Inspirational alumni
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People of Georgian: Alumna skates her way to Special Olympics Canada gold
Meet Brooke Thomas, an alumna who won gold at the 2024 Special Olympics Canada Winter Games.
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These Georgian grads moved into residence and fell in love
Meet alumni Emily and Ross, who met after moving into the same residence building and fell in love at Georgian.
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People of Georgian: Social worker embodies inclusion, belonging
Meet Jermaine James, alumnus of Georgian’s Social Service Worker program at the Orillia Campus.
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People of Georgian: Alumni forest firefighter blazes many career paths
Meet Joshua Bowles, a student in Georgian’s Paramedic program and a two-time alumnus.
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People of Georgian: Top 5 inspiring stories of 2023
Here’s a look at our Top 5 most-read People of Georgian stories from 2023.
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Georgian’s Top 10 good news stories of 2023
Here’s a look back at some of our favourite good news stories from throughout 2023.
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People of Georgian: International alumnus embraces ‘new life’ at college
Meet Rhithul Roythomas, alumnus of Georgian’s Computer Systems Technician – Networking program and ONEcard officer.
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People of Georgian: Alumna’s automotive career in her blood
Meet Grace Stein, alumna of the Honours Bachelor of Business Administration (Automotive Management) program.
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People of Georgian: Sexual assault survivor changes federal legislation on publication bans
Meet Brandy Mullen, alumna and professor in Georgian’s Health, Wellness and Sciences department.
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People of Georgian: Alumna reconnects with Indigenous culture, finds purpose
Meet Alicia Thompson, Manidoo Kwe (Spirit Woman), alumna and Community Liaison Officer, Indigenous Services.
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Georgian alumnus wins Etsy Design Award thanks to Sarah Jessica Parker
Meet Moh Alsulaiman, who also shares how his Human Resources Management graduate certificate helps him in his artistic career.
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Interior Decorating alumna gets program code tattoo
We spoke to Mikaela Parker about what her experience was like in the Interior Decorating program and how it prepared her for her career.
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Georgian ignites passion to help students at fundraising gala
A total of $410,000 was raised and will go toward scholarships, awards and bursaries, as well as the Georgian Food Locker.
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Georgian celebrates 100,000 alumni milestone with ‘more than a number’ stories
Georgian College has officially reached 100,000 graduates, marking the significant milestone in its 56-year history.
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People of Georgian: Daughter’s stillbirth leads to charity for grieving families
Meet Mathew Morrison, Financial Analyst and Reporting Officer and alumnus, who co-founded Bridget’s Bunnies.
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People of Georgian: Student-turned-professor discovers love of teaching
Meet Keith Connell, a Georgian professor and two-time alumnus.
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People of Georgian: Sister’s death inspires firefighter’s career
Meet John Wilcox, an alumnus and part-time instructor in the Pre-service Firefighter Education and Training program.
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Veterinary Technician grad finds employment thanks to placement
Did you know that almost all Georgian programs offer formal work-integrated learning experiences? Sasha Pratt, a recent Veterinary Technician grad, was able to secure her dream job thanks to her clinical placement.
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People of Georgian: Three-time student studies leadership with mom
Meet Elissa Kozub, a current student and employee at Georgian, as well as two-time alumna.
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People of Georgian: Musical connection leads to grad’s whirlwind wedding
Meet Matias Contreras Perez, International Recruitment Officer – Offshore and two-time Georgian alumnus.
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People of Georgian: Alumna ditches policing for public art
Meet Monica Loney, an alumna of Georgian’s Police Foundations and Human Resources Management programs.
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People of Georgian: Helping students ‘an honour,’ says retiring coordinator
Meet Terri Edmonstone, Student Life Coordinator, who is retiring after 33 years. She’s also a two-time Georgian alumna.
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People of Georgian: Alumnus uses artificial intelligence to detect skin cancer
Meet Arjun Pawar, a two-time Georgian College alumnus.
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People of Georgian: Determination drives woman to college, help Indigenous communities
Meet Tiffany McCue, Anishnaabe kwe, Indigenization Initiatives Lead, alumna, and part-time faculty.
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People of Georgian: 2SLGBTQIA+ equity top of mind for co-op consultant
Meet Jacob Chevrier, a Co-op Consultant and two-time Georgian alumnus.
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People of Georgian: Alumnus finds confidence by trying new things
Meet Arjun Batra, alumnus of Georgian’s Mechanical Engineering Technology – Automotive Manufacturing program.
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People of Georgian: Friend’s death sparks woman’s life-changing travel
Meet Joanne Foxton, Manager of #ChangeTheNow and Georgian alumna.
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People of Georgian: International alumna’s key to success staying open to opportunities
Meet Prerna Sharma, an alumna of Georgian’s Big Data Analytics program.
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People of Georgian: Indigenous program reconnects consultant with heritage
Meet Sharon Rigby, a two-time Georgian alumna, current student, and an Indigenous Employment Services Consultant.
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People of Georgian: Administrator driven by helping international students
Meet Sid Taneja, ServiceNow Administrator, Innovation and Digital Experience, and Georgian alumnus.
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People of Georgian: Top 5 stories of 2022
Looking back on 2022, we have collected the most-viewed People of Georgian stories featuring Georgian employees, students and alumni.
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People of Georgian: Analyst has ‘life-changing experience’ as running coach
Meet Tony Podziemski, a Georgian alumnus, former varsity running coach, and college employee for 35 years.
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People of Georgian: Paralympian shares ‘unreal’ experiences he nearly missed
Meet Brad Bowden, two-time Georgian alumnus, medal-winning Paralympic athlete, and recipient of the Distinguished Alumni Award.
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Mother and daughter nursing students head back to school together
Meet Tonya Kennedy and her daughter, Jess Cos, who are both studying to be nurses at Georgian College.
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People of Georgian: Student uses painting to share autism journey
Meet Emily Slaght, a student graduating from Georgian’s Fine Arts program this June.
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People of Georgian: Artist dreams up future as entrepreneur
Meet Monica Levac, artist and alumna of Georgian’s Hospitality – Hotel and Resort Operations Management program.
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People of Georgian: Alumnus celebrates the weirdness of life
Meet Dan Hendley, alumnus from Georgian’s Visual Photography and Imaging program.
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People of Georgian: ‘Bubbles’ makes full-circle college journey
Meet Lisa Lavigne, Georgian alumna and Academic Program Assistant at the college’s Owen Sound Campus.
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Lindsay Rice: Racing into the future
There is a group of girls who come out to a lot of my races around Ontario and they’ll come to visit me when the races are done. There may be 15 drivers around me and every one of them is male, but I’m showing these girls that I’m still out here doing this, and so can they.
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Grad’s automotive ecommerce gains traction
It’s National Entrepreneur’s Day! To mark the occasion, read about Guy-Olivier Potvin, an ambitious young entrepreneur and graduate of the Automotive Business School of Canada.
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People of Georgian: Student by day, wrestler by night
Meet Corbin Crawford-Joslin, alumnus from Georgian’s Advertising and Marketing Communications program.
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People of Georgian: Aviation student launches food truck after co-op in Nunavut
Meet Sachin Sharma, alumnus from Georgian’s Aviation Management program and owner/operator of Foodiez food truck in Barrie.
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People of Georgian: One comment changed the course of Paramedic student’s life
Dustyn Paton, an alumnus and current student in Georgian’s Advanced Care Paramedic program.
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People of Georgian: Paralympian finds ‘pure happiness’ in sports despite setbacks
Meet Darda Sales, Georgian alumna, and Paralympian gold and silver medalist and World Champion swimmer and wheelchair basketball player.
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People of Georgian: Family’s key to ‘the good life’ for events co-ordinator
Meet Beedahsiga Elliott, Events Coordinator with Georgian’s Indigenous Services and a three-time Georgian alumnus.
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Golfing this weekend? Georgian alumnus launches golf safety device during pandemic
Meet James Skrypec, a Georgian alumnus, who helped launch Pin Caddy, a device aimed at helping make golfing safer.
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Nurse focuses on empathetic healthcare during COVID-19
This article was originally published in the spring 2021 edition of GeorgianView, the college ’s alumni magazine.
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Retired nurse reflects on decades of service
Although the first eight years of her career were spent at urban hospitals in Edmonton and Barrie (with a year at a nursing home in Barrie) she spent the next 10 years as an outpost nurse working in Canada’s far north.
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Daughter begins nursing career as mother fights for her life in ICU
“It makes me kind of emotional thinking about it because Mother’s Day was the last time I saw my mom before she went into the hospital. This has definitely made us closer."
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People of Georgian: Watching police movies with dad inspires alumnus’ career path
Meet Const. Wazeer Rahiman, a Georgian alumnus and police officer with the South Simcoe Police Service.
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People of Georgian: Instructor finds support – and second career – as mature student
Meet Marco D’Intino, Georgian alumnus and part-time Academic Technologist at the college’s Owen Sound Campus.
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People of Georgian: Indigenous Studies co-ordinator connects with students through virtual reality
Meet Michele O’Brien, Georgian College alumna and Co-op Experience Consultant with the college’s Indigenous Studies programs.
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People of Georgian: Alumna inspired to rewrite her life story at college
Meet Alasoba (Lala) Kelsy-Braide, alumna of Georgian’s Child and Youth Care program.
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People of Georgian: Alumna’s hunger for higher education propels her from ‘humble beginnings’
Meet Roxann Whittingham, Georgian alumna. She recently created a scholarship for Black students studying at Georgian.
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People of Georgian: International co-ordinator finds ‘true personality’ at college
Meet Kenta Shirakura, alumnus of one of Georgian’s Hospitality programs, and the International Housing Coordinator with Georgian’s Segal International Centre.
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People of Georgian: Nursing student rises from foster care to college with ‘amazing’ faculty support
Meet Frankie Von Dahlen-Klaus, a Practical Nursing student and PSW alumna at Georgian, who’s a model for the college’s MORE campaign.
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People of Georgian: Dopey the real star of student recruiter’s Christmas tree
Meet Kailey Hawkins, Georgian alumna and Student Recruitment Specialist at Georgian College.
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People of Georgian: Support officer an ‘outdoors fanatic’
Jay Harris, Student Systems Support Officer at Georgian College and alumnus, is a huge fan of anything that gets him active outdoors.
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People of Georgian: Aviation alumni leads COVID-19 response at airport
Meet Chantal Urquidi, alumna from Georgian’s Aviation Management program. She was recently named to Business London’s Twenty in their 20’s.
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People of Georgian: Award-winning Peruvian filmmaker finds inspiration in diversity
Meet Paul Arredondo Rodriguez, a Georgian College alumnus, Support Clerk and filmmaker, whose short film won two awards at the Barrie Film Festival this fall.
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People of Georgian: Alumna ‘brave enough to suck at something new’
Meet Anna Julia Sirghiuta, alumni of Georgian’s Aviation Management program and founder of Georgian Skies. She now works in corporate airport operations at Billy Bishop Airport in Toronto.
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People of Georgian: Indigenous-Canadian actor champions cultural empowerment
Meet Nadia George, Georgian alumna, award-winning Mi’kmaq-Canadian actor, public speaker, and Indigenous rights and youth advocate.
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People of Georgian: Philanthropist says family treated college as ‘part of the family’
Meet Jane Brown Jackson, Georgian alumna, philanthropist, and longtime friend of Georgian.
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People of Georgian: Graphic designer creates movie monster magic
Meet Adam Dagenais, Community Animator for Georgian’s Centre for Changemaking and Social Innovation, and a Georgian alumnus from the Art and Design Fundamentals program.
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People of Georgian: Early ‘turmoil’ inspires alumna’s child-rights advocacy
Meet Jane Kovarikova, Georgian alumna and founder of Child Welfare Political Action Committee of Canada.
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People of Georgian: Massage Therapy alumna pays it forward with inspiring advice
Meet Lindsay Geiger, graduate of Georgian’s Massage Therapy program and owner of Kneading Balance Services.
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People of Georgian: Army coach finds second family through fitness
Meet Chelsey Tuck, Georgian alumna, Fitness and Health Promotion program, and fitness and sports instructor at Canadian Forces Base Borden.