Oct. 20, 2005

Lakeport CEO addresses Continuing Education grads

Teresa Cascioli, chair and CEO of Lakeport Beverage Corporation, will deliver the convocation address to more than 150 students at McMaster University’s Certificate & Diploma Graduation and Awards Ceremony.

Hamilton, ON - Teresa Cascioli, chair and CEO of Lakeport Beverage Corporation, will deliver the convocation address to more than 150 students at McMaster University’s Certificate & Diploma Graduation and Awards Ceremony.

The event will be held at Convocation Hall on Friday, Oct. 21 at 7 p.m. Mel Hawkrigg, chancellor of McMaster University, will preside at the graduation.

A Hamilton native, and a McMaster University graduate, Cascioli has served as chief executive officer at Lakeport Brewing since 1999. She was named Entrepreneur of the Year by Ernst & Young in 2004; and the year before she was listed in the Top 10 of Canada’s most successful women entrepreneurs by Profit magazine and Chatelaine.

The graduation ceremony is a mix of tradition and spontaneity as family and friends gather to cheer on the graduates, many of whom have achieved their diplomas while juggling full-time jobs and family commitments. This year will mark the seventh year that the Centre for Continuing Education and the McMaster Association of Part-time Students (MAPS) have held a traditional graduation ceremony, minus the caps and gowns.

A number of special-merit awards will be distributed during the ceremony. Among them:
MAPS Centennial Award (given to a student who overcomes obstacles to get their education goals)
· Carolyn Green, a graduate of the addiction careworker program, exemplifies the best of all requirements for this award. When she started the program, she was a new single parent, who volunteered in her community, helping youth overcome substance abuse. As a sponsor of several adults in a 12-step program, Carolyn still finds time to give art lessons to children, and to be an active member of her Toronto housing co-operative.
CCE Appreciation Awards (to staff who have contributed to life-long learning)
· Jackie Osterman held the position as Executive Director, McMaster Association of Part-time Students, from January 2000 to September 2005. In this capacity, she was the voice of students, addressing matters of concern at various academic and administrative committees, lobbying for student services and accessibility and guiding students through the bursary and awards process. Most importantly, her kind face, encouraging and supportive manner, and open-door policy helped make the learning experience for part-time adult students a lot less daunting.
· Alan Lewis is a long-time employee of McMaster University – with more than 27 years of dedicated service in several capacities. Alan’s affiliation with the university began in his undergraduate studies. He worked on campus as a summer student, volunteered as a disc jockey with CFMU campus radio, and became a full-time employee with Titles bookstore. His long service with Titles began with four years in Receiving and the last 22 plus years as an Assistant Textbook Buyer. His attention to detail, reliable and helpful manner have been much appreciated by all CCE staff and students.

McMaster University, named Canada’s Research University of the Year by Research InfoSource, has world-renowned faculty, and state-of-the-art research facilities. McMaster's culture of innovation fosters a commitment to discovery and learning in teaching, research and scholarship. Based in Hamilton, the University has a student population of more than 23,000, and an alumni population of more than 115,000 in 128 countries.