Today is a special day for more than 750 new UNBC graduates and their families, but it is also a day of particular significance for one northern BC family. Prince George residents Richard and Helen Callaghan will see their fifth child graduate from the University of Northern British Columbia—the most graduates ever from a single household.

In 1988, the couple donated $5 to sign the petition in favour of creating a northern British Columbian university, which would become the University of Northern British Columbia. At the time, they had no idea they were actually investing one dollar for each of their children who would grow up to live and work in northern BC and eventually call themselves UNBC graduates.

Son Dennis Callaghan was the first to graduate with a BA in English in 2001; he would also later obtain his MBA (’09) from UNBC. Then, sisters Cortnie (BSW Child Welfare Specialization ’02), Jenilee (BScN Nursing ’07) and Tara (BComm Accounting  ’08) followed. This spring, the Callaghan family celebrates a “northern flush” as the fifth of the siblings, Tamara, graduates with a degree in Nursing.

All of the Callaghans are now living and working in northern BC. Dennis is CFO for Northern Development Initiative Trust, Cortnie lives in Prince George, Tara is Manager of Financial Planning and Operations at the College of New Caledonia, and Jenilee is a nurse at the University Hospital of Northern BC. Tamara plans to practice nursing in the north as well.

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Richard and Helen Callahan (centre) with their UNBC graduate children and grandchildren (future UNBC grads?).

Left to Right:  Cortnie Callaghan (BSW Child Welfare Specialization ’05), Jenilee Isaak (BScN Nursing ’07), Tamara den Otter (BScN Nursing ’12), Tara Szerencsi (BComm Accounting ’08), Dennis Callaghan (BA English ’01 and
MBA Business Administration ’09).