2008 Medal Winners and Valedictorians

VALEDICTORIAN - Ceremony A (Thursday, June 5, 2008 - 10:00 am)
Danissa Kraljevic, Bachelor of Science in Nursing

A graduate of St. Ann's Academy in 2001, Danissa has been active at TRU and in the Kamloops community for seven years, including four summers as a firefighter dispatcher for the Ministry of Forests and Range and four years on the women's basketball varsity team playing the position of point guard and serving as team captain. In 2005, she received the Task Force Athlete of the Year and Women's Basketball Leadership Awards.  As a member of the student athlete committee she played a pivotal role in choosing the name WolfPack for TRU's varsity teams.  Whether as an athlete or during her third year international nursing practicum in Samoa, volunteering to speak for the School of Nursing at the annual toys-for-tots campaign or making sure colleagues from Williams Lake were welcomed, Danissa has taken great pride in representing Thompson Rivers University.  It's something she'll continue as she heads to Australia for a few years of work and travel.

VALEDICTORIAN - Ceremony B (Thursday, June 5, 2008 - 2:00 pm)
Ryan Steele, Bachelor of Technology in Applied Computing Science and Bachelor of Business Administration - Finance

Ryan began his post-secondary education at TRU in 2000, the summer after his graduation from Valleyview Secondary and has gone on to accomplish a great deal.  He has completed four co-op education semesters, an experience he describes as the best way to test drive a career to find out what you like and don't like.  In 2004 he received his Computer System: Operations and Management Diploma, and was named to the Dean's List for Academic achievement.  He spent a year studying abroad at the Tianjin University of Technology in Tianjin, China. Ryan has been active in the Advancing Canadian Entrepreneurship (ACE) and the Eco-Committee groups on campus and is one of only a half dozen students to have taken advantage of the double degree in the Bachelor of Technology in Applied Computing Science and Bachelor of Business Administration in the ten years it has been offered.

VALEDICTORIAN - Ceremony C (Friday, June 6, 2008 - 10:00 am)
Caitlin Johnson, Bachelor of Tourism Management

A bilingual graduate from John Peterson Secondary School's French Immersion program, Caitlin knew that tourism was her calling after travelling in Europe in 2003.  Since entering the Bachelor of Tourism Management program in 2004, she has spent her summers working in the industry with Rocky Mountaineer Vacations and the Kamloops Visitor Centre, where she is currently a lead counsellor.  In her spare time, Caitlin can be seen supporting and pyhotographing local bands and musicians, playing guitar, and participating in community runs.  She is also a budding wine connoisseur.  After a trip later this summer to Denmark, she is considering pursuing graduate studies in tourism and sustainability.

VALEDICTORIAN - Ceremony D (Friday, June 6, 2008 - 2:00 pm)
Jamie Schaab, Bachelor of Journalism

Jamie grew up in Merritt and started TRU in 2005 in the second year, transferring her first year of university courses from Northern Lights College in Fort St. John, to the journalism program at TRU.  Jamie has made the most of every opportunity to become a journalist competent in all media.  She currently hosts Radio NL's Saturday show in Merritt, has done freelance writing for magazines, and has completed a summer internship at the Merritt Herald. In 2007, she was a BC Yukon Community News Association essay award recipient, received the Douglas Morelli Memorial Scholarship and won the 2004 Dave Johnson Academic Studies Award at Northern Lights Community College.  She is also this year's recipient of the TRU Medal in Journalism.  With some real newsroom experience behind her, she has the confidence to plot a career that could include many options that range from public relations, the publishing industry to freelance.  As a newly certified yoga instructor, whatever her future plans entail, they will certainly balance life and work.

VALEDICTORIAN - Fall Convocation (Thursday, October 2, 2008)
Valaree Kloska, Bachelor of Science in Nursing

In just five short years, Valaree Kloska has been Miss Chase, graduated from Chase Secondary, had a baby boy and completed her Bachelor of Science in Nursing.  Valaree is already working on her Neonatal Care Certificate and plans to complete her Masters of Science in Nursing.  Currently she is working in the neonatal intensive care unit at Royal Inland Hospital and with Community in Chase and Salmon Arm. Valaree finds time to play women's hockey, volunteer with her son's activities and with the Miss Chase Excellence Committee, acknowledging the incredible support and experience she gained while she was Miss Chase.  She accomplished a great deal since 2003 and credits her parents for helping her achieve her success.

GOVERNOR GENERAL'S ACADEMIC MEDAL (SILVER)
Timothy Graves, Bachelor of Science

Timothy Graves spent his childhood in Campbell River, moving with his family to Hope BC.  He graduated from Hope Secondary School in 2003, with the Governor Generals Award.  During his undergraduate career at TRU Timothy has been the recipient of two NSERC research scholarships, his most recent for his postgraduate studies in Mathematics at the University of Alberta. It's not all math and computer science for Timothy.  On Wednesday evenings he volunteers as a youth leader for his church and on the weekend he plays the piano and drums with the Sunday morning worship team.

GOVERNOR GENERAL'S ACADEMIC MEDAL (COLLEGIATE BRONZE)
Cindy Sattelberger, Accounting Technician Diploma

Cindy, a graduate of Westsyde Secondary in 1977 has given up a long career in daycare for the order of numbers and accounting principles.  During her program, Cindy won the CGA Award, the Technical Writing Award, and a scholarship from Fulton and Company.  At a Meet the CGA's event hosted by the School of Business and Economics, Cindy met her current employer.  Although she is considering laddering her diploma into a Bachelor of Business Administration degree, she is currently focusing on her Auditor Apprenticeship with Revenue Canada and her relocation to Penticton.

UNIVERSITY MEDALS
These medals are awarded in each TRU degree program to the eligible graduating student who achieves the highest grade point average over the assessment period.

TRU MEDAL IN NATURAL RESOURCE SCIENCE
Jacqueline Dennett

Jacqueline Dennett was raised in Ottawa, Ontario and graduated from Hillcrest High School there in 2003.  She enrolled in TRU's Natural Resource Science program on the advice of a friend and hasn't regretted earning her degree in the midst of the immense variety of ecosystems in the Kamloops region.  A master's degree focusing on ecology and community may be in her future, but for now this avid outdoor person is spending the summer doing fieldwork for the BC Ministry of Forests and Range, and exploring some of the many career options available for NRS graduates. In January, she is heading to South Africa for an extended backpacking trip.  Whatever the future holds, it's bound to include world travel, based from her new home in the province of BC.

TRU MEDAL IN SCIENCE
Trenton Kellock (Major in Cellular, Molecular and Microbial Biology)

Trenton Kellock is from Kamloops and graduated from NorKam in 2004.  He has majored in Cellular, Molecular and Microbial Biology during his undergraduate studies at TRU, earning an undergraduate research scholarship to investigate viral infections affecting aqua culture. His stellar academic work ethic earned him a steady position on the Dean's List and he was involved in the Biology Student Undergraduate Society.  His future plans include medical school at the University of Alberta or the University of British Columbia, but not before a summer of work, wake boarding and then a few months to travel to South East Asia and Australia before getting serious about his studies again.

TRU MEDAL IN NURSING
Tanya Watson Little

This graduate of St. Ann's Academy in 1988 was working at perfecting her caber toss and her family before she started university in 2004.  Active in the heavy event competitions of the Highland Games until a knee injury sidelined her a few years ago, Tanya trained extensively with local track and field athletes preparing for the caber toss.  During her undergraduate degree she was awarded a Canadian Institutes of Health Research grant for research focused on raising nurse's awareness of their role as global citizens, emphasizing how culture plays a part in health care. She is currently working on her Master of Science in Nursing at TRU (offered in partnership with the University of British Columbia).  Despite great academic and athletic successes, Tanya is most proud of her two beautiful daughters and credits her success to the tremendous support she has received from them and her husband.

TRU MEDAL IN APPLIED COMPUTING SCIENCE
Xiang Guo

Xiang Guo was born in Fuan, in the FuJian Province of China and graduated from NingDe NO.1 Middle School in 2001.  He earned a Computer Systems:  Operations and Management (CSOM) diploma from TRU in Wuhan, China in 2003.  He came to the Kamloops campus of TRU to gain in-depth knowledge in computing science and has excelled academically during his studies here, having been named to the Dean's List throughout his years in the program.  Xiang volunteered with the United Way while working for HSBC Canada as a co-op student.  In June he will begin work with Kronos Canadian System Inc. and is considering pursuing a masters degree in computer science in a few years.  He is a passionate outdoor person, enjoying golfing, hiking, and biking.

TRU MEDAL IN BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION
Tiffany Gartner-Bouffard, Major in Accounting

Tiffany Gartner-Bouffard was born in Elliot Lake, Ontario but grew up in Kamloops, graduating from Kamloops Senior Secondary in 1996.  She started her post-secondary studies in accounting at TRU in 2005.  Tiffany has been an active volunteer in the community, involved with the Kamloops Film Society, Annual Senior Christmas Lights Tour, Ponderosa Lodge, and Arthur Stevenson Elementary.  when not studying or volunteering, she reads voraciously, enjoys travel, and prior to returning to university, spent a fair amount of time abroad.   Tiffany enjoys an active lifestyle and spends a great deal of her time outdoors.  She has relocated to Victoria and plans to pursue her CA designation.

TRU MEDAL IN EDUCATION
Pam Cairns

Pam Cairns was raised in Vancouver, BC, graduating from Sir Winston Churchill Secondary School. Since enrolling in the Bachelor of Education program, Pam has worked diligently acquiring the History Excellence Award in 2005 and the University Women's Club Academic Scholarship in 2007.  She presented at the 2006 TRU Undergraduate, 2007 Last Best West, and the 2008 TRU Undergraduate conferences. This fall she will be a teacher-on-call with the local school district, working towards a full-time position.  Teaching children is more than her vocation though, it is how she spends most of her free time as well, either her own or volunteering in the community at children's activities.

TRU MEDAL IN SOCIAL WORK
Laura Carroll

Raised in Kamloops, Laura attended Kamloops Senior Secondary and started her post-secondary studies in psychology at the University of Victoria and Langara College before coming to TRU and transferring her courses towards a Bachelor of Social Work degree. Consistently making the Dean's List for her scholarship, Laura also volunteered with the White Buffalo Aboriginal Health Society & Resource Centre while she worked on her degree.  She is passionate about her work as a mental health and addictions clinician for the Northern Health Authority in Queen Charlotte Citty, Haida Gwaii. Her future plans include working on either a masters degree in social work or health administration, either way, her focus will be to work in rural and marginalized communities.

TRU MEDAL IN TOURISM MANAGEMENT
Janine Keith

Janine Keith was raised in Armstrong, BC and graduated from Pleasant Valley Secondary School there in 2000.  After two years at Okanagan University College (now UBC Okanagan) and a year at the University of Victoria working toward a degree in education, Janine went traveling for nine months to Australia, New Zealand and Southeast Asia. Her experience traveling determined the tourism industry was where she belonged, and she enrolled at TRU in the Events and Conventions Management Diploma (then the Bachelor of Tourism Management Degree).  In 2007, she took part in TRU's study abroad program on the island of Crete, Greece. The recipient of several scholarships while at TRU, Janine's goal is to be a leading member of the British Columbia tourism industry.

TRU MEDAL IN ARTS
Kirby Booker

Kirby Booker was raised on a ranch near 100 Mile House, BC and graduated with honors from Peter Skene Ogden Secondary in 2003. During her undergraduate career at TRU, Kirby has been a research assistant for several research projects including the Community University Research Alliance, presented at two undergraduate research conferences, and was involved with the TRU Teaching Practices Colloguium.  She won numerous book prizes for her exceptional grades. She has spent the last month in Turkey, taking a field study course, her second since receiving a Comprehensive University Enhancement Fund award for Hellenic Studies Field School in 2006.  In 2007 she was awarded the Sikh Cultural Society schoolarship for achievement in History. During the summer, Kirby works as a wildfire fighter.  She is also an avid snowboarder, adventurer and is a member-in-training of the Kamloops Search and Rescue.

TRU MEDAL IN FINE ARTS
Nelina Magliocchi

Nelina Magliocchi came to TRU from St. Ann's Academy with an entrance scholarship in 2004.  Each semester she has consistently made the Dean's List for her academic achievements.  Although a skilled painter -- she has returned to St. Ann's at the end of each school year to paint the graduating class's mural, her mediums of choice are drawing and sculpture.  She transforms her detailed mechanical pencil drawings into kinetic sculptures that she then creates charming covers for. Nelina will be working on producing her own art as she helps prepare for the annual Art in the Park festivity and her upcoming Curator's Choice Show in the Cube at the Kamloops Art Gallery, all on her way to becoming a high school art instructor, with another bachelor degree and masters degree in art.

TRU MEDAL IN JOURNALISM
Jamie Schaab

Jame Schaab was also the valedictorian for Ceremony D.  Her biography is listed at the top of this page.