20 GEORGIANVIEW FALL 2023
Don Komarechka (class of 2009) keeps pushing the
boundaries with his photography.
A graduate of the Advertising and Marketing
Communications program, he launched a successful
photography business selling prints, teaching and
publishing books through crowdfunding. He also
commercially licensed his work, which has been featured
on pure silver coins from the Royal Canadian Mint, a
United States Postal Service postage stamp, as well
as in museums and documentary films. His third silver
coin design, the Hexagon Coin with Cristal - Snowflake,
minted by the Royal Canadian Mint was secured in 2023.
Today, he lives in Bulgaria where he continues teaching
and licensing his work. He's also partnered with a
global publisher for a new book. Living 350 km from the
Ukrainian border also allowed him to donate supplies
to refugees fleeing the war before official government
assistance was in place. Don returned to Georgian to
talk about his experiences as part of the alumni speaker
series in November 2022, providing a frontline glimpse
into the struggles that Ukrainian refugees face.
Don was nominated for a Premier's Award in 2022.
pushes the boundaries
Hazel Rawn (class of 1979, 2005 and 2010) tracks
her relationship with Georgian back to the 1970s.
She first attended Georgian in an Orillia
storefront classroom, taking the Developmental
Services Worker program. Years later, she
returned as a student when Georgian offered
the first university degrees in the area through
Laurentian University and then later registered
in the Human Resources Management program
(graduating in 2005), as well as completed the
Teaching and Training Adults program in 2010.
In 2011, Georgian launched the Community
Integration Through Co-operative Education
(CICE) program in Barrie and Hazel transferred
there from her position as a disability and peer
services advisor at the Owen Sound Campus.
She's been with CICE for its entire 12 years.
More recently Hazel, along with Rebecca Dewer
(class of 2008), who took the Fundraising and
Resource Development program at Georgian
and is also an original staff member in the CICE
program, launched the Clothing Locker, which
offers free clothing to students, recognizing the
challenges some students face.
goes back five decades
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The story behind the number: Don's artwork has been featured on three
pure silver coins from the Royal Canadian Mint.
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The story behind the number: Hazel's history with Georgian goes
back five decades.
