Fanshawe College Celebrates Fall 2010 Convocation

More than 1,000 new college graduates received their credentials from Fanshawe College last week during the College's annual fall convocation season. Fanshawe hosted three ceremonies in its London Campus J-Gymnasium: Thursday, November 4, 2010, at 10 a.m. and 2 p.m., and Friday, November 5 at 10 a.m.

Fanshawe employees Jasmine Dove and Tony Fields graduated on November 4, 2010.
Click here for more photos.

"Convocation is always an exciting time for Fanshawe, its graduates, and their families," said Fanshawe College President Howard Rundle. "A college education opens doors. As Ontario's economy continues to evolve, we know that today's graduates are well prepared to adapt and thrive in their chosen profession. Their skills will be in demand when they are ready to enter the workforce."

This year, four students received the Dean's Academic Award during fall convocation. Catherine Peacock (Broadcast Television Digital Post-Production), Marisa Allen (Business - Accounting), Jessica Vallaeys (Dental Assisting - Levels I and II) and Vaughan Scriver (Pre-Technology) earned the award based on their academic performance and contributions to college life.

Guest speakers for fall convocation included Fanshawe Dean Emeritus Rod Cameron; Ailene Wittstein of Merrymount Children's Centre; and Gerald Fagan, Conductor/Artistic Director of Fanshawe Chorus London, The Gerald Fagan Singers, and the Concert Players Orchestra. Gerald Fagan received an Honorary Diploma during the ceremony on Friday, November 5.

"Each of our guest speakers has provided exemplary service to Fanshawe or to our community," Dr. Rundle said. "They have a lot to teach our graduates, not only about enjoying a successful career, but living a successful life. We are excited they were here to share those lessons as our graduates prepare for new challenges."

Guest speakers Rod Cameron, Ailene Wittstein, and Gerald Fagan are profiled below. Click here for a profile of noteworthy graduate Belinda Sayeau, winner of the 2010 Colleges Ontario student achievement award and employee in Fanshawe's First Nations Centre.

Fanshawe College Fall 2010 Convocation Speakers

Rod Cameron
Thursday, November 4, 10 a.m.
In a career that spanned more than 30 years, Rod provided outstanding leadership to Fanshawe's Faculty of Technology and to Ontario's colleges. He began as a professor, eventually becoming a Coordinator, Chair and, ultimately, Dean of Technology.

A certified automotive mechanic, Rod was a member of the Elgin London Middlesex Oxford Local Training Board, the London Middlesex Immigrant Employment Council, and the Automotive/Transportation Service Superintendents' Association. Although he is retired from Fanshawe, he was recently appointed by the Government of Ontario as Chair of the Appointments Council for the new Ontario College of Trades. The College of Trades is the first regulatory body for the skilled trades in Canada, and will give industry a greater role in recruitment, governance, certification, and apprenticeship training.

Being able to tie his passion for motorsports, old sports cars, and European motorcycles - all things fast - to his career was a dream for Rod. He was inducted into the Klaus Woerner Skilled Trades Hall of Fame earlier this year.

Ailene Wittstein
Thursday, November 4, 2 p.m.
Ailene was born and raised in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, where she was influenced to become a spiritual person and a teacher by her parents' involvement in the Jewish community, and her mother's position as a Religious School Director.

Although Ailene went to Carnegie Institute of Technology to study flute, she gave up a scholarship and decided to change majors during the first week of orientation. She chose instead to study Child Development and Family Studies both at Carnegie Tech and Merrill Palmer Institute in Detroit, Michigan. To this day, Ailene is committed to supporting families, serving as Executive Director of Merrymount Family Support and Crisis Centre. She has also served on the City of London Child Care Advisory Committee and the London and Middlesex Early Years Council. Among many social service leadership roles, she is presently on the board of Investing in Children.

Ailene is also very heavily involved in religious issues and education. She is currently on the Executive Board of the Canadian Council for Reform Judaism, and is a member of the Temple Israel Board as the Chair of the Religious School and Youth Committees.

Gerald Fagan
Friday, November 5, 10 a.m.
Maestro Gerald Fagan has been a guest and founding conductor for many provincial choral organizations, including those in Newfoundland, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, Ontario, Manitoba, Saskatchewan, and Alberta. In each of those provinces, he assisted in pioneering Choral Foundations, was a featured clinician in innumerable workshops, and conducted elite Provincial Choirs. Twice conductor of the Ontario Youth Choir, he was also founding conductor of the Toronto Medelssohn Youth Choir.

Internationally, Gerald has performed on tour in Poland, Lithuania, England, Ireland, Belgium, Spain, Germany, France, Monaco, and Holland. As a featured Guest Conductor, he has directed choirs from Cuba, Russia, Scotland, Taiwan, Germany, Zimbabwe, South Africa, Peru, Great Britain, and the United States. Gerald also received honours from the President of Lithuania as the conductor of the first performance by a foreign ensemble following that country's declaration of independence.

Gerald has been recognized for his service to culture by the Conservatory of Canada and the City of London, where he continues as Artistic Director of the Gerald Fagan Singers, Fanshawe Chorus London, and The Concert Players Orchestra. Looking toward the future, Gerald is thrilled to be the Artistic Director of the Bach Music Festival of South Huron, which will be launched in the summer of 2011.