Lethbridge Polytechnic is celebrating the fall graduating class of 2026 this weekend.
More than 200 students will cross the stage on October 17 to receive their degrees, diplomas, certificates and apprenticeship credentials. In total, 568 students are graduating from the polytechnic this fall.
"Convocation is a time to recognize the determination and achievements of our graduates' hard work to get to this point," says Marko Hilgersom, registrar. "As we celebrate this milestone together, we look forward with pride to the bright futures of these graduates and the lasting contributions they will make in their communities and beyond."
Fall valedictorian Sarah Watters is graduating from the Therapeutic Recreation - Gerontology (TRG) program. Having first completed the Administrative Office Professional certificate program, Watters pursued TRG to follow her passion for recreation therapy. While studying, she balanced a full course load with work and community volunteering. She is now working toward a bachelor's degree in therapeutic recreation at the University of Lethbridge, while continuing to work at local care facilities to improve the quality of life for seniors.
Watters will lead the procession of graduates and speak at the convocation ceremony.
Featured graduate Patience Omeruo will receive her diploma in Digital Communications and Media (DCM). An international student from Nigeria with a background in media, Omeruo came to Lethbridge Polytechnic after discovering the DCM program through a fellow Nigerian's online review. She is the 21st recipient of the Corus Internship, which saw her spend 14 days in Toronto and Ottawa working with Global News, Global National and Corus Radio. Her winning written submission for the internship, titled Surviving and Studying: The True Cost of being an International Student in Canada, explored the financial and emotional challenges facing international students and drew on her own experience navigating a new culture far from her family.
The Fall Convocation ceremony begins at 10 a.m. Saturday, in the Val Matteotti Gymnasium. It will also be livestreamed at youtube.com/live/DCwoadyaihs.
