Five week long college strike postpones annual awards ceremony

Previous award winners from 2014. Photo by loyalistcollege.com

By Alana Pickrell 

BELLEVILLE – No date has been confirmed for the awards ceremony to honour the academic excellence of Loyalist College students that was delayed due to the college strike, but they did get their money.

Joanne Farrell, the awards officer for the college, confirmed Wednesday afternoon the faculty strike definitely impacted the ceremony that was scheduled for Nov. 2 recognizing students for their academic accomplishments, as well as local donors for their contribution.

“We did postpone the undergraduate awards ceremony, just for the fact that the strike was on and we prefer to have the staff to be a part of the ceremony,” Farrell said.

Typically the ceremony is held during the first week of November where awards, bursaries, and scholarships are passed out, she said.

But the college hopes to hand out the awards later in the new year, she said.

“There will be a ceremony. We just haven’t confirmed the date yet,”  she said.

Micheala Orr, a 19-year old Practical Nursing student, won two awards this semester, one last year and several before her time at Loyalist.

“Last year I didn’t get to go, but even in high school when I would win bursaries I would send out cards so the person who donated was still recognized,” she said, “But, it would have been nice to see them face to face this year.”

Students were able to pick up their cheques starting November 21st from the Career Centre. Farrell is asking winners to fill out a thank you card so that the donors will get recognition regardless of if the ceremony takes place in the new year.