CORNWALL, Ontario – St. Lawrence College (SLC) has announced this year’s nominees for the annual Premier’s Awards, and among the seven nominees is Melissa Phelan, who graduated from SLC’s Cornwall campus Welding Technician program in 2016.
“Melissa Phelan is a highly skilled welder and robotics weld programmer who has become a vocal advocate for women entering the welding industry and the trades in general,” her nomination page on SLC’s website reads. “Recognized as a woman to watch in the trades, Melissa is both a talented welder and technician and a leading voice within the Canadian manufacturing sector. Using social media and online forums as a force for positive change, Melissa is a confident millennial woman who uses her skills and experience to encourage, inform, and inspire the next generation of women in the trades.”
Other nominees are:
- Karyn Robarts – Founder and Partner, Robarts Spaces (Fashion Merchandising, 1987)
- Robyne Hanley-Dafoe – Founder and CEO, Robyne HD Inc. (Behavioural Science Technology, 2000, Addiction Treatment and Prevention Worker, 2000)
- Bernard Clark – Photographer and Owner, Bernard Clark Photographer (Visual and Creative Arts – Fine Arts, 1985 Photography, 1985)
- Christine Bruce – Senior Director, Laboratory Medicine Program, University Health Network (Medical Laboratory Technology, 1997)
- Clayton MacKinnon – Digital Marketing Specialist, Banff Centre for the Arts and Creativity (Visual and Creative Arts – Fine Arts, 2017)
- Fernando Ferrer – Founder and Director, Immutable Data (Computer Programmer Analyst, 2008)
“I’m so proud of this amazing group of nominees from our SLC alumni,” SLC Presiden Glenn Vollebregt said. “The Premier’s Awards are a chance to shine the spotlight on the incredible work and contributions of college graduates, and to have a nominee in each category speaks to the strength of our programs in setting graduates up for future success in their chosen paths.”
Launched in 1992, the Premier’s Awards recognize college graduates who have excelled in the fields of Apprenticeship, Business, Community Services, Creative Arts and Design, Health Sciences, Recent Graduate and Technology.
“We’re honoured to have nominees in all seven categories,” said Elizabeth Gorman, SLC’s Director of Development and Alumni Relations. “I want to congratulate all of our nominees, a stellar group of alumni who truly showcase the best of SLC.”
