THE SPRING 2023 VALEDICTORIAN, GENERAL ARTS AND SCIENCE STUDENT

MICHAEL KINDLEY, SAYS HE CAME TO THE COLLEGE BECAUSE OF THE EXCELLENT VOLLEYBALL PROGRAM AND THE CHANCE TO BE A PART OF THE GREAT COMMUNITY AND CULTURE THE TEAM IS KNOWN FOR. BUT HE STAYED – FOR A FULL FIVE YEARS – BECAUSE OF THE QUALITY OF EDUCATION HE RECEIVED.

Kindley, who earned a perfect 4.0 GPA over five years, will lead the procession of graduates and speak at one of the two ceremonies set for May 26 in the Val Matteotti Gymnasium. He concurrently attended classes at the University of Lethbridge, where he is planning to graduate this spring with a Bachelor of Science degree in Neuroscience. Wider Horizons chatted with Kindley in March about his experiences as a student-athlete and advice he’d give future students. Here’s what he had to say:

WHAT WAS IT LIKE TO STEP OUT ON THE COURT AS A KODIAK FOR THE FIRST TIME? FOR THE LAST

TIME?

My first college game was definitely a bit of a surreal experience. It was the culmination of a lot of hard work and felt like checking off the box of a childhood dream. However, it was also an eyeopening experience as it really drove home how far I still had to go. My final home game was very bittersweet. I was just trying to soak in everything that I loved about playing for this team in this gym. I really focused on my friends, family and community members who were there to support this group and just having fun and sharing these last few moments with my teammates. The difference between my first and last game was a shift from a goal-focused approach and looking into the future to really appreciate what all of this time in the program has meant to me and try to live in those moments so that I could really appreciate them before they were gone.

DO YOU HAVE ANY MEMORIES YOU’D LIKE TO SHARE ABOUT YOUR TIME AS A STUDENT?

I have mostly very positive memories of my time as a student. Of course, there was the normal slog of making it through busy weeks and stressing about exams, but I had an incredible time at the college. I made lifelong friends through the team and in the classroom, and it is these relationships that may be my biggest takeaway from my time here. My fondest memory would have to be walking into the sold-out provincial final when we hosted it in 2020. The feeling that there were that many people within the college community and Lethbridge as a whole that were rooting for this team in that moment and had been incredibly supportive throughout my tenure here was immensely impactful.

WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE TO YOUNG PEOPLE CONSIDERING COMING TO LETHBRIDGE COLLEGE ?

The college offers so many opportunities. Ideally, I will be entering a professional school in the fall, which on paper would not be the norm to get a college diploma beforehand. That being said, talk to the amazing staff at student services to see if they can find a way to meet your goals. There are many great programs with instructors who really care about your success and wellbeing so, if it is possible, LC would be a great place to start to make these goals into a reality. I have talked to many people from many backgrounds with many routes taken through LC. Be it getting a job through one of the programs to preparing yourself for the rigours of post-secondary before transferring to the institution with the program that you want to pursue. All of them found a home at LC and were given a chance to reach their goals here.

During Kindley’s time as a Kodiak, he received multiple awards recognizing his excellence balancing academics and athletics, including being named captain from 2021 to 2023. In addition to excelling in the classroom and on the court, Kindley has also been active in the community, working as a volunteer coach for young volleyball players, a tutor for athletes needing academic support, and an instructor for 750 Kodiaks Camp athletes. After graduation, Kindley plans to attend dentistry school –and hopes to always keep playing the sport he loves.

To watch the Spring 2023 Convocation online, go to lethbridgecollege.ca/convocation.