graduation

CELEBRATING THE CLASS OF 2025: CEGEP Champlain-St. Lawrence honours graduates and teachers

Cassandra Kerwin, Local Journalism Initiative reporter

cassandra@qctonline.com

The Class of 2025 of CEGEP Champlain-St. Lawrence (SLC) entered the darkened hall of Le Montmartre on June 6 to the sound of Edward Elgar’s “Pomp and Circumstance.” Hundreds of graduates dressed in caps and gowns, and their families and friends, attended a ceremony to mark a milestone in their academic lives.

Graduates and parents lingered outdoors for photos be- fore being called into the hall. At 7:30 p.m., the ceremony began with speeches given by communications advisor Emma Lawrence and director of the constituent college and director of studies Edward Berryman.

Before the graduates and student award winners were named, the school honoured its dedicated faculty. This year, the AQPC Excellence in Teaching Award went to history professor Geneviève Ribordy. The students selected her fellow history professor Thomas Welham for the SLC Student Association Recognition Award.

The Highest Academic Achievement awards went to Hirad Haghbayan (science), Ève Richard (social science), Charlie Tremblay Groleau (P.W. Sims Business Program) and Harun Trtak (arts, literature and communications). Haghbayan also received the Highest Overall Academic Achievement Award, the Champlain Regional College Board of Governors’ Merit Award and the Governor General’s Medal. The prestigious Loran Honour Citation went to Tristan Massicotte. The Lieutenant-Governor’s Award went to Merrick Marshall and Paloma Calleja.

Of the 30 awards presented, Tremblay Groleau received four: the Puissance Onze Award, the Ernst and Young Award, the Beneva Resilience Scholarship and the Highest Academic Achievement Award in the P.W. Sims Business Program. As president of the SLC Student Association, he also gave the closing speech.

“I am truly honoured to have this chance to speak on behalf of the Class of 2025,” he said. “After our time here, we have come to understand that St. Lawrence is much, much more than an anglophone CEGEP in a francophone city. It is because we are small that we were able to have such a memorable and personal CEGEP experience, whether it was with our classmates or the dedicated faculty through extracurricular activities, studies, sports and clubs.” He concluded, “On behalf of the class, I thank you, St. Lawrence, and to the Class of 2025, continue to make a positive reputation.”

A full list of graduates and award winners follows below the photos.