Today’s Niagara College graduates are ready to create, build, and power what comes next.
June 11 marked the fourth of six days of NC’s Spring Convocation, with students in the Schools of Media, Trades, and Technology crossing the stage and into their futures.
The morning ceremony celebrated more than 680 graduates from the Schools of Technology and Trades. In the afternoon, over 400 graduates from the Schools of Media and Technology earned their credentials.
“Graduands, this ceremony marks the achievement of a goal, through much hard work and determination,” said Dr. Fay Lim-Lambie, NC’s Vice-President, Academic. “May you never forget or underestimate the magnitude of this accomplishment.”
In the afternoon, Dean’s Award recipient Brett Gilliam from the Mechanical Engineering Technology (Co-op) program, was recognized for top marks (96.6 per cent) in the School of Technology. The Niagara native already has a job lined up from one of the two paid eight-month co-ops in his program.
Graduation marks the start of a second career for Gilliam, who returned to school after seven years as a Computer Numerical Control (CNC) programmer.
“I became more involved with the other automated equipment in the shop, and that sparked my interest in studying mechanical engineering,” said Gilliam.
His co-op placements included roles in machining, management, and mechanical design, giving him a broad range of experience.
“Being able to experience so many potential career paths within the field of mechanical engineering was invaluable to my education and my future career path,” said Gillam, who now works as a Mechanical Engineering Technologist at Reynold Stokes Engineering Inc. in St. Catharines.
Gillam earned his advanced diploma studying part-time during a particularly busy season of life: getting married and welcoming his first child.
“At times it was quite difficult to keep up with my studies,” he said. “Earning the Dean’s Academic Award after all of this shows me that I still managed to get the most out of my education.”
Jeonghwan Oh, a Computer Programming graduate from Port Colborne (originally from South Korea) was the Dean’s Award winner from the School of Media with an average of 96.95 per cent.
Computer Programming was a departure for Oh, who studied contemporary music at a university in South Korea and worked as a guitar teacher.
“I wanted to change my direction and felt that programming could be a great fit, even though I had absolutely no prior experience,” said Oh. “The reason I chose Niagara College was its smooth integration of practical, hands-on learning into the curriculum.”
At NC, Oh supported NC’s first student-led coding competition and volunteered as a judge for the DSBN coding skills challenge.
While he prefers to keep an open mind when it comes to his career, Oh is interested in where his two passions intersect.
“I would like to explore the grey areas between music and technology,” said Oh. “They seemed contradictory at first, but I found that they are closely related.”
At the Wednesday afternoon ceremony, Sing Fai Lau from the Carpentry and Renovation Technician program was the recipient of the Dean’s Award in the School of Trades.
On Thursday, Acting for Film and Digital Media program student Destiny Paquin of Welland also joined the Class of 2026. A familiar face within the NC community, Paquin was a Knights basketball athlete, Indigenous student leader, and most recently the face of promotional campaigns for the College.
Following a teaching degree at Brock University, Paquin’s passion for acting drew her to NC.
“My program was incredible,” said Paquin of her time at the College. “The people, the lessons and teachings, everything that I experienced in my two years I will take with me forever.”
NC’s Spring Convocation Ceremonies continue June 12 and 13. To view the schedule and a list of programs graduating within each school, or to watch the livestream of any ceremony, visit NC’s Convocation website.
A leader in applied education, Niagara College offers diploma, bachelor degree, post-graduate and apprenticeship programs at specialized campuses in Niagara-on-the-Lake and Welland. Consistently ranked among Canada’s top research colleges, NC is also involved in educational projects and partnerships around the world that provide students with important hands-on-experience. NC welcomes students from across Niagara, Ontario, and around the world who are studying in in-demand programs that support key sectors and industries in Niagara and beyond, with graduates making important contributions in all corners of our community. Learn more at niagaracollege.ca.
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Related Spring 2026 Convocation press releases:
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