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From a tour of the Governor General's Official Residence Rideau Hall in Ottawa to receiving the Governor General's Academic Medal recognizing outstanding scholastic achievement, this past year's Columbia graduates have gained unexpected experiences that will last a lifetime.  Here are two of their stories.

Yang Sheng Quan - May 2004 graduate and recipient of the Governor General's Medal for outstanding academic achievement.

"As a former student of Columbia International College (CIC), the reason why I chose CIC was its
exceptional reputation among the numerous pre-university colleges in Canada.  After studying for one year at CIC, honestly, I feel that I have gained much more than what I was expecting. In fact the experience of studying at CIC remarkably benefited me academically and socially.

I was provided with the opportunity to be taught by qualified teachers, who are not only experts in their fields of study, but are also willing to become my friends, to answer my questions, and prepare me for further success in university. It was a real pleasure to work with them.

In addition to this effective and efficient learning experience, with the "Total Care Education System" created by our school and with its great faculty members, CIC also offered me a comfortable environment to live. In fact, from the guidance counsellors to the administration officers, from the university placement officers to the college store staff, our staff are always willing and patient, with their smiles and help, to melt away my concerns and worries. So no matter what happened, I knew who was the right person to approach in order to solve my problem.

Studying at an international college, we celebrated cultural diversity and enjoyed its benefits. As a matter of fact, we have learned how to get along with students from different cultures and how to pay respect to them. And the fact that I have made friends with people all over the world at CIC has enormously widened my horizon. Studying at Columbia International College provided unexpected lifelong experiences."

Yang Sheng Quan came to Columbia from China.  He graduated with an average of 96.3% in six pre-university courses.  He has offers of admission from the University of Toronto, York University, University of Guelph, and McMaster University.   Scholarships worth more than $10,000.00 were also offered.

Akos Andam (left) at Rideau Hall in the Spring of 2004.
Akosua Andam - July 2004 Graduate and Columbia's representative to Forum 2004 in Ottawa, the capital of Canada.

"My name is Akosua Andam, a Ghanaian and an international student at Columbia International College in Hamilton. I completed grade 9 in my home country, Ghana in April 2002.  I came to Canada in August 2002 to continue my high school education at Columbia International College. I have been enrolled in Columbia for 2 years. I will be graduating July 2004 and will continue my university education at McMaster University in Hamilton. I believe studying in Canada and at Columbia has given me an experience that I would not have had if I had remained in my home country.

My perception of Canada changed after living here and being exposed to the society, culture and education system. The initial shock I experienced upon arrival was not as devastating as I would have expected. I believe it is because Canada is a multicultural country. My culture is very much represented here and this made living in Canada comfortable and welcoming. In fact coming to Canada and studying at Columbia International College, has made me respect and appreciate not only my culture but also the other cultures represented here. I have also gained a lot of social skills.

I had the honor of representing Columbia at Forum 2004. This gave me the opportunity to participate in parliamentary activities for a week in Ottawa, the capital of Canada.  I experienced parliamentary settings and government procedures at first hand. It gave me a different perspective of politics that I had never had before. Prior to this, I had been greatly influenced by negative comments about politics and politicians. I strongly believe that had I not had the opportunity to attend the forum, my ideas and views about politics would have forever been influenced by the negative comments and I would never have pursued my interest and aspirations as a politician.

My parents' decision to send me to Canada as an international student has been well worth it. I have had exciting experiences that will forever remain part of me. I would like to extend my gratitude to the academic staff, the executive director and managers of Columbia International College and also the staff at the International Admissions. My deepest thanks and appreciation also go to my parents, siblings and friends who are on this journey with me."

By Ron Rambarran, Vice-Principal