Niagara College convocation speaker: ‘Do what you do because you love it’
More than 1,000 graduates celebrated in two virtual ceremonies Friday
More than 1,000 Niagara College students celebrated their graduation from the comfort of their homes Friday.
Two virtual convocations were held — one for schools of allied health, community services, justice and fitness, nursing and personal support worker, another in the afternoon for students graduating from the schools of academic, liberal and access studies; business and management; hospitality, tourism and sport; environment and horticulture; media; and trades.
Keynote speaker Mark Suknanan — a Niagara radio, film, and television program graduate in 2012 — was presented the college’s Distinguished Alumni Award by president Sean Kennedy before his pre-recorded speech rolled on the online broadcasts.
After leaving Niagara College, Suknanan took a internship at MTV Canada. It was a foot in the door but not all that glorious, fetching coffee for the higher-ups and taking out garbage.
“I did it with a smile on my face,” he said.
This led to him to move up to become the face of shows on children’s network YTV, such as “The Zone” and “Next Star Nation.” He was known to young viewers as Suki.
In 2018, his drag alter ego, Priyanka, also catapulted into the spotlight, most recently, winning the hearts of judges and fans of reality TV series “Canada’s Drag Race” as he/she was crowned Canada’s Next Drag Super
star.
In his speech to Friday’s graduating students, he spoke about some of the challenges he faced in the early stages
of pursuing his goals.
His dark skin, and seeming “a little bit gay” to the people who met him for the first time, were obstacles, said Suknanan, who grew up in Whitby but now lives in Toronto.
Even though his mother was there for him every step of the way, he said, he was told by a high school guidance counsellor he’d “never get a job in TV.”
But in today’s world, he added, it’s important to think outside the box.
“You should be able to do what you do because you love doing it,” he said. “No matter what the hurdle is, you can jump as high as you can” to get over it.
President emeritus Dan Patterson, who ended his tenure as Niagara College’s longest-serving president after 25 years in February, delivered well wishes to faculty and graduates.
Current president Sean Kennedy and academic vice-president Fiona Allan served their roles in the ceremonies by delivering remarks, live from the Welland campus.