MOOSE JAW — Saskatchewan Polytechnic recognized nearly 1,000 students during the June 13 convocation ceremony at the Events Centre, while it also honoured a community-focused student and the mayor.
During the morning grad ceremony, the educational institution gave Rhea Almeda the Outstanding Citizenship Award for her volunteerism with the Sask. Polytech Student Association and the community’s new immigrants, while in the afternoon, the organization gave Mayor Clive Tolley the 2024 Saskatchewan Polytechnic Honorary Degree in Applied Sciences.
Besides these accolades, the college also celebrated both recipients with a luncheon.
Dr. Larry Rosia, the president/CEO of Saskatchewan Polytechnic, introduced Tolley and explained that he was born in Moose Jaw, attended Ross School and graduated from A.E. Peacock High School, was a city councillor from 1988 to 1991 and became mayor in 2021.
Furthermore, Tolley has been a volunteer for many decades, from community boards and committees to sports, where he coached softball, baseball and hockey for 25 years. He won a championship with the Moose Jaw Kinsmen Midget Flyers, while he was assistant general manager and assistant coach with the former Moose Jaw Canucks of the Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League (SJHL).
Moreover, the mayor was the national team head coach for the Turkish Ice Hockey Federation and the first coach for that country’s national women’s team.
“That’s amazing,” said Rosia.
Meanwhile, Tolley is a chartered mediator and chartered arbitrator who has worked for the federal and provincial governments, while he was the Vietnam country manager for the United Kingdom Border Agency at the British Embassy in Hanoi.
“I would imagine that was quite a unique experience,” Rosia said. “Mayor Tolley, it is a delight to be able to confirm this honour to you today … (as) a first-class leader.”
Rosia then presented Tolley with a framed picture of a bison, and afterward, the mayor spoke briefly — he gave a longer speech during the afternoon convocation ceremony — by saying the recognition had a big effect on him. He noted that three of his brothers also convocated from Saskatchewan Polytechnic, while the institution has been a big part of their lives.
“It means a lot to receive this today,” he added.
Before recognizing Tolley, Rosia discussed the institution’s graduation ceremonies occurring across Saskatchewan and how it was a special time because there were a record number of students convocating this year.
Specifically, there were 6,245 receiving their diplomas and degrees from Saskatchewan Polytechnic, compared to last year when 4,996 graduated — a 20-per-cent increase, he said.
Meanwhile, 1,521 students were graduating from the Moose Jaw campus, with roughly 960 walking across the stage at the Events Centre.
Rosia pointed out that of the 6,245 graduates this year, 97 per cent would be employed and 94 per cent would remain in Saskatchewan.
“That’s a number that we’re real proud of and (of) being able to contribute to the industries and economy of Saskatchewan,” he said.
“It’s an important time in Saskatchewan Polytechnic, not just for the students who are receiving their credentials for all the hard work they’ve done, but for everyone within our organization who has worked so hard throughout the year to ensure that our students are successful,” Rosia added.
“Because … when our students succeed, then we succeed.”
