Holland College recognizes graduates with distinguished alumni awards

Holland College has named alumni Melody Dover, John Sylvester and Melanie Wildmanas the recipients ofits annual distinguished alumni awards.

Holland College foundation board chair Shaun MacIsaacsaid the 2017 award recipients are all strong entrepreneurs whoraise the bar for future graduates.

"They are wonderful examples to current and future students of how graduates have used their Holland College education as a platform on which to build a successful career," MacIsaac said in a news release.

"Each one is an inspiration in their own right."

Melody Dover

Dover is a graduate of the college's visual communications and interactive multimedia programs and is the founder of Fresh Media.

Along withwinning several regional and national awards, Dover and Fresh Media run the P.E.I. Burger Lovecampaign,which has generated more than$8.7 millionin burger salesover the last seven years.

Melody is also a judge for the annual Canadian Online Marketing Awards, Applied Arts Magazine Community Awards, and the Canadian Marketing Awards.

John Sylvester

Sylvester is a graduate of Holland College'sphotography program.

His photography career has spanned more than 30 years and taken him across Canada and around the world.

Hisphotos have been featured in publications such asTime magazine andCanadian Geographic Travel.

He is a four-time winner of the Canadian Tourism Commission's Northern Lights Award for Excellence in Travel Journalism and Photographyand his work has been featured on Canada Post stamps.

Melanie Wildman

Wildman graduated from the visual communications program.

After living in western Canada, she returned to P.E.I. in 2015 to launch her wellness company Nutracelle, which has won such awards as Start-Up of the Year and Best New Product.

Melanie also hosts a YouTube cooking show, has authored cookbooks, is a 2016 Gold winner in several categories in the International Business Awardsand also a finalist for the 2017 Mompreneur Awards.

She is also a former Mrs. Canada and first runner-up for Mrs. Universe.

She is currently working with Canada's Smartest Kitchen, developing an new line of natural protein barsand is launching a line of single-serve smoothies.

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