Red River College’s Spring 2011 Convocation — held June 2nd and 3rd, 2011 — gave staff, students and faculty a chance to celebrate the success of the College’s newest class of alumni.

A total of 1,686 credentials were awarded, including:

• 886 Full Time Diploma graduates
• 315 Full Time Certificate graduates
• 435 Continuing & Distance Ed and Regional graduates

A number of graduates also received special recognition at the ceremonies, among them James Anderson (Digital Multimedia Technology) and Lisa Balcaen (Early Childhood Education), who earned Lieutenant-Governor Awards for having the highest marks.

Chef Takashi Murakami, executive chef at the St. Charles Country Club and a Member of the Order of Canada, was awarded an Honorary Diploma; Regina resident Wayne Morsky, president and CEO of Morsky Group of Companies, received the 2011 Distinguished Alumni Award; RRC instructor Rick Malczewski won the Industrial Technologies Teaching Award of Excellence; and RRC instructor Melanie Lee Lockhart won the Students Association Teaching Award of Excellence.

A full list of award winners is below:

MAJOR AWARDS:

Honourary Diploma:

Each year, Red River College awards a Red River College Honourary Diploma to an individual who demonstrates high standards of excellence in their personal and professional achievements, and whose involvement in the community is widely recognized.

Chef Takashi Murakami, C.M., the executive chef at the St. Charles Country Club has spent the last 35 years elevating food preparation to an art form.

Murakami has won a series of gold medals and a World Championship as a member and coach of Culinary Team Canada, a Chef of the Year designation by the Manitoba Chefs Association, membership in the Canadian Culinary Federation’s Honour Society, and a 2005 appointment as Member of the Order of Canada (making him one of only two chefs to receive this prestigious honour, and the only one from Manitoba).

Murakami has served on the college’s advisory committee for the last 10 years, as a cooperative education employer for the College’s Hospitality and Culinary Arts students, and as a member of La Confrérie de la Chaîne des Rôtisseurs — a capacity in which he trained Red River College culinary students taking part in the International Jeunes Chefs (Young Chefs) Rôtisseurs Competition.

Industrial Technologies Teaching Award of Excellence:

The Industrial Technologies Teaching Excellence Award is intended to recognize a full-time permanent faculty member who has exhibited exemplary instructional qualities over a sustained period. The successful nominee will have made an outstanding contribution to the educational environment of the School of Construction and Engineering Technologies or the School of Transportation, Aviation and Manufacturing, and will have significantly improved the quality of learning for students.

Rick Malczewski has been a member of the electrical department at RRC for the past 22 years.

In 2006, the electrical department had 18 staff and trained about 50 groups of electrical apprentices (750 apprentices) and two pre-employment classes (48 students). Under Malczewski’s leadership, the department has expanded to 38 staff, and now trains 76 groups of apprentices (1,140 apprentices) each year who have a pass rate of 90 per cent to 95 per cent.

Distinguished Alumni Award:

Red River College’s Distinguished Alumni Awards recognizes graduates who’ve distinguished themselves in both their professional achievements and their contributions to the community.

Regina resident Wayne Morsky, president and CEO of Morsky Group of Companies, has been working for his own family’s business since the age of 13, and now oversees a thriving infrastructure development operation that for 55 years has been involved in diverse sectors of the industry, including general contracting, highway construction, railway maintenance, industrial services, HySpeed soil nailing, and oil and gas development.

Born and raised in Virden, Morsky graduated from RRC’s Business Administration program in 1981.

Students’ Association Teaching Award of Excellence:

The Red River College Students’ Association Teaching Award of Excellence is awarded annually to an instructor in recognition of outstanding teaching practices and dedication to students.

Born and raised in Ottawa, Melanie Lee Lockhart joined Red River College’s staff of instructors in 2008, after serving 10 years at MTS Allstream, where she was Director of Corporate Communications.

She now serves as the Public Relations instructor for Red River College’s Creative Communications program.

Lee Lockhart balances her RRC responsibilities with her own consulting practice, Lockstep Communications.

GOLD MEDALS:

• Aboriginal Self-Government Administration — Roanna T. M. Bruce
• Aircraft Maintenance Engineer — Yukihiro Imagawa
• Animal Health Technology — Laura Ashley Tschetter
• Business Administration — Carol Marie Hargreaves
• Chemical and Biosciences Technology — Ken Fakharuddin
• Child and Youth Care — Cindy Lynn Gagnon
• Civil Technology (Structural) — Michelle Lee Amigo
• Community Development/Economic Development — Lori Steinthorson
• Computer Analyst/Programmer — Dallas Joel McEvoy
• Computer Applications for Business — Ernest Samuel Alexander Scott
• Creative Communications — Kimberlee Michelle Lawson
• Digital MultiMedia Technology — Troy Adrian Giesbrecht
• Disability and Community Support — Holly Renee Banman
• Early Childhood Education — Luke Sadler
• Graphic Design — Michelle Margaret Gamache
• Greenspace Management — Kevin Scott Versteeg
• Information Systems Technology (Network Management) — Raymond Bruce Northcott
• Network Technology (CCNP) — Nick R. McClure
• Library and Information Technology — Mikaela Anne Oldenkamp, Larry Cameron Penner
• Power Engineering Technology — Aaron Scott
• Technical Communication — Allison Rae Machovec

STUDENT AWARDS

Aircraft Maintenance Engineer:

• Andrew Campbell, Andrew Hedlund — Snap-On Tools
• Yuki Imagawa — Snap-On Tools; D’Arcy Phillips

Animal Health Technology

• Erin Bell — McPhillips Animal Hospital Nursing; Canadian Animal Blood Bank
• Katlyn Cook — Hill’s Pet Nutrition Canada, Small Animal Nutrition
• Mark Evachewski — Manitoba Animal Health Technologist Association; Canadian Animal Blood Bank
• Kayla Omichinski — Canadian Animal Blood Bank
• Jennifer Pearson, Melissa Young — Barbara Nagler Memorial
• Michael Philippot — Animal Health Technology Faculty
• Roberta Ronald — Merial Canada; Canadian Animal Blood Bank
• Melissa Sutherland — Elsevier Science Canada
• Laura Tschetter — Manitoba Veterinary Medical Association

Architectural/Engineering Technology

• Joshua Bambridge — Frank M. Fowler Memorial
• Kimberly Debacker, Nicholas Sorin — Bird Construction Company Limited
• Michael Kelly — F. Ross Browne CSC
• Megan Naaykens — Flynn Canada
• Murray Rempel, Ellison Wilkinson — Paul Charette
• Aviation Management
• Daniel Maertins, Jordan Wicker — Geoffrey C. Morrow Memorial
• Building Design CAD Technology
• Nathan Eisbrenner, Jessie Reimer — Mondrian Technology
• Olga Tchaossov — Lewis Instruments Ltd.

Business Administration

• Jerilyn Andre, Guangping Jiang, Matthew Kehler, Matthew Willman — Business Administration Bridging
• Elizabeth Anema, Julia Brandt, Trang Nguyen — Academic Achievement Graduation; Leslie Snell Certified General Accountants Association of Manitoba
• Pearl Barkman, Grant King — Academic Achievement Graduation; Society of Management Accountants of Manitoba
• Thomas Barnicki, Ella Betke, Amanda Hofer, Tara-Lynn Luchuk — Peter Nykoluk Memorial
• William Buchanan, Miranda Dupasquier, Raimey Gallant, Carol Hargreaves, Sophia Kattenat, Jacob Kettner, Jennifer Neufeld, Lauren Phoutthavongsin, Stephanie Roehr, Chad Waite, Jason Westervelt — Academic Achievement Graduation
• Leanna Claeys — Bison Transport
• Amanda Dietterle — Matthew Matczuk Memorial
• Karen Kembel — Academic Achievement Graduation; Society of Management Accountants of Manitoba; Norm Konowalchuk Memorial
• Dagny Kunzelman — Leslie Snell Certified General Accountants Association of Manitoba
• Brittany Lawrence, Adam Scarpino — Assiniboia Chamber of Commerce
• Thulise Mhlanga — International Student
• Anh Tuan Nguyen — Peter Nykoluk Memorial; International Student
• Brittany Pedden — Norm Konowalchuk Memorial
• Diana Phelan, Andrew Sylvain — Business Administration Mentorship
• Ashley Symons — Society of Management Accountants of Manitoba
• Calvin Tickle — Richard Borlase CMA Memorial

Business Administration Integrated

• Jennifer Kilfoyle, Brent Simms — Academic Achievement

Child and Youth Care

• Karen Bear — Project Neechewan
• Marlise Dyck, Melissa Scott, Laraine Seivewright — Ross A. Johnston
• Laura Enns — Susan McDonald Memorial
• Cindy Gagnon — B & L Youth Services Cameron Lecuyer Memorial
• Corinna Hildebrand — Macdonald Youth Services
• Cassie Kaluzny — Manitoba Association of Residential Treatment Resources
• Dawn Kiesman — MK (Community Services)
• Shelley Lauro, Kathleen Matyszewski — Marymound
• Scott McNicol — Naturas
• Karlee Rankin — Ross A. Johnston; Child and Youth Care Workers Association of Manitoba
• Jessica Saunders — New Directions for Children, Youth, Adults and Families; Child and Youth Care Workers Association of Manitoba
• Julie Schollenberg — Knowles Centre Justice Jim Smith Memorial

Commerce/Industry Sales and Marketing

• Cam Tibbett — Academic Achievement; Outstanding Sales Performance
• Zoe Sveinson — Outstanding Student

Creative Communications

• Michael Badejo, Brian Bulos, Jaremy Ediger, Garrick Kozier, Alexandra Rohne, Jordan Thompson, Pamela Wankling, Albertine Watson, Ashley Wiebe — Manitoba Magazine Publishers’ Association
• Megan Blanchette, Jennifer Hanson — S.A.M. Advertising Award for Excellence
• Jessica Cable — Shaw
• Danielle Clement, Crystal Greene — Women in Media / CHUM
• Shelley Cook, Keith Ejeckam, Yvonne Raymond — Eric and Jack Wells Excellence in Journalism
• Steven Dreger — Don Wittman Memorial; Manitoba Sportswriters and Sportscasters Association; Jack Matheson; Professional Writers Association of Canada, Winnipeg Chapter
• Kevan Hannah — MTS Allstream; Manitoba Magazine Publishers’ Association
• Kevin Hirschfield, Andrew Parker — Don Wittman Memorial
• Sandra Klowak — Shaw; Eric and Jack Wells Excellence in Journalism
• Kimberlee Lawson — Eric and Jack Wells Excellence in Journalism; Shaw
• Kristel Mason — Citytv
• Ryan McBride — James S. Purvis Memorial; John Harding Memorial; Robert Drinnan Memorial; Eric and Jack Wells Excellence in Journalism; Manitoba Magazine Publishers’ Association
• Keith McCullough — Don Wittman Memorial; Manitoba Sportswriters and Sportscasters Association; Jack Matheson
• Veronica Neufeld — Bob Brandson Student; Manitoba Magazine Publishers’ Association
• Emilia Nyarku — Eric and Jack Wells Excellence in Journalism; Women in Media/CHUM, Shaw
• Heather Olynick — Canadian Public Relations Society, Manitoba
• Daniella Ponticelli — Manitoba Community Newspaper Association; University Women’s Club of Winnipeg
• Pamela Vernaus — Broadcasters Association of Manitoba Aboriginal
• Jérémie Wookey — Broadcasters Association of Manitoba; Radio Production; Broadcasters Association of Manitoba; Television Production; Citytv

Dental Assisting Level II

• Jung-Sim Cho — Manitoba Dental Association; Sinclair Dental; Dental Assisting Faculty
• Jhunni Flores-Tipan, Melissa Lee — Sinclair Dental
• Tanya Holm-Corrie — Sunstar Americas
• Janet Huynh — Manitoba Dental Assistants Association; Dental Assisting Faculty
• Jaime Legault — Manitoba Dental Assistants Association; Dental Assisting Faculty; Drs. J. Perry and N. Boorberg Additional Skills
• Nicole Miller — Drs. J. Perry and N. Boorberg Additional Skills
• Suzanne Touchette — Germiphene
• Wei Xiong — Manitoba Dental Association; Dental Assisting Faculty

Digital MultiMedia Technology

• Danielle Clement, Troy Giesbrecht, Kimberly Martin — Powerland Computers
• Cody LeRoy, Samantha Thiessen — Vision TV
• Andrea Whitehead — Digital MultiMedia Technology Award of Excellence

Disability and Community Support

• Holly Banman — Association for Community Living Winnipeg
• Crystal Leese — MK (Community Services)
• Christen Deanna Ng — Association for Community Living Winnipeg; Jason Mueller Memorial
• Donna Mae Oughton — Winnserv Award

Early Childhood Education

• Anna Anistratov, Khyati Vora — MK (Community Services)
• Lisa Balcaen — Dr. Gretta Brown
• Ashley Harder — Pat Lucki Memorial
• Rachel Hunter — Frances Evers Early Childhood
• Luke Sadler, Emily Thiessen — Early Childhood Education Student
• Kayla Toews— Irene Stratford

Electronic and Network Technician

• Maxime Lampron — Jessica Miner

Environmental Protection Technology

• Kara-Lee Lafosse, Rebecca Peech — Elizabeth Ptashnik Memorial

Geomatics Technology

• Tania Gosselin — Bryan I. Dreger
• David Krawczuk, Cody MacAuley — Alberta Land Surveyors Association
• Jordan Neufeld — Association of Manitoba Land Surveyors
• Cory Thiessen — Association of Manitoba Land Surveyors; Private Members

Graphic Design

• Joanna Bulowska, Rui Melo — OnWard Achiever
• Teresa Dixon, Alex Workman — S.A.M
• Michelle Gamache, Mellary Stonehouse — Dennis Pankiw Memorial
• Dustin George — Mandy Coyne Memorial
• Carl Shura — Valerie Fostey Memorial
• Callie Teetaert, Heather Zimmerman — Margolis

Graphic Design — Advanced

• Paul Buccini — Dennis Pankiw Memorial
• Madison Zyluk — Bruce Gillespie Collection

Greenspace Management

• Richard Burr — Manitoba Horticultural Societies
• Marcel Carignan, Kyra Schlichting — Greenspace Management Hortscape
• Charles Harris, Jonathan Peters, Brett Stuesser — Manitoba Golf Superintendents Association
• Kevin Versteeg — Greenspace Management Faculty Practicum

Health Information Management

• Leah Blahitka, Amanda Burridge, Angela Charbonneau — 3M Canada Company
• Adelita Dilim — MED2020 Health Care Software Inc.; Manitoba Health Information Management Association
• Lauren Kostusik — Outstanding Student

International Business

• Carlie Doan Outstanding Student

Library and Information Technology

• Lisa Coté — PAR Excellence E.Q.
• Michaela Oldenkamp — Betty Andrich Memorial; Library and Information Technology Endowment
• Larry Penner — Manitoba Library Association
• Lisa Zvanovec— Betty Andrich Memorial; Betty Andrich Memorial Graduation

Municipal Engineering Technology

• Matthew Bittner, Joel Jacques — AECOM
• Mark Delmo, Michelle Monkman — Neelin Wilson Construction Ltd.
• Martial Lemoine — Civil Engineering Technology
• Travis Stephenson — Frank M. Fowler

Power Engineering Technology

• Arthur Ciesynski, Wayne Fleming — Institute of Power Engineers
• Sedat Kaplan — Eric Littler Memorial Award

Structural Engineering Technology

• Michelle Amigo, Daniel Radulescu — Perseverance & Academic Merit in Structural Technology (PAMS)
• Robert Balahibo, Jason Doerksen, Angela Kasdorf, Mallory Miller — Frank M. Fowler Memorial
• Don Galido, Daniel Mroz — Beach Rocke Engineering
• Anthony George — Flynn Canada
• Aldina Hrvic, Shane Kufley, Jessica Lloyd — Ernst Hansch Construction Ltd
• Eric Lavergne, Melissa Nicolson — Civil Engineering Technology
• Kyle McLeod — Ken Rist Memorial
• Louis Rondeau — Ernst Hansch Construction Ltd; Paul Charette
• Gevorg Sargsyan — Mondrian Technology
• Alisha Wurch — Certified Technicians and Technologists Association of Manitoba

Welding

• Kyle Cyr — H.C McGregor Memorial
• Nathan Frame — Phil McGregor; H.C McGregor Memorial

Wood Products Manufacturing Technology

• Adam Isaac — H.C. McGregor Memorial