Lethbridge College presented four awards to outstanding alumni and the celebrated the impact they’ve had in their chosen career fields at its annual Honouring Excellence event on Thursday.

Global Edmonton anchor Quinn Ohler, who graduated from the Broadcast Journalism program in 2009, was presented with the Rising Star award.

“Lethbridge College has so many amazing graduates that come out of this program and to be able to be recognized alongside some of the biggest in the industry is just absolutely incredible.” Ohler said.

Communication Arts graduate Rick Lewchuk, who holds an impressive work history in the broadcasting industry, was presented the Distinguished Alumnus award. Lewchuk is currently serving as the Senior Vice President of Creative Marketing and Brand Standards for news giant CNN.

“It actually feels really natural to walk back into the place having left it 40 years ago and not being back since,” Lewchuk said upon arriving to receive his award. “It still has that welcoming atmosphere.”

Dr. Sandra Davidson, who was appointed as the University of Calgary’s Dean of the Faculty of Nursing in August 2018, was presented the 2019 Career Virtuoso award, and Business Administration graduate Jason VandenHoek, currently the Executive Director of the Chinook Regional Hospital Foundation, was given the Community Leader award.

The college also took time on Thursday to recognize its 2019 honorary degree recipient Troy Reeb.

Reeb graduated from the Communication Arts program in 1988 before finding success at Global News, and eventually rising to Executive Vice President of Broadcast Networks at Corus Entertainment.

Reeb also founded an on-going annual scholarship at Lethbridge College in 2006, which he said aims to expose aspiring journalists to larger markets in the media industry.

“I wanted to offer the opportunity for one intern a year to do their internship in a great big multi major market or network operation,” Reeb said.

Ohler was also a recipient of the Troy Reeb scholarship in 2009.

2019 marks the 27^th annual Honouring Excellence event, and officials with the college said they’re proud to continue the tradition of recognizing alumni who use their education to pave new paths within their careers into the future.

“Alumni, to us, are proud individuals who showcase what the college is all about,” Sydney Wakaruk, Alumni Relations Coordinator with Lethbridge College, said. “They’re often those leaders, thinkers and doers and they’re making a difference in our everyday lives.”

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