ABM College's 2022 Wrap Up: Our Year in Review

ith the end of the year finally coming around, we here at ABM College would like to take some time to go back through our 2022 year. This year had a LOT of change in many different aspects. The world is constantly changing and evolving and the times reflect that. Whether it's the digital realm expanding, more people going back to post secondary schools to pivot their careers, or just society continuing to move forward from the pandemic. A lot has changed this year. 

So what did we get up to this year? To help wrap our 2022, we decided to go through our year's  highlights!

Our year in review includes:

The Introduction of 4 Brand-New Programs 

Note-worthy Donations 

Ukraine Donations
Red Cross Blood Donation

Spring Graduation

Fall Graduation

The Introduction of 4 Brand-New Programs 

This year in 2022, we welcomed a grand total of four new online diploma programs! The new courses were introduced throughout the year first beginning in April with our UI/UX program. 

Our UI/UX program helps prepare students and graduates for the exciting world of UI and UX Design. Next was our Dental Office Administration in July. Our year concludes with the introduction of our two new Toronto-based programs: Financial Planner and Human Resources Administration.

All of our programs have a distinct focus on providing our students with an education that will get them hired in their field after graduation. Our programs have all been tailored to create well-rounded candidates. Not only are students equipped with theoretical knowledge and skills, they get a chance to gain real world experience by completing their mandatory practicum.

‍Note-worthy Donations 

Ukraine Donations 

Back in April in the midst of the Russian-Ukrainian War, one of our employees Tamila Pryz realized she needed to get her mother out of Ukraine. To try and help support Pryz and all others going through this imaginably tough time, ABM College began raising funds for the Canadian Red Cross. The donations raised for Ukraine were also matched dollar to dollar by ABM to contribute as much as possible to this humanitarian cause. With staff donations and the matched amount, ABM College was able to raise $4,200 CAD altogether.

You can read more about Pryz and her mother's journey in the Calgary Herald here.

‍Canadian Blood Services Donation

To help support World Health Day (which takes place on April 7 every year), ABM College employees decided collectively to donate blood. World Health Day is an initiative created by the World Health Organization (WHO) to help raise awareness about the overall health and well-being of people around the globe. 

10 of our staff members made the trip over to the blood donation clinic. Did you know that just one donation can save up to 3 lives? 

‍Spring Graduation

Back in May, we held our Spring Convocation. On May 17, 2022 we happily celebrated with over 250 graduates in person. The Jack Singer Hall downtown was flush with graduates, their family and friends, as well as instructors and staff. Graduations hold a special place in everyone’s heart who attends, it marks the end of a journey and beginning of a new chapter. 

The valedictorian of the Spring 2022 Convocation was Yealyn Pe from the Addictions and Community Service Worker Program. She summed up the feelings of her fellow graduates perfectly when she said in her speech: 

“Today we are celebrating hard work, perseverance, patience, empathy, and knowledge.”

Want to read more about the Spring Convocation? Catch the full recap video, photos and more here in our blog!

‍Fall Graduation

The next graduation was later in the year on November 29, 2022. The Fall Convocation was held in the same venue and many of the same sentiments of pride, happiness and hopefulness carried over. Around 400 graduates adorned with their cap and gowns crossed the stage. With their family, friends, instructors and staff watching them in the auditorium, the feelings were palpable. This marked for the graduates the close of their journey as students and marked the beginning of their new chapter as alumni. 

Deborah Cheesman from the Addictions and Community Service worker was the Valedictorian for her class. Next to her classmates, they were congratulated by keynote speakers like Ward 5 City counsellor Raj Dhaliwal and Amy Funk. 

Make sure to catch the full recap of the Fall 2022 Convocation in our blog post here!

Going Forward

As 2022 ends, we all move towards 2023 with hope. Hope for growth, hope for new opportunities, but most importantly hope for the future. These past few years have been filled with uncertainty, many of us  have felt lost at one point or another. But this only highlights the resilience of people, within all of us is the capacity to thrive and continue moving forward. 

We wish all of you the very best in 2023! Here’s to the new year and all it may bring!