There are few better ways to spend a Stampede Friday than on the road visiting our members, and on Friday, July 10, 2026, the Alberta Association of Career Colleges did exactly that. Cowboy hats on and Stampede spirit in full swing, AACC Chair Tim Ogilvie, Vice Chair Denis Marar, and Executive Director Dmetri Berko set out across Calgary for a full day of campus visits, conversation, and community.
The Stampede College Visit is part of the AACC’s 2026 initiative to connect directly with member institutions, hear what is happening on the ground, and celebrate the people delivering career education across Alberta. If the first edition is any indication, this tradition is here to stay.
A Morning of Innovation at Risio Institute
The day began in Southport at the Risio Institute for Digital Dental Education, where Dr. Carey-Ann Balkwill and Casey Sharp welcomed the team with warm hospitality and a genuine Stampede welcome. The group had the pleasure of watching Term 1 students at work in the clinic, seeing firsthand how Risio’s blend of online learning and hands-on clinical training is shaping the next generation of dental assistants.
Risio’s instructors also treated the group to an information session, and their passion for what they teach came through in every word. The visit sparked a deep and thoughtful conversation about innovation in career education, and it set the tone for the entire day: career colleges at their best are communities first.
A Special Guest from the Canadian Criminal Justice Academy
Community means showing up for one another, and Lonnie Croal of the Canadian Criminal Justice Academy did exactly that, taking the time to meet with the AACC team as part of the day. The conversation covered law enforcement training, career pathways for Alberta students, and the remarkable work happening at CCJA, home to a renowned PARE and COPAT physical testing facility.
The meeting was only a preview. A full campus visit to CCJA is in the works, and the AACC looks forward to sharing it with members soon.
An Afternoon in the Beltline at Academy of Learning
After a well-earned lunch in the Beltline, the tour continued at Academy of Learning Career College, Calgary Central, where the team was welcomed by none other than the AACC’s own Chair, Tim Ogilvie, President of the Top Tier Education Corp, on his home campus.
From business and healthcare to information technology diploma programs, the breadth of opportunity available to Alberta students through member colleges is genuinely inspiring, and the Academy of Learning team showed exactly why. The stop was a wonderful reminder of what these visits are all about: connection, collaboration, and community.
A Finale Full of Spirit at MCG Career College
Every great day deserves a great finale, and this one came at MCG Career College in Westwinds. The final stop was full of spirit, laughter, and wonderful company, with heartfelt thanks owed to Dr. Monika Chhabra Gupta, to Raisa Afrida, one of the AACC’s valued committee members, and to the entire MCG team for the hospitality, the socializing, and the fun.
It was a fitting close to the day, as Executive Director Dmetri Berko, who also serves as Vice President of MCG Career College, welcomed the team to his own home campus. Bookended by the Chair’s college and the Executive Director’s college, the day captured something special about the AACC: leadership that is not just governing the sector but living it.
What Comes Next
Four stops, one Stampede Friday, and countless conversations about the future of career education in Alberta. The Stampede College Visit 2026 showed what is possible when this community comes together, and it is only the beginning.
The AACC is now scheduling college visits across the province as part of its 2026 initiative. Member colleges that would like to welcome the team to their campus are warmly invited to register:
Register your college for a 2026 AACC visit: https://forms.gle/yJDBrG7f69Jda7a58
Until next time, Calgary, and Happy Stampede from all of us at the Alberta Association of Career Colleges.
Tim Ogilvie, Denis Marar, Dmetri Berko, Wanda Smith, Tiffaney Bodnariuk, Sarah Ward-Bakken Tariq Elamm, Usman Sadiq, Teresa Heide
