After a lot of hard work over the last couple of years, Confederation College graduates were excited about the future as they received their diplomas Friday.
More than 1,300 students are graduating this weekend with students from the Thunder Bay campus crossing the stage at the Thunder Bay Community Auditorium in two ceremonies Friday.
Ali Crane was scared and excited to graduate from the dental hygiene program.
“It’s nerve-wracking, but I can’t believe I made it. I’m really glad,” she said while waiting outside the auditorium before the morning’s ceremony.
Crane said dental hygiene is probably one of the hardest courses the college offers and said it was difficult to get through.
“There were a couple of tears but a lot of laughs. I have a great class, so you can’t get any better than that,” she said.
The Niagara Falls native will be attending Northern Arizona University in September to get her bachelor of science in dental hygiene so she can become a professor one day.
The last two years have been long for social service worker graduate Rebecca Chicorli.
“To finally be finished, it feels awesome,” she said. “It was a very challenging program. I learned a lot about myself, a lot about the program itself.”
After the long hours of studying, Chicorli plans to keep building on her experience and expand in her field.
“I am currently working in my field and just to go up from there,” she said of her future plans.
Friday’s graduating ceremony was a proud moment for Patrick Levsque.
After one year of pre-health and two years in the practical nursing program, Levsque is ready to start his career as a nurse at the hospital in Geraldton where he plans to work the rest of his career.
“It makes you feel kind of good that now after all your hard work in school you can finally move on and start your life, your career,” he said. “It was very challenging, lots of hard work. It took a lot of dedication, hard work, a lot of thinking.”
Coming from a university program, Kim Clavet preferred the college experience. She was ready to get her medical laboratory assistant certificate.
“It had its ups and downs,” she said of the one-year program. “As long as you kept on track and did your best, it wasn’t too challenging.”
With job opportunities at various local medical labs, hospitals and veterinarian clinics, things are looking good for her and her fellow graduates.
