Yellowknife (May 07/03) - Seventy students graduated from Aurora College last Saturday -- the largest number of students ever to graduate from the Yellowknife campus.

Nursing graduate Sandra Lockhart's grandchildren joined her on stage. - Jennifer McPhee/NNSL photo

The Class of 2003 includes 25 nursing grads -- the most since the college launched its nursing program in 1997.

Also, three of the 70 are the first to graduate from the college's nurse practitioner program. This year's batch of grads includes the first 13 grads from the college's three-year teacher education program.

Students also graduated from several other programs including computing and information systems, early childhood education, management studies and long term care aide.

At the ceremony, Education Minister Jake Ootes and Aurora College president Maurice Evans encouraged students to remain in the North and take advantage of the territory's booming economy.

Nursing student Emilia Pisz of Yellowknife definitely plans on staying in the North. "I don't know anybody that's going South," she said. "They came into this course knowing they want to be here."

Lianne Mantla of Rae is already working in Stanton's medicine unit, but eventually plans on furthering her studies at the University of Victoria.

As a bilingual nurse, she can assist Dogrib patients in their own language. "Patients from my community come to the hospital," she said. "It's very fulfilling for me."

Another nursing graduate, Sandra Lockhart, won the Helen Kelly Gibson Award -- for showing show dedication to the profession and being successful under difficult circumstances. Lockhart wants to specialize in traditional healing and addiction.

She credited her success to her daughter. But she also thanked Addie Jonasson, a social worker in her home community Lutsel K'e.

"She saw something in me I couldn't see in myself," said Lockhart.

Kathleen Matthews won an award for top marks in the nurse practitioner program. As a nurse practitioner, Matthews can some perform duties traditionally reserved for doctors such as diagnosing common diseases and monitoring stable patients with chronic diseases including diabetes.

Matthews said she won't be heading South either. "We bought a house, have the dogs, have a boat," she said. "We're here."

All 13 graduates of the teacher education program are going on to University of Saskatchewan to get their degree in education.

"It's really emotional," said senior instructor Mattie McNeill. "I'm saying goodbye. But knowing they are going on to university is wonderful."

Teacher education grad Kathryn Jardine is one of the students heading to the University of Saskatchewan. She was born and raised in Yellowknife and plans on coming back once she's done.

Dogrib elder Harry Simpson of Rae Lakes received an honourary diploma in teacher education for a life time of contributions.

His daughter, Therese Bekale, also graduated from the early childhood education certificate program.

Speaking in Dogrib, he said: "Now that you're a grad, I'm pretty sure a lot of you won't go South...If you're going to go South, make sure you ask my permission."