Marvin Calf Robe Jr.
With his feet flashing and flying to the sounds of beating drums, Marvin Calf Robe Jr. moved through Centre Core with stamina, strength and a strong connection to history.
Calf Robe, a student in Lethbridge College’s Automotive Services program in 2013-14, is especially skilled in the men’s fancy dance, one of the most popular contemporary pow wow dances. The highly athletic dance requires the dancer to keep his regalia moving with him to the beat. He is constantly in motion in one of the most demanding of all indigenous dances; its movement is faster than any other dance.
Each year, students, staff and community members are treated to demonstrations of this dance and dozens of other athletic, artistic and cultural performances and events during Lethbridge College’s annual Indigenous Celebration Day.
The event, which celebrates the pride, history and knowledge of First Nations, Métis and Inuit students, staff, alumni and friends of the college, is held each October.
The teachers here actually care about the students. They want to help you learn.
Eduardo Sonsin
Eduardo Sonsin
Eduardo Sonsin chose the 21st-century forum of Instagram to count down the days until he left his home of São Paulo, Brazil, to study at Lethbridge College. In the 53 days before his departure, he flooded his account with pictures of Lethbridge’s post office, the High Level Bridge, the Rocky Mountains and even the Lethbridge College flags. After his arrival, he shifted to posting pictures of pancakes drenched with maple syrup, scenic snowy shots and comments like: “How can you not love this place?”
Sonsin decided to study in Canada more than two years ago after meeting a friend who was originally from Lethbridge. When Sonsin, who had earned his Bachelor’s degree in information technology in Brazil, mentioned wanting to study abroad, his friend told him about the college. He spent the next two years saving money and preparing for the trip more than 10,000 kilometres from home.
Aside from the coffee (he prefers Brazilian espresso) and the cold weather (“When it was -25, -30 earlier in the winter, I thought ‘What am I doing here?’”), he has been thrilled with the choice. “I love all the teachers,” says Sonsin, who taught himself English watching movies with subtitles. “They are amazing. The teachers here actually care about the students. They want to help you learn.”