Latest news with #honoraryDoctorate
Al Bawaba
4 days ago
- General
- Al Bawaba
The American University of Beirut Graduates Its 156th Cohort of Trailblazers
The American University of Beirut (AUB) Honorary Doctorate and Graduate Commencement Ceremony was held on May 30, 2025, conferring master's, doctorate, and medical degrees to 678 students and recognizing this year's honorary doctorate degree recipients: Christiana Figueres; Dr. Raif Geha; and Dr. Philip ceremony was attended by Dr. Nawaf Salam, president of the Council of Ministers, who represented His Excellency, General Joseph Aoun, the president of the Republic of Lebanon. In President Aoun's name, Salam decorated the two honorees of Lebanese descent—Dr. Philip Khoury and Dr. Raif Geha—by bestowing upon them the Lebanese Order of Merit, Silver Grade.'AUB graduates carry the potential not just to lead, but to build bridges, and to be peacemakers where peace is most needed... At AUB, we do not work for rankings. We work to change the world. We do not just train highly paid consultants, physicians, nurses, engineers, and scientists. We train change-makers,' said Dr. Fadlo Khuri, AUB president, to the graduates. 'We are here to uplift, to empower, to enlighten, to transform. We are not here simply to help you gain knowledge, or jobs, or opportunities, or degrees or wealth, but rather to help you in being uplifted, to uplift your families, communities, and nations. That has never been more critical than it is today.' Khuri spoke about the joy of living with purpose and every individual's right to the pursuit of health, happiness, and a more abundant year's graduate student speaker was medical student Nader Zalaquett, a high-distinction achiever who has held several leadership roles, co-authored numerous scientific publications, and received multiple research awards and grants. With extensive clinical experience focusing on otolaryngology head and neck surgery, Zalaquett will be joining Mayo Clinic's Department of Otolaryngology.'What are the odds that a sixteen-year-old from Zahle, with near zero exposure to Beirut and its universities, would graduate as a medical doctor from the best medical school in the Middle East?' said Zalaquett. 'Little did I know that AUB is a door to the entire world. From the halls of the #1 hospital to the #1 cancer center and the #1 tech firm in the world, an AUB graduate was always there, ready to guide, support, and uplift.' He added, 'AUB has given us more than an education, it has given us a launchpad to every single corner of the world.'President Khuri bestowed the university's honorary doctorate degrees upon this year's recipients, in recognition of their contributions and representation of the values and mission of AUB: diplomat, author, and architect of the Paris Climate Agreement, Christiana Figueres; allergist, immunologist, and James Gamble Professor of Pediatrics at Harvard Medical School, Dr. Raif Geha; and academic leader and historian of Lebanon, Syria, and Palestine, and chairman emeritus of the AUB Board of Trustees, Dr. Philip commencement keynote speaker, Dr. Raif Geha, graduated from AUB to become a world-renowned physician-scientist with an enduring impact on pediatrics and immunology. He spoke about his experience as a biology and then medical student at AUB, and the role that holistic education, mentors, and relationships established at AUB played in his education and career.'Acquiring the skills needed to lead a meaningful, successful, and happy life requires the type of education AUB provides,' said Geha. 'One pillar of my education at AUB has been my mentors and role models... I learned from my mentors at AUB about rigor, hard work, tough love, grace, humility, compassion and humor.' Geha concluded with words of wisdom as the class of 2025 looked toward a new chapter in their journey of trailblazing leadership and impactful service, 'To the graduating students, I say work hard, nose to the ground.' He added that, 'the two things worth spending money on are education and memories. AUB has given you plenty of each. Use both to live life more abundantly.'
CTV News
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- CTV News
Alanis Morissette to receive honorary doctorate from University of Ottawa
Alanis Morissette accepts her award at the Canadian Songwriters Hall of Fame Gala in Toronto, on Saturday September 24, 2022. (Chris Young/THE CANADIAN PRESS) Alanis Morissette will tell graduates what 'you oughta know' during Convocation ceremonies at the University of Ottawa. The Ottawa native is one of nine people who will receive honorary doctorates during spring Convocation ceremonies at uOttawa between June 8 and 12. Other recipients include Ontario Chief Justice Michael H. Tulloch and former Olympic athlete Abby Hoffman. Morissette won seven Grammy awards and 15 Juno Awards, and was inducted into Canada's Walk of Fame in 2005 and the Canadian Music Hall of Fame in 2015. 'Born and raised in Ottawa, Alanis Morissette has been one of the most influential singer-songwriter-musicians in contemporary music,' uOttawa says. 'Her deeply expressive music and performances have earned vast critical praise and seven Grammy Awards. Morissette's 1995 album Jagged Little Pill was a tour de force that changed the sound of pop music around the world. It was followed by nine more eclectic and acclaimed albums.' The University of Ottawa says the honorary doctorates will be awarded to individuals whose exceptional careers have 'had a significant impact on their field of expertise and on society.' 'The honorary doctorate of the University of Ottawa celebrates those who, through their commitment, their work or their influence, embody the values that our institution strives to share,' uOttawa said. 'These honours not only recognize remarkable careers, but they also celebrate a vision of the world, a quest for excellence and a commitment to the common good that inspires future generations of students.' Other recipients of honorary doctorates are:
Yahoo
24-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
University of Delaware sends off class of 2025
The University of Delaware class of 2025 is off into the real world. The university community of administrators, faculty, staff, graduating students and their loved ones poured into Delaware Stadium in Newark on a crisp morning May 24 to celebrate this year's graduating class. Almost 6,500 graduates make up the class. Of the total number, more than 4,800 are undergrads, and more than 1,600 are graduate students. About 42% of the class are Delawareans. UD President Dennis Assanis gave this class a unique distinction in his speech. "Congratulations to the amazing class of 2025," he said to the crowd. "The best class to ever graduate from the University of Delaware." It's his last commencement ceremony as the president of the university. He has served as president since 2016 and oversaw the expansion of the Science, Technology and Advanced Research Campus; introduced new research opportunities; and oversaw the elevation of the school's athletic program into Conference USA. "Over the years, we've been so impressed and so inspired by the drive, the dedication to the amazing talents of UD students," he told students. "Thank you for the transformative and memorable time that we spent together." ASSANIS LEAVING UD: University of Delaware president plans to step down after this semester He thanked the university community and ended his remarks by taking a selfie from the stage with the students in the background. He was awarded an honorary doctorate at the ceremony. Other people who received honorary distinctions were Wilmington Mayor John Carney, former MBNA executive John Cochran III, biologist and former UD Provost Robin Morgan, professor emerita of theatre and dance Lynette Young Overby, and ABC Action News anchor and guest speaker Matt O'Donnell. UNIVERSITY OF DELAWARE NEWS: Newark is a Gov. Matt Meyer signature away from being able to levy a per-student tax on UD O'Donnell was tasked with this year's guest speaking gig, following Joe Flacco in 2024, former astronaut Mae Jemison in 2023 and then-leader of the free world Joe Biden. O'Donnell's speech related to students at his alma mater, UD, and challenged them to continue being authentic. "You are doing these things because you are trying to experience what we took from you as parents when we gave you smartphones way too early and stopped allowing you to go out on your own; you are seeking authenticity," he said in his speech. "You might be the anxious generation, but personally, I define you as something different. You are the disruption generation." GRADUATION PHOTOS: See Delaware State University's 2025 commencement ceremony One graduate, Devin Jiang from Brandywine Hundred, is looking toward the nation's capital. At UD, he said he learned about politics and its inner workings and has worked in the White House and state Legislature during his Blue Hen tenure. He was a delegate to the Democratic National Convention in 2024, the second Chinese-American to represent Delaware. He is now a staff assistant for Delaware's senior senator, Chris Coons. "I just want to learn as much as I can about the federal government and represent Delaware on the national stage," he said in an interview. Shane Brennan covers Wilmington and other Delaware issues. Reach out with ideas, tips or feedback at slbrennan@ This article originally appeared on Delaware News Journal: UD President Assanis thanks school community at his final graduation
RNZ News
16-05-2025
- General
- RNZ News
A life of service: celebrating the career of Luamanuvao Dame Winnie Laban
Luamanuvao Dame Winnie Laban PhD Photo: Victoria University Feature - At this year's May graduation ceremony, Te Herenga Waka Victoria University's Luamanuvao Dame Winnie Laban, was awarded an honourary doctorate in recognition for her contribution to education. Although she has now stepped down from the role, Luamanuvao served as the University's Assistant Vice-Chancellor, Pasifika, for 14 years. In that time has worked tirelessly to raise Pasifika students' achievement. "It's really important that they [Pasifika students] make the most of the opportunities that education has to offer. Secondly, education teaches you how to write, to research, to critique, but more importantly, become an informed voice and considering what's happening in society now with AI and also technology and social media, it's really important that we can tell our stories and share our values, and we counter that by receiving a good education and applying ourselves to do well." When asked about the importance of service, Luamanuvao explained "there's a saying in Samoan, 'o le ala i le pule o le tautua' so the road to authority and leadership is through service". "And we've always been taught how important it is not to indulge in our own individual success, but to always become a voice and support our brothers and sisters, and our families and in our communities who are especially struggling." Luamanuvao Dame Winnie Laban and supporters during an International Women's day event in Wellington Photo: Supplied As she accepted her honorary doctorate, she spoke about the importance of women taking on leadership roles. "Yes, many Pacific people will know how powerful our women are, especially our mothers, our grandmothers, and great grandmothers. We actually come from cultures of very powerful and very strong women… it's not centered in the individual women. It's centered on the well-being of our families, and our communities. And that's what women leadership is all about in the Pacific." She did not expect the honourary doctorate from Te Herenga Waka Victoria University because "I've always been aspirational for others. And we Pacific people have been brought up that we are the people of the 'we' and not the me." The number of Pasifika students enrolled at the University, during Luamanuvao's time as Assistant Vice-Chancellor, increased from 4.70% in 2010 to 6.64% in 2024. She said she "would have loved to have doubled that number" so that it was more in line with the number of Pasifika people living in New Zealand. Two of the initiatives she started, during her time at the University, was the Pasifika Roadshow taking information about university life out to the wider community and the 'Improving Pasifika Legal Education' Project. Helping Pasifika Law students succeed was very important to her. While Pasifika make up make up only 3 percent of Lawyers, they are overrepresented in the legal system, comprising 12 percent of the prison population. Another passion of hers was encouraging Pasifika to enter academia. "I think we've had an increase in Pacific academics in some areas. For example, with the Faculty of Law, we've got two senior Pacific women in lecturer positions…We've also got four associate professors, and now I've finished, there's also a vacancy for another." Prior to her work in education Luamanuvao was the first Pasifika woman to enter New Zealand politics, in 1999. "I was fortunate that when I ran for parliament, I ran first as a list MP, and as you know, within the parties, they have selection process that are quite robust, and so I became the first Pacific woman MP." "What motivated me was the car parts that closed in Wainuiomata, and most of the workers were men, but they were also Pacific, Maori and palagi, who basically arrived at work one morning and were told the factory was closing." "But what really hit me, and hurt me, that these were not the values of Aotearoa. They're not the values of our Pacific region. These are human beings, and for many men, particularly, to have a job, it's about providing for your family. It's about status. So, if factories were going to close down, where was the planning to upskill them so they could continue in employment? None of them wanted to go for the unemployment benefit. They wanted to continue in paid work. So it's those milestones that I make it worthwhile. It's just a pity, because election cycles are three years, and as you know, people will vote how they want to vote, and if there's a change, all the hard work you've put in gets reversed and but fundamentally, I believe that New Zealand and Pacific people have wonderful values that all of us try to live by, and that will continue to feed the light and ensure that people have a choice." Luamanuvao Dame Winnie Laban PhD and her husband Dr Peter Swain Photo: Trudy Logologo Although she first entered Parliament as a list MP, she subsequently won the Mana electorate seat. She retained the seat ,for the Labour party, from 2002 until she stepped away from politics in 2010. During that time she was Minister of Pacific Peoples, 2007-2008, and even though Labour was defeated in the 2008 election, she continued to hold the Mana seat by a comfortable margin. Although she has left political life, Luamanuvao has also been involved in mentoring many Pasifika Members of Parliament, and helping them cope with the challenges and opportunities that go with the role. One of the primary motivators in her life has been the struggles of her parents, who left Samoa in 1954 to build a better future for their children, in New Zealand. She acknowledged that all of her successes can be attributed to her parents and the sacrifices they made. "Yes, well, I think everybody can look at a genealogy of history of families leaving their homeland to come to Aotearoa, why, to build a better life and opportunities, including education for their children. And I often remind our generation of young people now that your parents left their home, for you. And I've often reflected because my parents have passed away on the pain of leaving their parents, but there was always this loving generosity in that both my parents were the eldest of huge families. They left everything for them, and actually arrived in New Zealand with very little. But there was this determination to succeed. Secondly, they are a minority in a country where they're not the majority, or they are the indigenous people of their country. So also, overcoming those barriers, their hard work, their dreams, but more importantly, the huge love for our communities and fairness and justice was installed in Ken and I my brother, from a very young age, about serving and about giving and about reciprocity." Although she has left her role in tertiary education Luamanuvao vows to continue working to support the next generation of Pasifika leaders, in New Zealand and around the Pacific Region. Her lifelong commitment to service, continues as she's a founding member of The Fale Malae Trust, a group whose vision is to build an internationally significant , landmark Fale Malae on the Wellington waterfront.
RNZ News
16-05-2025
- General
- RNZ News
Luamanuvao Dame Winnie Laban receives honour
At this week's May graduation ceremony, Te Herenga Waka Victoria University's Hon Luamanuvao Dame Winnie Laban, was awarded an honorary doctorate in recognition for her contribution to education. Tags: To embed this content on your own webpage, cut and paste the following: See terms of use.
