A Moment with the Mayor: Return from summer

As we start into September, I am sure everyone is quickly pivoting from summer holiday fun to school, activities and shorter days. Depending on your family makeup, you may be looking forward to more activities at the Legacy Centre or school starting up for those of all ages and an empty nest for others.

I want to share how fortunate we are to have Lakeland College in our local communities of Lloydminster and Vermilion. Lakeland College has humble beginnings as an agricultural school providing advanced education to eager young students. These students were fresh from the farm and desired to return to the family farm and enhance grain and livestock production.

Today, Lakeland College provides numerous opportunities to attain diplomas, technical degrees and undergraduate courses that transfer to other institutions for more specialized degrees. Attending college here in Lloydminster allows you the benefits of reduced rent costs compared to the cities of Edmonton, Calgary, Saskatoon or Regina. If your family lives here, it allows you to further your education right from home. Smaller class size is also a great advantage to attending Lakeland. The student-to-instructor ratio enables the opportunity to learn in much smaller class sizes and allows you to be known.

The list of degrees and information about what Lakeland College offers grows yearly. Under the direction of Dr. Alice Wainwright Stewart and the Board of Governors, Lakeland continues building its relationships with other universities. Not only does Lakeland have over a dozen degree completion options, but it also excels in trade certification. As a former student of the Emergency Training Centre and the energy programs, I can’t tell you how much I appreciated the opportunity to attend programs close to home and enhance my education and employment opportunities.

Lakeland College began in 1913 and continues to change and enhance the educational offerings to students. I look forward to experiencing Lakeland College as it grows in Lloydminster and Vermilion and continues to meet and serve the ever-growing demand for skills, training and education.

Mayor Gerald S. Aalbers
City of Lloydminster