Latest news with #convocation
Khaleej Times
18-07-2025
- Business
- Khaleej Times
Shiv Nadar University Chennai hosts first convocation; confers degrees to 404 graduates across disciplines
Shiv Nadar University Chennai, a pioneering institution in higher education, marked a historic milestone as it hosted its first convocation ceremony at the Justice Pratap Singh Auditorium. The event celebrated the achievements of 404 graduates from across 11 Indian states and one union territory, reflecting the university's growing national footprint. Renuka Ramnath, founder and CEO of Multiples Asset Management Ltd., Mumbai, graced the occasion as the chief guest and delivered the convocation address. She was joined by Shikhar Malhotra, trustee, Shiv Nadar Foundation; R Srinivasan, chancellor, Shiv Nadar University Chennai; and Dr Sriman Kumar Bhattacharya, vice-chancellor. The ceremony was also attended by members of the University's Governing Council, distinguished faculty, proud families, and esteemed guests from academia and industry. The proceedings began with a ceremonial academic procession and invocation, followed by the formal declaration of the Convocation by Chancellor R Srinivasan. Degrees were conferred across undergraduate and postgraduate programmes in engineering, commerce, and economics. The graduating batch included: Addressing the Class of 2025, Malhotra said: "This isn't just a graduation — it's a moment of creation. The Class of 2025 didn't just study here; they built something extraordinary from the ground up. As the very first graduating class, they have shaped the spirit, culture, and direction of Shiv Nadar University Chennai in ways that will echo for decades. They placed their trust in a new institution and, in doing so, became the architects of its legacy. Today, they don't just leave with degrees — they leave as pioneers, changemakers, and ambassadors of the Shiv Nadar vision." Ramnath shared her own story of trailblazing leadership and said: "Success does not come from joining a big name — it comes from having the courage to think originally and act fearlessly. When I chose to pioneer private capital investment in India, there were doubts and whispers that I was stepping back in my career. But I believed in the opportunity, even when it was invisible to others. Today, private capital flows into India have grown from a few hundred million dollars to over $60 billion annually. That's the power of conviction. My message to every graduate is this: question assumptions, don't be afraid of failure, and define success on your own terms. Above all, stay balanced, stay grounded, and never forget to lift others as you rise." R Srinivasan added: "This convocation is not only a celebration of academic achievement but a reaffirmation of our belief that education is the most powerful force for transformation. The graduates here today will carry forward the legacy of excellence envisioned by Shiv Nadar and shape a future where knowledge, innovation, and ethics lead the way." Dr Bhattacharya lauded the graduates for their resilience, particularly in navigating the challenges of a post-pandemic world. He reiterated the university's commitment to research-led education, interdisciplinary learning, and preparing global-ready professionals. The ceremony also recognised academic excellence and leadership, with gold and silver medals awarded to outstanding students. The event concluded on an emotional note with the symbolic hat toss, as graduates pledged to uphold the values of their alma mater and contribute meaningfully to society as professionals, changemakers, and responsible citizens. The event witnessed participation from nearly 1,200 attendees, marking the culmination of years of academic pursuit and reaffirming the University's mission to empower the next generation of innovators, ethical leaders, and changemakers.
CBC
27-06-2025
- Politics
- CBC
Algonquin College grad grapples with staff over Palestinian flag
For her convocation ceremony last week, Algonquin College graduate Rama Al-Zubi wanted to walk across the stage at Canadian Tire Centre waving her Palestinian flag. "When it's my time on stage, I'm celebrating me, and Palestinian is me," Al-Zubi told CBC. Before she was able to wave the flag of her homeland, however, she first had to win a tug of-war with a faculty member who tried to pull it away from her as her name was being called. The incident on June 19 was captured on video. "I yelled, 'Let go!' and took the flag away from him," Al-Zubi recounted. "He was pulling very hard." Tug-of-war over Palestinian flag at Algonquin College convocation 10 hours ago Duration 0:09 Al-Zubi, a graduate of the college's film and media production program, said she was not told of any policy that would prevent her from waving the Palestinian flag during the ceremony. Other graduates crossed the stage with flags from their home countries including Ecuador, but did not experience pushback from faculty or security personnel, Al-Zubi said. "I don't think it's the problem of a flag, I think it's a problem with the Palestinian flag," she told CBC. College says flags were banned In a statement to CBC, Algonquin College said graduates were informed in advance of the venue's policies, which included a ban on flags. "In keeping with venue rules, flags were not permitted inside," the college said in a statement to CBC. "However, some flags were missed during security screening. As a result, various national flags — including Palestinian flags — were carried across the stage during 12 ceremonies held over four days in Ottawa." The college said security personnel "including venue and College staff, worked to uphold the guidelines," but added it regrets "any distress the enforcement of these rules may have caused." Another video posted on social media shows venue staff confronting a graduate with a Palestinian flag after she crossed the stage. That person declined to speak with CBC. Al-Zubi said she feels like her alma mater tried to stifle her freedom of expression. She said her Palestinian flag, which normally hangs on her bedroom wall, was a gift from a sister and is an object that "feels the closest to home." She said there has been no follow-up nor disciplinary action from the college since the ceremony. Incident 'troubling,' says law prof João Velloso, an associate professor of law at the University of Ottawa, said he found the footage of the June 19 incident "troubling." "It's not necessarily the flag, but how the staff tried to grab it aggressively instead of just managing it," said Velloso, who was part of a committee shaping the University of Ottawa's response to the months-long encampment of pro-Palestinian demonstrators on campus last year. Velloso argues convocations are inherently political events, and activism is going to happen despite institutions trying to prevent it. "In the West, just receiving a degree in gender studies is a political statement," he said. "Graduations come with a political dimension." Velloso said one way to manage it would be to allow flags and offer support to students who may be triggered by them – whether the flag is from Palestine, Israel, Russia, Ukraine or other conflict zones.
CTV News
17-06-2025
- General
- CTV News
Saskatchewan Polytech hosts more than 300 students at Saskatoon convocation
It was a day of celebration for the 318 graduates who convocated from Saskatchewan Polytechnic in Saskatoon on Monday. 'Convocation day is the most exciting day of the year. It's the opportunity where we get to come together, celebrate, recognize the accomplishments of the students of the faculty, and really just have that opportunity to celebrate and be together,' Kendra Strong-Garcia told CTV News. She serves as the director of student experience and learning services at Saskatchewan Polytechnic. TCU Place was filled with graduates, who were happy to share the day with loved ones. 'My parents are here. They're both teachers, so it's been nice to be able to have them have time off and come and then my boyfriend's also here as well,' explained student Stephanie Ritchie. 'It's nice to just have everyone that you care about be here.' Another graduate, Katrina Ilagan shared that her whole family travelled in from Rosetown to see her walk across the stage. '[It's] exciting, I saw my mom graduate last year and two of my sisters graduated last year. So, I'm like, 'Okay, next year is my day,'' Ilagan said. The students both added that their time at Sask Polytech has taught them a lot, and the immersive learning environment was one they enjoyed. 'I think having something that's way more hands on and kind of a smaller room was definitely a better fit for me. I think you just kind of get to know what you're more stepping into after graduation,' Ritchie said. 'It's like hands on learning, especially the teachers I like their one-on-one teaching, so that's why I chose polytechnic,' Ilagan said. While the Sask Polytech staff see several convocations throughout their careers, the day is always special according to Strong-Garcia. 'I love watching the families cheer on their students or their graduates walking across the stage, she said. 'Especially the ones that have younger kids themselves and the kids are here supporting their mom or their dad, that's my favorite part.'
CBC
12-06-2025
- Health
- CBC
He began university in the 70s. Now, 49 years later, this 'farm boy' earns his degree from Guelph
It's graduation week for many University of Guelph students, but it's a particularly special day for one 68-year-old whose walk across the convocation stage was 49 years in the making. Dave Burnett, who grew up in Guelph, Ont., started his Bachelor of Science degree at the university's Ontario Agricultural College (OAC) in 1976 almost immediately after completing high school. Then, life happened. Burnett told CBC K-W's The Morning Edition host Craig Norris that he mainly went to university to appease his mother. Despite doing well academically, he dropped out because he said he wanted to work with his hands. "I am a farm boy … at the first opportunity I sort of slid out the back door," Burnett said. But now, decades later, Burnett's convocation is Thursday afternoon and his wife and two of his daughters will be cheering him across the stage. Addiction, health issues and a 'very strong work ethic' After Burnett left the university, he worked as a miller for a time, and then he managed corporate farms before starting his own accounting business. He says the next 20 years of his blue-collar life, he fell into the "abyss of addiction" to drugs and alcohol. It was an all-consuming fall and one that left his personal and professional life in tatters. "I had a very, very strong work ethic in the background, but addiction is more powerful," Burnett said. His turning point came when a friend checked on him after a major health scare and Burnett said he didn't even know what day of the week it was. Catalyzed by health problems, Burnett committed to the journey back to sobriety, but not without long-term consequences, like deafness. Burnett recalled sitting in a doctor's office, forms to apply for permanent disability in front of him, and refusing to sign them. "I had always worked, even through all the problems. I'd always had a job," he said. It was then he realized that his way through was to finish his education journey. A long road back in his old blue jeans That was 30 years ago. By Burnett's account, the journey hasn't always been smooth. The University of Guelph let him come back to dabble in a Bachelor of Arts program but it wasn't for him. That's when he came back to his roots: He became what is affectionately known in the university's lingo as an "aggie," or somebody who studies agriculture. Burnett, already his classmates' senior by a couple decades, navigated the classic woes of university life: Organizing courses based on availability, taking prerequisites and those ever-looming deadlines. "I remember in particular sitting down the first or second course and realizing my blue jeans were older than most of the people in the class," he said. After a while, though, Burnett said he didn't worry too much about being the older fish in the young pond. "You're writing the same exams, the same tests, the same deadlines as everybody else. You're just seen as another student," he said. Joshua Nasielski, a professor in the department of plant agriculture, said everyone in his classes respected Burnett. "He always brought energy and humour to class and students often joked that he was the class clown," Nasielski said in a release by the school. He called Burnett an "unconventional thinker" whose "passion and drive were inspiring." "Dave was willing to share lessons from his years of real-world experience as a farm accountant with the class, which was a huge asset. He must be one of the only undergraduate students to deliver a guest lecture for a class that he was enrolled in," Nasielski said. Lived experience and lessons learned Bit by bit, weaving through life's daily challenges, marriage, kids and even more health complications, Burnett took a couple courses at a time. He said he can't remember a time where he wasn't thinking or worrying about an assignment. He notes in his five decades at the school, he's encouraged to see less of an emphasis on factual data (which, he still notes he does use in his current business), but more of a push for critical thinking. "There was no right answer to anything … I could explain my thinking," he said. Burnett has run his own business consulting with farmers for the past 10 years. Now, he said he has the skills and experience to tell clients why he's advising them a certain way. That business will now get restructured because Burnett wants to spend more time connecting with his loved ones. He still hasn't gotten the memo about retirement — although a graduate degree is most likely not in his future. He said his biggest takeaway from the life he's lived has been that there is no right way to come back to what you feel passionate about. His time in lectures, challenging his beliefs (and some of his professors' beliefs as well) and doing research taught him there was value to all kinds of experience. "We don't have to accept the common beliefs … the world is our oyster," he said. "I've heard that saying and now I believe it."
CTV News
09-06-2025
- Business
- CTV News
Western convocation moves to Canada Life Place
Western University has begun a week of convocation ceremonies in a new location. For the first time, graduates are walking across the stage at Canada Life Place (CLP). Officials say the move will better accommodate graduates and their families. 'You couldn't tell the difference from Alumni Hall, to be honest. It's actually, I would say, better. Even the AV system, the speaker system, is fantastic,' said Alan Shepard, the president of Western University. School logos surround the venue, and a portion of Dundas Place has been transformed into a hub for all things purple and white. WESTERN GRADUATION 2025 Canada Life Place hosted a Western University convocation ceremony on June 9, 2025. (Sean Irvine/CTV News London) Downtown restaurants and hotels are thrilled that 6,700 grads and their families are spending in the core. Western confirms ceremonies will continue downtown until a new or revitalized venue opens on campus. No timeline has been set. 'It requires some kind of either change to Alumni Hall or a different facility and we are trying to work through all those options now,' said Shepard. Shepard added that his team is 'gearing up for a campaign' this year. He also did not rule out remaining at CLP long-term.
