Durham College President Leah Myers congratulates a student as she accepts her award at the Fall Scholarship Ceremony.
Durham College celebrated academic excellence on November 8 when college leaders, students, award donors and other guests gathered for the Fall Scholarship Ceremony.
This year, 178 awards totalling more than $127,000 were presented to outstanding students in diploma programs at the Oshawa and Whitby campuses. Among those being honoured with a financial gift were the two students with the highest marks from each of the college's full-time programs. In addition to a contribution from Durham College, numerous individuals, service organizations and corporate donors have made the awards possible by providing recognition and a welcome financial boost to the college's academic leaders.
"By studying Journalism at a post-secondary institution I'm gaining the skills and experience to make my mark in the world," said Amy Gohr, a second-year Journalism student and scholarship-recipient, in her speech to guests. "I want my words to inspire, my opinions to motivate and my thoughts to provoke - Durham College has certainly given me a strong foundation in that respect. The students receiving donor awards have worked exceptionally hard and are now reaping the benefits of their determination to succeed. Durham College has truly shown me that the success of its students matters most. By awarding these scholarships and bursaries, we will be better able to afford the cost of living and the school expenses we could not hope to pay for without making substantial sacrifices throughout the year."
The Ontario Clean Water Agency is the latest addition to the list of generous organizations making a difference for students, joining longtime contributors such as the Canadian Federation of University Women, a donor since 1975; the Robert McLaughlin Gallery, a donor for the last 30 years; A. Alan H. Strike, Certified General Accountants of Ontario and the Optimist Club of Whitby, donors for 15 years; and EllisDon, the Durham College School of Business and the Roger Pardy Memorial Fund, in their fifth years of giving.
"My path has been a long and challenging one," said scholarship-recipient Terry Rigby, a second-year Chemical Engineering Technology student, who also spoke to guests. "I had a good career, a home, a family and a plan for the rest of my life. I went to work one morning and woke up later that day in a hospital, permanently injured. I had to rethink my goals and re-establish my place in this world.
"It was beyond intimidating. At times, it was even paralyzing. Yet, I came to Durham College and found that in giving my commitment and focus, this school's community was designed to welcome, to encourage, to embrace and to help me move forward. In recognizing my efforts today, Durham College has provided a foundation for my motivation, and a way for me to measure my achievements in this new chapter of my life."