The University of Canberra is holding its 2011 Graduation Ceremonies in the Great Hall of Parliament.
Yesterday evening I attended the Faculty of Health’s Ceremony.
The Hall was packed with graduands from the Faculty of Health and the Faculty of Applied Science.
Whenever I process at a graduation ceremony and have the privilege to sit on the platform I am reminded about the feelings I had at my graduation in York in 1973.
The Great Hall was packed with parents, family and friends last night. It is wonderful to be at an event that overflows pride and happiness.
Amongst those graduating were:
- Fifteen graduands from the Bachelor of Coaching Science degree.
- Three Honours’ students in Sport Studies.
- Seventeen graduands in the Bachelor of Sports Management.
- Sixteen graduands in the Bachelor of Sports Media.
- Twelve graduands in joint sport degrees.
The student speaker at the ceremony was Lisa Kelly. Lisa was the recipient of the Herbert Burton Medal awarded to a graduating student “deemed to have achieved outstanding academic results coupled with a significant contribution in any of a variety of ways to the wider community”.
The guest speaker was Tom Calma. Tom is a member of the University’s Council. He spoke about collaboration and respect and shared with the 2011 graduates the power of working together to be leaders in our communities.
The formalities of the evening ended with Tom’s speech and thereafter it was off to informal celebrations for the graduates, families and friends.
I drove home to Mongarlowe thinking about the brightness of all the graduates eyes on receiving their degrees and thinking back to my family day in 1973 in a different Great Hall in York when I became the first graduate in my family.
