JASON SETNYK
More than 400 St. Lawrence College graduates crossed the stage at the Cornwall campus for the 2026 Convocation ceremonies recognizing students from a wide range of programs. Graduates now join a global network of more than 135,000 SLC alumni living and working around the world.
“Convocation is my favourite day of the year,” said Glenn Vollebregt, SLC President and CEO. “It’s really why we’re all here, celebrating our students’ success. Family and friends from all over the province and all over the community are here and really excited for our graduates today.”
The morning ceremony recognized graduates from the School of Allied Health, Iohahi Akwesasne Education & Training Institute, Nursing, and Applied Science and Computing. Programs included Paramedic, Personal Support Worker, Practical Nursing, Honours Bachelor of Science in Nursing, Computer Programming, Computer Systems Technician, and Game Programming. The afternoon ceremony celebrated graduates from the School of Skilled Trades, Community Services, and Professional Services and Innovation. Programs included Welding and Fabrication Technician, Early Childhood Education, Police Foundations, Social Service Worker, Business, Business Administration, Project Management, Supply Chain Management, and several apprenticeship and pathway programs.
Each ceremony opened with an honour song and the singing of O Canada, followed by speeches, the presentation of graduates, and the awarding of honorary diplomas.
Gail Kaneb, President of Breakthrough Strategies and co-founder of the Tom and Gail Kaneb Family Foundation, received an honorary diploma for support of education, health sciences, and the arts throughout the Cornwall region. Her contributions to SLC include support for the Cornwall Paramedic Lab, recognized through the naming of the Tom and Gail Kaneb Family Foundation Paramedic Simulation Centre. “We just had a special ceremony for our honorary diploma recipient, our valedictorian, and President’s List award winners, and I can’t say enough about Gail Kaneb and what she has meant not only to St. Lawrence College, but to the community,” said Vollebregt. “She is such a generous individual, smart, caring, and really wears the community on her sleeve. It’s such an honour and privilege to be able to award her the honorary diploma.”
The second honorary diploma was awarded to Abram Benedict, Ontario Regional Chief for the Chiefs of Ontario and a former Chair of St. Lawrence College’s Board of Governors. Benedict, the first Haudenosaunee person elected Ontario Regional Chief in the organization’s 50-year history, represents 133 First Nations across Ontario. He previously served as District Chief and Grand Chief for the Mohawk Council of Akwesasne and has nearly two decades of leadership experience.
The 2026 Cornwall campus valedictorians were Donald William DuPerron, a Personal Support Worker graduate, for the morning ceremony, and Taylor Filion, a Business Administration graduate, for the afternoon ceremony.
Vollebregt said DuPerron’s journey reflects the opportunities college education can provide. “One of the things I love about college is that it offers opportunities for second careers, and our valedictorian is a great example of a second career,” he said. “He is going to be fantastic as a PSW, and I’m looking forward to seeing what he does in the future.”
Vollebregt said graduates leave SLC with practical skills that will benefit both their careers and the wider community.
“I know they will all go forward into their careers with the hands-on training they and employers in our region need,” he said. “We are honoured they chose SLC to help them achieve their academic goals and to provide them with a solid foundation to grow in their careers, future development, and their contribution to the economy.”
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