By Stephanie Froese

Parenteau joins 2011 SIAST grads

Jun 10, 2011 | 4:28 PM

Country music’s Donny Parenteau was given an honorary diploma from the SIAST Woodland Campus during their graduation ceremony, today.

“The honorary diplomas that we award each year, usually one at each of the campuses, is intended to recognize somebody that’s well known in the community, particularly if they’re a role model for our students and for youth in general,” David Walls, senior vice presidents of academics at SIAST, said.

He said Parenteau is being recognized not just for his role as a musician, but for his role as a motivational speaker.

“He’s motivating young students. He came from a challenging background himself and we would recognize that and he’s living his dream. So I think that’s a great role model for our graduates. You know they can achieve and achieve their dreams,” Walls said.

Parenteau has a fairly short history with the school itself. After high school he said he originally thought about becoming a RCMP officer. Parenteau said he remembers signing up for one course so he could learn French.

GST Holiday

Federal government's two-month GST holiday begins

1h ago

Imminent need

Council set to discuss possible location for homeless shelter on 15th Street

6h ago

International Spotlight

P.A.'s Howe one of 4 Sask. born players named to Canada's World Junior roster

22h ago

More recently the school had contacted him about playing at a coffee house.

“I was expecting maybe 40 people to show up or something like that, just something small … I walked in and there ended up being, I think, close to 300 people in the room.” Parenteau said.

After that show generated such an interest from the students, he went back to play again. It was sometime after those visits that he received an email about the honorary diploma.

As a recipient, Parenteau was asked to speak to the graduates during the ceremony. Though he only boasts a Grade 12 education, Parenteau said what he learned playing and being on the road can’t be taught.

“I learned people skills and when you learn people skills … you learn how to talk to people, how to listen to people and the most important lesson you learn is common sense.”

He said when he talks to students he talks from the heart and basically tells them what he would do if he were in their shoes.

“I’m a firm believer that life doesn’t come after you. You have to go after it,” Parenteau said.

“The worst thing that happens with a lot of students is once they leave high school, life goes by so fast and they’ll sit back and they’ll look at their life when they’re about 30 and they say, I could have done this, and then they start blaming people because they didn’t do it.”

Parenteau said he deeply appreciates the award and is accepting it with a lot of pride.

Also given out during the ceremony was SIAST’s Outstanding Citizenship Award, presented to Jeff Harder, and the Governor General’s Academic Medal given to Chase Davis. Harder was recognized for being a student who had a positive impact on the SIAST community. Davis was honored for his excellence in academics at the diploma level.

sfroese@panow.com