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Camosun College honours its top students with 2022 awards

Lieutenant-Governor Medal for grades and citizenship; top academic awards handed out
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Camosun College 2022 graduate Gretta de Carvalho Kawahara was awarded the B.C. Lieutenant Governor’s Medal for combining high grades and promoting inclusion, democracy and reconciliation at the college and in her community. (Courtesy Camosun College)

June is honours season at Camosun College, and four students have received major recognition for their efforts this past academic year.

Gretta de Carvalho Kawahara, who graduated from the school of health and human services this spring, was recently named winner of the B.C. Lieutenant-Governor’s Medal. The honour was not only for excelling in her studies, but recognizes her contribution to life at Camosun and in her community by promoting inclusion, democracy and reconciliation.

“I feel grateful to be recognized for something I put my heart into it,” de Carvalho Kawahara said in a release. “Furthermore, inclusion, democracy and reconciliation are topics and values we all need to not only talk about, but practice and I am very grateful that Camosun offered me a safe space to put them into practice.”

She began her studies online in her native Brazil while working as a teacher, and emigrated to Victoria last year to study in the early learning and care program at Camosun.

Her nominator, instructor Lindsay Lichty, said de Carvalho Kawahara showed commitment early on to not turning away from issues and “listening deeply to the land, the people and to combining this knowledge into her practice of early learning and care.”

Camosun’s school of trades and technology produced all three winners of the Governor General Collegiate Bronze Medal awards, given annually to the top academic (highest grade point average) graduates of programs two years or longer.

Samreeta Kandola, a graduate of information and computer systems technology, loved the hands-on nature of her program, noting it is a huge advantage when one enters the workforce.

Rylen Enger worked six years in civil construction before shifting gears and taking the electronic and computer engineering diploma program, and the engineering bridge program to the University of Victoria, where he’ll graduate in 2024. He hopes to eventually work in the Island’s tech industry.

Garret Wright posted his top marks in the civil engineering technology diploma program. While he initially chose Camosun for its location close to home, he noted the program is well known and accredited by the Applied Science Technicians of BC, which he expects to give him an advantage in the local workforce.

ALSO READ: Fine furniture specialist receives Camosun’s distinguished alumni award


 

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