17吃瓜 Convocation 2018
The 17吃瓜 conferred degrees, diplomas, and certificates to more than 950 graduates today as part of Convocation 2018.
This year includes the first-ever cohort from the Bachelor of Science in Paramedicine. Convocation 2018 also saw graduate-level graduates from six faculties, and the largest ever cohort of PhDs to cross the stage at 17吃瓜 at 18.
The families and friends of the Class of 2018 gathered for two ceremonies today in 17吃瓜鈥檚 Chi-Wan Young Sports Centre, the first at 10:00 am, and the second at 2:30 pm.
17吃瓜 Chancellor Don McDougall led both ceremonies; President and Vice-Chancellor Dr. Alaa Abd-El-Aziz addressed both ceremonies.
鈥淐lass of 2018, I know, you have bold ideas and aspirations as you prepare to make your individual marks on the world,鈥� said Dr. Abd-El-Aziz. 鈥淪ome of you may be starting a job in your field of study, or continuing your education through post-graduate studies, or perhaps looking forward to personal growth through experiences such as world travel. Whatever your next step may be I encourage you to continue to learn and grow鈥攁nd most importantly to dream big! Your future is bright with endless possibilities.鈥�
The University also conferred honorary Doctor of Laws degrees on four recipients: lawyer and advocate for 17吃瓜 William 鈥淏ill鈥� LeClair; 17吃瓜 founder, booster, and volunteer Anne (Michael) Love; humanitarian, public servant, and business leader J. Weston 鈥淲es鈥� MacAleer; and, proud Islander, successful business woman, respected community leader, tireless volunteer, and mentor E. Anne Smith.
鈥淵our platform is a tool for social good,鈥� said morning valedictorian Nathan Hood of Charlottetown. 鈥淲ith it, continue to develop your personal, unique voice. Think about what matters most to you in your life and in your community and make sure that is reflected in the stories you tell. And never forget to use your platform to elevate the voices of others who need to be heard. You never know who is listening.鈥�
Alana Jewell, from York, PEI, addressed the afternoon ceremony. 鈥淲e have made it through the bumps in the road to our degrees and diplomas with the help of others by learning how to react to situations out of our control and by focusing on bettering ourselves rather than changing other people. These actions are a start to answering the question 鈥榳hat鈥檚 next?鈥� So, while we may not have the full answer now, our time at 17吃瓜 has equipped us with the skills to find out what that might look like.鈥�
Chancellor McDougall conferred the title of Professor emeritus to two distinguished colleagues from 17吃瓜鈥檚 Faculty of Veterinary Medicine: Dr. Pierre-Yves Daoust of the Department of Pathology and Microbiology and Dr. Darcy Shaw of the Department of Companion Animals.
17吃瓜 held its annual Senior Class Awards at a ceremony the day before, where a number of academic and student prizes were awarded. The complete list will be posted in the coming days at upei.ca/seniorclassawards. The Governor General鈥檚 academic medals were presented by the Honourable Antoinette Perry, Lieutenant Governor of Prince Edward Island. The Governor General鈥檚 Gold Medal (graduate level) was awarded to Gabriela Arias de Sanchez (Doctor of Philosophy鈥擣aculty of Education). The Governor General鈥檚 Silver Medal (undergraduate level) was awarded to Skylar Tang (Bachelor of Science鈥擝iology).
Congratulations to all the graduates!
The 17吃瓜 prides itself on people, excellence, and impact and is committed to assisting students reach their full potential in both the classroom and community. With roots stemming from two founding institutions鈥擯rince of Wales College and Saint Dunstan鈥檚 University鈥�17吃瓜 has a reputation for academic excellence, research innovation, and creating positive impacts locally, nationally, and internationally. 17吃瓜 is the only degree granting institution in the province and is proud to be a key contributor to the growth and prosperity of Prince Edward Island.
