People of Georgian: Dwight Lahay on relationships, resilience and kindness

Jan. 16, 2026

What’s your story?

People of Georgian is a series that celebrates the people behind the scenes, the mentors, makers and community-builders who help bring this college to life every day. In this edition, you’ll meet Dwight, someone who proves that a new chapter can start at any stage of life. After making a big career change later in life, he found his place at Georgian, where he now helps students and faculty turn curiosity into confidence and ideas into something real. I’ll let Dwight take it from here.

Meet Dwight Lahay

If you had told me 10 years ago that I’d be working at a college, helping students and faculty create things in a makerspace and media studio, I probably would have laughed. No, I definitely would have laughed. For most of my adult life, my world looked very different.

I started working at Honda when I was 21 years old, and getting that job felt like winning the lottery. Growing up, college wasn’t really an option for me. Money was tight, and I slept on couches just to finish high school. So landing a stable job right away meant everything. I worked hard, moved into leadership roles and built my life around showing up every day and doing my best for my family.

I was in my early 40s and suddenly faced with the idea of going back to school, something I’d never done in the first place. I was terrified.

Dwight Lahay

I stayed there for 21 years. It was steady and familiar, and it gave me a life I was proud of. But eventually, my body started telling me I couldn’t do the work anymore.

Years of repetitive motion took their toll on my arm. I had surgery, tried to return to work and realized I just couldn’t physically keep going the way I used to. That was a tough thing to accept. It wasn’t just about losing a job. It was about losing what I thought my future was going to look like.

At that point, I had a young family at home. I was in my early 40s and suddenly faced with the idea of going back to school, something I’d never done in the first place. I was terrified. I honestly didn’t know what I wanted to be “when I grew up,” and I didn’t know where to start.

I chose to study business at Georgian College because it felt flexible. It gave me options. What I didn’t expect was how much the people I met at Georgian would change my life.

Early on, I met Keith Connell, a marketing professor who took the time to really talk with me. He listened. He encouraged me. He reminded me that my life experience mattered, and that I brought something valuable into the classroom. At a time when I was pretty down and questioning everything, that meant more than he probably realized.

That relationship gave me confidence. And once I started building relationships with other students, things began to shift. Slowly, I started to realize I wasn’t behind. I was just on a different path.

During my time at Georgian, I completed my co-op placements with the college’s Centre for Changemaking and Social Innovation. I didn’t fully know what they did at first, but I knew it felt right. I’ve always cared about community and helping people, and that work aligned with who I am.

A few days after I graduated, I got a call asking if I’d be interested in helping manage a growing creative space on campus. What started as a part-time role quickly turned into something much bigger.

Working in the Peter Moore Changemaker’s Space felt natural to me (located at E212 at the Barrie Campus). I’ve always liked working with my hands, fixing things and figuring things out. Whether it’s tractors at home or 3D printers on campus, I enjoy learning how things work. But what I enjoy even more is talking with people, hearing their ideas and helping them feel comfortable trying something new.

Networking is fine, but relationships are what actually matter. Take the time to learn about people. Be kind. Be curious. Listen.

Dwight Lahay

That same mindset carries into the Larche Family Foundation Studio (located at N304 at the Barrie Campus) – a creative, professionally equipped media and production space that supports hands-on learning in areas like photography, videography, podcasting and other media production.

When people hear “studio,” they often feel intimidated, and I get it. I felt that way too at first. There’s professional equipment, cameras, microphones and editing software. But my approach is simple. This is a place to learn. You don’t need experience. You don’t need to have it all figured out.

If you can walk in with an idea, or even just curiosity, we can work from there.

Students and faculty from across the college use the space. Some are working on academic projects. Others want to try podcasting, video or creative storytelling for the first time. My role is to help them feel comfortable, to learn alongside them and to remind them that it’s OK to play and experiment.

One of the most meaningful parts of my journey has been working alongside Keith again, this time as a colleague and friend. The professor who once encouraged me is now someone I collaborate with. We learn from each other, and that full-circle moment means a lot to me.

If there’s one thing I tell students over and over, it’s this: build real relationships.

Networking is fine, but relationships are what actually matter. Take the time to learn about people. Be kind. Be curious. Listen. Surround yourself with good people and keep learning. If you do that, things tend to work out.

Going back to college in my 40s was one of the hardest and best decisions I’ve ever made. I didn’t know where it would lead, but I trusted the process and the people around me.

Now, I get to be part of that process for others. And honestly, I feel incredibly lucky.