Sarah Petrenko found a way to combine her dream of working in health care with her talent for technology and administration – and she finished at the top of her class while doing it.
Although she worked hard to stay focused throughout the duration of her time in the Office Administration-Health Services program, Petrenko was nonetheless “shocked” to learn she’d earned the Dean’s Award for achieving the highest grade-point average in the School of Management and Business. Having already received a degree from Brock University and a diploma from the Ontario College of Health and Technology, her goal when she went back to school was simply to challenge herself.
“I never thought this was something I could achieve,” Petrenko said of receiving the Dean’s Award. “Since this was my third time (pursuing a) post-secondary education, achieving high grades became a personal challenge to show myself that I could do whatever I set my mind to.”
With her parents, aunts and uncle in the audience, Petrenko will cross the stage on June 14 to collect her diploma and be presented with her Dean’s Award. She shared what her NC journey was like in the days leading up to convocation.
Sarah Petrenko
Academic achievement: Dean’s Award Winner, School of Business and Management
How do you feel about receiving the Dean’s Award, achieving the highest GPA in your program?
I’m quite shocked, in all honesty. I had a lot of brilliant and dedicated classmates that also worked extremely hard in the program alongside me.
To what factors do you attribute your academic achievement?
It has been an incredibly rough journey for me in terms of finding stable employment, especially due to the pandemic. Going back to school was my only option to try and find my particular career path even though I’ve always felt that health care was my niche.
What were you doing before attending NC?
Before attending Niagara College, I had graduated from Brock University with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Media and Communication Studies and a minor in Sociology, and then graduated from OCHT (Ontario College of Health & Technology) with a diploma in Primary Care Paramedic. When I left my retail job in the summer of 2021, I realized that I needed to do something to progress as an individual and get my career started, so I decided to go back to school to try and achieve my dreams.
Why are you passionate about your field of study?
I have always felt that my purpose in life is to help people in some capacity. I was actually encouraged to enroll in the social work program but decided against it and chose Office Admin – Health Services instead. It still involved helping people while including the use of computers and technology, which I’m also very good at.
What did you find rewarding about your program? Does something stand out to you that you will never forget about your time at NC?
My instructors/professors in the program who were so supportive, positive, and patient. I’ll never forget the time and effort they put into me and every one of my classmates to ensure we succeeded.
Did you work a placement or co-op as part of your program?
Yes, I was able to secure a placement with Niagara Health in the Professional Practice and Student Resource Department. During my time there, I met three amazing individuals (Terri, Amber and Chris) who I can now call my coworkers!
What have you been doing since you completed your studies at NC?
I was very fortunate that Niagara Health set up a recruitment opportunity with Niagara College to interview new graduates, and only four days after completing my last exam, I sat down and interviewed with Niagara Health. I can happily say that I am now employed with Niagara Health as a switchboard operator and have achieved my dream of working in health care.
