**NORTHERN COLLEGE NEWS RELEASE**

Northern College students at our Kirkland Lake celebrated Lohri in January, a traditional winter solstice festival celebrated in the Northern region of India.

Traditionally celebrated by the Punjabi, Hindi, Sikh and Muslim communities, the festival marks the end of winter and acts as a welcome to longer days, sunlight and warmth.

For the handful of International students hailing from India, the small celebration served as a reminder of home.

“It was great fun getting together with the community, both the students from India as well as the students from Canada,” stated Northern College Student Association member Amritpal Singh.” I especially enjoyed eating food from home and dancing with friends.”

The event served as a celebration of home for International students attending the Kirkland Lake Campus, and a welcome learning experience for Northern College staff.

“It was a beautiful afternoon and it was nice to see our cultures fuse together,” stated Tyler-Anne Cumming, Financial Aid and Student Life Advisor. “While we may have been there celebrating Lohri, we were also embracing life in the North, as so many of us enjoy a good fire this time of year.”

As Northern College continues to welcome students from abroad, providing a taste of home, especially during long winters has become a key to student success.

“Watching the students celebrate in dance after the luncheon was really incredible, especially since so many of the students participating had just arrived the week before,” stated Cumming. “To host this type of event so early in the year really provided us with a valuable opportunity to bring students and staff together.”

Northern College is committed to providing students with a unique college learning experience that moves beyond the classroom, building on a sense of community while promoting personal growth both on and off campus.

“We continuously look for ways to enhance our student experiences at our Campus,” stated Kirkland Lake Campus Manager Allan French. “The additional benefit of supporting these activities are other students having the opportunity to participate and appreciate other cultural customs”

Filed under: Local News