It’s a day filled with high hopes for the future of our graduates as they move into careers. It’s also a time to bring our alumni back into the Bow Valley College family, and see the new wave of graduates ready to make their own way in their careers or further education.

Each year Bow Valley College enlists alumni volunteers to help out at Convocation, distributing alumni pins to new graduates and welcoming them to the alumni family. This June, we spoke to a couple of alumni volunteers about their lives now and memories of Bow Valley College.

Style Guy gives back to close the circle

Aly Velji was an alumnus speaker at our June Convocation.

Aly followed in his mother’s footsteps; she is also a Bow Valley College graduate. It was a good decision. It laid the foundation in Aly for a passion that continues to flourish over a decade later.

Since graduating from Interior Decorating and Merchandising at Bow Valley College, Aly has been principal of his own company, Alykhan Velji Designs, where he creates timeless spaces for residential and commercial clients. He’s also one half of the Style Guys, go-to design, lifestyle, and décor experts who travel the country speaking publicly.

“I’m glad I took the program. It made me realize that I really do love interior decorating and design,” Aly says. He fondly remembers the friends he made at Bow Valley College and coming back as a volunteer is a “full circle moment” for him.

“I want to give back to the place that helped me grow and become the person I am today,” he says.

Aly has a message for graduating students.

“Be creative, be your true authentic self and strive to be kind,” he says. “The world needs people out there that are both kind and creative thinkers.”

Alumna gets opportunity to congratulate new grads

Megan Golueke distributed alumni pins to graduates as they left the stage at our June Convocation.

“It’s exciting to see new grads and I’ve never had the opportunity before to congratulate them,” she says. She volunteers to give back to Bow Valley College and her growing alumni family.

Megan is following the dream she started to pursue at Bow Valley College in Correctional Studies. Since graduating in 2017, she has continued her education, taking a Justice Studies degree at Lethbridge College while she works as an addictions support worker at Calgary Alpha House.

Bow Valley College was a good beginning for Megan.

“It solidified my passion within the justice system,” she says. She also found the learning environment supportive. “Bow Valley College was my home away from home and my extended family.” Megan is volunteering to give back to Bow Valley College.

She has inspirational words for June’s graduates.

“Today marks the start of your future – one that YOU ALONE accomplished. No matter what life brings your way, remember that your education is your achievement. Nobody can ever take it away from you. So continue to step forward, and be the shining light within your passions and dreams. Congratulations! You did it!”