By RACHEL PRIVETT Staff Writer

He’s got a passion for education and an undeniable enthusiasm for Niagara College.Dan Patterson, president of Niagara College, was chosen as Niagara-on-the-Lake’s Citizen of the Year at the Spirit of Niagara Awards ceremony Jan. 19. 

Niagara College President Dan Patterson is all smiles in his Niagara-on-the-Lake office while showing off his plaque and statue he received at the Spirit of Niagara Awards. Photo by Rachel Privett

This award recognizes long-term achievements and contributions to the community,” says the Niagara-on-the-Lake Chamber of Commerce website. The award has existed for 50 years and is given to one person annually. Janis Thompson, manager of the Chamber of Commerce for Niagara-on-the-Lake, says nominations for citizen of the year were submitted through the chamber’s webpage.

Individuals are invited to nominate a citizen based on what community involvement that citizen has participated in and what sets that person apart in the community. The award was a shock for Patterson. “He did not know about the award. It was a surprise,” says Thompson. “His staff arranged for him to be there [White Oaks Conference Resort and Spa] and insisted he be on time. [Patterson] thought the college was receiving an award. He had no idea it was a personal award.”

“It was wonderful that they would think of Niagara College and of me,” says Patterson of the award and that it shows an endorsement of the important role of Niagara College in the community. MaryLee Buric, a student in the Educational Assistant – Special Needs Support program, was excited by the news of Patterson’s selection.“That’s great. Good for him,” says Buric. Gary Burroughs, lord mayor of Niagara-on-the-Lake, was not involved in the nomination process, but, says had be been, “I would have picked him also.”

Burroughs presented Patterson with a plaque that now hangs on his office wall at the Niagara-on-the-Lake campus. As well as the plaque, Patterson received a statue and citations from Rob Nicholson, minister of justice, Kim Craitor, member of provincial parliament for Niagara Falls and Peter Partington, regional council chair.

“I think Niagara College in Niagara-on-the-Lake is so important to us, and the way Dan has been involved over so many years has made us proud as a community,” says Burroughs. Under Patterson’s leadership, the college has doubled its enrolment to more than 8,000 full-time students in 90 programs across four campuses. Niagara College has embarked on a $90-million campus renovation to make room for more students and provide new and renovated state-of-the-art learning environments at the Welland and Niagara-on-the-Lake campuses.

“I am truly blessed to work alongside people committed to student success,” says Patterson. “I am very proud and humbled.”