunity to make a positive impact on people and the planet through ethical practices. She puts emphasis on maintaining her values throughout the creative process and this is found in her final line.”

Danielle B. Jackle

Office Administration

Danielle is a park administrative supervisor working at Cypress Hills Interprovincial Park for the Government of Saskatchewan. She told the Alumni office that after graduation, “I was fortunate enough to get a job at the college as a program assistant in the Centre of Applied Arts and Science. I really enjoyed my time working there and I will always treasure the relationships and experience I gained at the college, but Saskatchewan is home. So, in May 2016, I moved back to my hometown of Maple Creek, and I was extremely lucky to land my dream job of being the Park Administrative Supervisor of Cypress Hills Interprovincial Park within a few weeks. This job challenges and thrills me every day. I am very fortunate to do what I love in a place that I love with an amazing staff. I do credit my education and my instructors in the program for getting me where I am today and I couldn't be more thankful.”


2012

Raiki Yago

General Studies

Raiki recently sent this update to the Alumni office that after graduation, “I joined a Canadian recruitment firm in British Columbia [and] then moved back to Japan and joined the Tokyo branch for the same recruitment company. I currently work as talent acquisition specialist at Syneos Health Japan. My role here is not only to recruit talent, but also to brand Syneos in Japan by working with various companies to increase brand awareness.”

Mathew D. Young

Environmental Assessment and Restoration

Mathew told the Alumni office that after graduation, “I went to the University of Alberta to finish my degree and continued working summers with Golder Associates in Calgary where I was a vegetation technician until I graduated and became a biologist. I worked on and off with Golder until I started my own company last year – Palea Eco Services. About three months in, I found out I would need a knee surgery for an old injury so I would need an office job for a year or two. I’ve been at Golder as a full time biologist since then but am well into my recovery now and looking forward to getting back outside!” 2011

Michael R. Hayward

General Studies – Psychology and Sociology

Michael is a housing support worker at McMan Youth, Family and Community Services Association. He recently told the Alumni office: “I have been in the Human Services field since 2012. I’ve spent nearly seven years working in residential and group care, in an emergency youth shelter and most recently in an outreach capacity with a housing and support team that provides housing and wrap-around support to youth aged 16 to 24.”


2010

Bryce Dudley

Civil Engineering Technology

Bryce told the Alumni office that since graduation, “I have dabbled in many aspects of civil engineering but the primary focus of my career has been urban land development and geomatics. In late 2018, I took on the role of geomatics lead for Stantec’s Lethbridge office and am currently growing the business locally.”

Erin N. Halma

Business Administration – Accounting

Erin writes: “I am a tax litigator for the province of British Columbia. I originally decided to pursue a career in accounting, so I enrolled in the 2+2 program. During my first year of the program, one instructor commented to my class that we should consider going on to law school after, as accounting and law went well together. At the time, I dismissed the comment: if I wanted to do that much school I might’ve considered medicine, and business law was one of my least favourite classes (mostly due to the lack of math). But, halfway through my time at university, I began to reconsider my prior and quick dismissal of law school and took the LSAT. Fast forward through three years of law school, a year of articling, and a clerkship… and I finally made it back to the world of tax, which I was first introduced to by instructor Dave Kennedy at the college. I was a bit dismayed to find out that tax litigation rarely involves math.”


2000's

2008

Jana Van Kasteren

Massage Therapy

Jana told the Alumni office: “I’ve been running my own massage therapy business since the day I graduated. It is thriving and better than I could have ever dreamed. The longer I’m in the massage therapy world, the more I realize how amazing the program was for me at Lethbridge College. It truly is the BEST program for massage and I will stand by that forever!”


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

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

jill-manning.jpg Jill Manning (General Studies 2005), the Managing Director of ARCHES, a passionate human rights advocate who focuses on raising community awareness around issues of addictions and mental health. She was recognized for her tireless dedication to fight for at-risk groups in our community.

 

rianna-wilson.jpg Rianna Wilson (Business Administration 2011), the co-owner and business manager at Adaptive Technologies Inc., a prosthetic and orthotic care facility in Lethbridge with a patient-centred focus, who was recognized for her dedication to helping improve the quality of life for those in our community.


2004

Corey W. Greene

Civil Engineering Technology

Corey is a construction project manager at Stantec. He recently told the Alumni office: “I do project site inspections and construction management and so I help the engineers with designs and field revisions when applicable. My education at the college – more specifically the drafting, report writing and the survey classes I took – have really helped with my understanding of the industry and helped me get where I am today.”


2003

Travis R. Jensen

Geomatics Engineering Technology

“Since 2016, I have been the division manager for the Lethbridge and Medicine Hat offices in our Alberta South operation, comprised of approximately 30 full time staff,” Travis recently told the Alumni office. “Our local expertise focuses on transportation, municipal and urban development projects. Earlier, I specialized in project management, urban development and municipal infrastructure design projects. Prior to joining Associated Engineering in 2005, I worked as a surveyor for a local geomatics firm.”


2002

Leta Pezderic

Renewable Resource Management, Fish and Wildlife Technology

Leta is the natural area manager of prairie grasslands for the Nature Conservancy of Canada, Alberta Region. After graduation, she transferred to the University of Lethbridge where she earned her degree in environmental science. Leta spent her summers working in Waterton Lakes National Park. After graduating from the U of L, she worked at a variety of places, including Cows and Fish, Lethbridge College and Alberta Environment. She spent nearly seven years with the Oldman Watershed Council as their program coordinator before joining the Nature Conservancy of Canada team in 2015 as the natural area manager for prairie grasslands. She was recently featured in a news story on the Nature Conservancy’s website.


2000

Sheryl Cody

Criminal Justice – Policing

The Tofield Mercury newspaper featured Sheryl in a March story about her recent arrival to work at the Tofield RCMP detachment. She told the reporter: “I have lots of family that is either involved in policing or Canada Border Services. At the time, I was looking for a job that would offer adventure and a chance to travel and the Mounties had that." She has achieved that in her career, which has included being part of the Musical Ride touring North America and eventually working her way to become a trainer in the Musical Ride Branch training horses and riders.

Bradley D. Schmidtke

Engineering Design and Drafting Technology

Bradley told the Alumni office: “Since graduating from Lethbridge College, I have been working within the field of community development and have experienced all aspects of community planning, design and construction. I am currently a senior associate with Stantec Consulting, supervising a team of nine people in Lethbridge.”


1990's

1999

Crystal F. Edvardson

Information Specialist – Administrative Assistant

Crystal recently told the Alumni office: “I never left. LOL! I went straight from finishing the two-year diploma program and into a position in the English Language Centre as an office assistant, was reclassified to an administrative assistant, then reclassified again to a program assistant, and now am acting as the coordinator for International Services.”

Andre P. Royer

Engineering Design and Drafting Technology

Andre is a senior roadway designer whose work involves following local, provincial and federal guidelines to design roadways, site accesses, parking lots and more. He recently told the Alumni office that most projects he works on involve deep utilities, drainage accommodation, lighting, signals, and coordinating with shallow utility companies. He added: “It was nice to have a “hands-on” education. What we were taught in class translated directly to what I needed to know in the design and consulting business. It also taught me how to work well, both in a group and by myself.”


 

1996

Barb Coffey Bajraktarevic

Engineering Design and Drafting Technology

After Wider Horizons editor Lisa Kozleski discovered her soccer teammate was a college grad, Barb graciously sent in this update for fellow alumni: “While I was at the college, I did my two-week practicum at Canbra Foods. I was quite fortunate as at the end of my practicum, I was hired on full-time. Canbra was a great place to work, as it gave me a vast variety of experience in all the types of drafting I studied. I was fortunate to be out in the plant all the time, getting hands-on experience. Within my first month there, I worked on a million dollar project – pretty cool. Because it was my first project, my boss at the time let me watch this vessel being delivered and installed that day. It was pretty incredible. I worked there for six years on multiple expansion projects. Unfortunately, a major company bought out Canbra foods and one-third of the employees were laid off. At this point, I had my son who was just a baby at the time, so I decided to contract myself out. I worked mostly with engineers, as my first love of drafting is industrial and manufacturing and this area has so many different facets to it and is never boring. I did this for six years as well and then decided to seek employment again with a company. I started here at Meridian 11 years ago, and I love working here. Again, it is in manufacturing, so I use many different types of drafting here. In the last five years here, I have moved from drafting to drafting manager, which is a little different role. I oversee the drafting department, which I quite enjoy as well. I have been doing this for 24 years now and I have always enjoyed it. It has been challenging and fun!”


1970's

1978

Victor Roxburgh

Environmental Science

Victor recently told the Alumni office that, after graduation, he worked as a fishery officer with Fisheries and Oceans Canada “and became a lead player in a variety of management and enforcement initiatives… eventually [becoming] chief of training and recruitment. Upon retiring, I developed a method for telling the time of death of salmon and successfully used my skills in a number of court cases. I became a private investigator for 10 years, dealing primarily with insurance fraud. Now retired, I teach Introduction to DSLR Cameras and Adobe Photoshop Elements. I am currently writing my memoirs, which is becoming a fulltime job on its own.”


Wider Horizons
Story by Lethbridge College
Original Publication Date: