Lakeland College president Alice Wainwright-Stewart says the college has come a long way, and the community has played a large role in its success.
Speaking to the Border City Rotary Club on July 15, she stressed the importance of strong local ties.
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“Rotary are the people that keep our communities going,” she said. “They have a pulse on what’s happening, and they need to know what’s going on at the institutions so they can also help spread the word of what Lakeland can do for the community.”
Wainwright-Stewart gave several updates, including progress on the Bentley Building, which will house the interior design and human services programs. It also includes a research-based children’s play space.
Dan Gray Meridian Source
“So we’re hoping to be able to put something unique to our area,” she said, adding that the play space will use the college’s working farm and ranch.
The college’s human services program has grown by 215 per cent over the past decade. In part thanks to online learning.
She also praised student success across the board. They won medals in Skills Alberta competitions, national ag-business events, and even international hairstyling.
“They brought home the gold in carpentry and steam fitting and a silver in hairstyling,” said Wainwright-Stewart.
She stated that their work-integrated learning provides students with the confidence and real-world experience they need to succeed.
“When you think Lakeland, you think students at the lead, moving forward, and they’re ready to go out and work,” she said. “They’re not afraid to work.”
Lakeland growth and impact
She recalled a pivotal moment in the college’s history. When she first stepped into a leadership role in the early 2000s, only five “cropper” students, those studying crop technology, had graduated.
“That year, then-president Glenn (Charlesworth) said, ‘The croppers are down to five. You got to cut that program,’” recalled Wainwright-Stewart. “I said, ‘Just give me a year or so. See what we can do.’”
This year, the program had more than 50 graduates.
Additionally, Wainwright-Stewart said Lakeland’s local impact is bigger than most people realize.
“Over the last year, $58 million,” she said. “One out of 28 jobs in our region is affected by Lakeland.”
Asked what she hoped people took from her talk, she hopes people get to learn more about the school.
“Lakeland is part of your community, and we are all together in supporting making rural sustainability a thing that is phenomenal for us going forward.”
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