Hundreds of graduates from dozens of programs received the ultimate recognition of their hard work Thursday afternoon at the St. Clair College Centre for the Arts: their diplomas and certificates.
Students from various programs walked across the stage to shake hands with St. Clair College President Michael Silvaggi and receive their diplomas in a Winter Convocation ceremony at the Chrysler Theatre.
"As alumni, as full-fledged citizens out in the real world, please continue to pursue those opportunities to help, to lead and to make a difference in your communities, because, as we are fond of saying here, that is just what Saints do," said President Silvaggi.
One of those recently minted alumni is Amol Sandhu, who just completed three years of study in the Business Administration – Marketing program.
"It feels really good, this is just a long time coming," Sandhu said through tears of joy.
She started her post-secondary education at Wayne State University studying biological sciences.
"I hated it, because it wasn't what I could see myself doing in the future, long-term," Sandhu recalls.
After a few years of soul-searching, she landed at St. Clair College, where she immersed herself in the schoolwork, clubs, and extra-curricular activities, including three years competing at the Ontario Colleges Marketing Competition (OCMC).
"I realized that I wanted to do something more creative, so I enrolled into the Marketing program. At first, I wanted to do only two years, but I fell in love with the professors here," said Sandhu, calling the OCMC competition the highlight of her experience.
"That was an amazing, rewarding, full circle experience. There's no learning like experiential learning," said Sandhu, who envisions starting her own advertising firm.
"I'm so excited to start my career," she said.
It's this passion for work outside the classroom that first inspired Alumni of Distinction, Chaouki Hamka, who delivered the keynote address at convocation.
Hamka was born in Lebanon and emigrated to Canada at an early age. Out of high school, Hamka chose to attend St. Clair College, where he graduated from the Law and Security program in 2009.
During his time in school, he selected a volunteer opportunity with Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD). Today, he's the community leader for MADD Windsor and Essex County, advocating against impaired driving for the local chapter for more than 20 years.
"I believe more people should know about the tremendous value of a St. Clair College education. You are graduating from an institution that creates opportunity, fosters innovation, and builds community," Hamka told graduates. "For many years after graduation, I did not truly understand how valuable and important my education at St. Clair College really was. The volunteer opportunities, the career opportunities, the connections within my community that I made, and my success are largely due to my affiliation with this great establishment."
For the past 10 years, he's also worked as a corrections officer at the Southwest Detention Centre and in 2024, Hamka was named an Alumni of Distinction at St. Clair College.
"Volunteering is very, very important because you learn so many things. As much as I learned at St. Clair College… I think some of the best education, advice, and skills I learned was through volunteering," he said.
Board of Governors Chairperson Garry Rossi challenged graduates to be bold and work hard to make an impact as part of the 140,000-plus alumni of St. Clair College.
"Your journey at St. Clair College has been nothing short of extraordinary," said Rossi. "And as you prepare to take the next step, we are confident that you are equipped with the knowledge, skills, and resilience to embrace whatever challenges come your way."
