Connor Jolliffe love sports. Growing up, you could find him at the rink, on the links and on the court. So it only made sense to him to pursue a career based on his passions.
Jolliffe graduates June 21 as a Dean’s Award recipient. We check in with him to learn more about the secrets of his success and what’s next for this NC graduate.
Connor Jolliffe
Hometown: Welland
Age: 21
Academic Achievement: Dean’s Award, School of Hospitality and Tourism, Sport Management program (95%)
How do you feel about receiving the Dean’s Award, achieving the highest GPA in your program?
I am honoured to be receiving the Dean’s Award at graduation. I am proud of myself and it’s nice to be acknowledged for all the hard work I put into my time at Niagara and the Sport Management program.
To what factors do you attribute your academic success? What motivates you to succeed?
I have always been someone who sets high standards for myself and I try to push myself to excel in every setting I put myself into. I always give 110% effort into all the tasks and being a major sports fan, coming to Niagara, I was excited and motivated to learn about the sport industry from a business perspective.
What led you to study at NC and to your program specifically?
Growing up, I played a variety of different sports including hockey, basketball and golf. Therefore, a part of me always wanted to pursue a job in the sports field because I love being within the setting and the atmosphere. One of the main reasons I chose Niagara College was because I knew I would be able to complete a full-term field placement, as well as get a more personal and integrated learning experience.
How did you find your program experience? What stands out to you? What did you find rewarding or particularly beneficial?
I really enjoyed the personal, interactive experience at Niagara College. I made great relationships with my classmates as well as my professors, which I know will benefit me moving forward. A few of my professors have already reached out to me about various job opportunities that they believe are good fits for myself; I am very thankful for this. I also enjoyed the amount of out of classroom/field trip opportunities that were available during my time at Niagara. I was fortunate enough to be a part of the Sport Management trip to Las Vegas, which was an incredible experience.
Did you work a placement or co-op as part of your program?
Yes, I was fortunate enough to gain two valuable experiences from my field placement. I started my placement working with Michele O’Keefe, our Athletic Director, and the OCAA Basketball Review processes that she was starting. I was fortunate to work with many great people from the OCAA and be a part of the working group/board that drafted our proposals on how to make OCAA Basketball improvements. Through my placement with Michele, I was introduced to Nathan Abdelnour, the Executive Director of Dive Ontario, during one of the Sport4Ontario meetings I was sitting in on with Michele. This led to my second opportunity as I ended up interning with Nathan and Dive Ontario for the last three months of my field placement term. I can’t say enough great things about this experience at Dive Ontario. I was able to gain so much valuable work experience on all things administrative and operational within a provincial sport organization and this truly was a better experience than I could have ever asked for. My main responsibility was taking the lead on and drafting Dive Ontario’s Return to Competition Guidelines under the COVID-19 pandemic restrictions.
Were you involved in any clubs/ teams or extracurricular activities during your time at NC?
I was a varsity Men’s Basketball athlete during my time at Niagara.
Did you face any challenges over the course of your study?
Trying to balance my studies with my commitment to the basketball team. It took a lot of late nights, early mornings and good time management, but it all worked out in the end.
What is it like to graduate at this time during the COVID-19 pandemic?
To be honest, it is a little (very) disappointing. Completing the final year and a half online was a lot more difficult than my first two years in the program. It took a lot more focus and determination. And like I said before, after all of this, it is a bit upsetting to not be able to graduate in person with my classmates and my professors. However, I’m sure the virtual convocation ceremony put on by the college will be great.
What do you think you will always remember about your time at NC?
One of the things that will stick with me the most is that I was able to come to Niagara and play basketball for my high school basketball coach Phil Mosley. He has been a great role model for me and someone who has helped me a lot. Also, the thing that sticks out for me on the educational side is just the amount of support I have gotten from my professors along the way. I have built some great relationships with them and I know they are people I can always turn to for help in the future.
What have you been doing since competing your studies? Do you have a current job /future plans?
I am now currently working in the pro-shop at Cardinal Lakes Golf Course in Welland. I will be attending Niagara University in the fall to pursue my Sport Management degree. I was fortunate to receive an academic transfer scholarship from NU that will pay for my tuition, so I am very excited to attend.
Visit the College’s Virtual Convocation site to view the schedule or to access the livestream ceremonies: niagaracollege.ca/virtualconvocation/.
