President Rigg, honoured guests, Brock University graduands, families and friends: welcome to this great day of Convocation!

I’m excited to celebrate this milestone with you today.

You did it!

I know it wasn’t an easy journey. A university degree is a real accomplishment – one that you should be very proud of.

Today is about you and your achievements. But as we celebrate you, I hope you can also take a moment to thank those who helped you get to today.

Your families, friends, advisors, coaches – they’ve all been there for you through these last years. We thank and recognize them for their support along the way.

I also want to acknowledge the amazing generosity of the broader community of Niagara.

Here at Brock, we are enormously grateful that donors, employers, sponsors and friends in the community make it possible for the university to give our students opportunities for workplace experience during their studies.

We’re also so proud of the way Social Sciences students engage with the community.

Students like Kelsey Cere, in Speech Language and Hearing Sciences, who taught local high school students how to transcribe their names using International

Phonetic Alphabet symbols at this year’s Social Sciences Day on campus.

Students like Kelsey do this kind of work because they believe in the power of education to strengthen our community and transform society for the better.

They know, as do I, that universities are more than simply institutions of higher learning.

Drew Faust, the former President of Harvard University, summed up the role of universities with these inspiring words:

“As other institutions falter in dispiriting succession, universities nurture the hopes of the world: in solving challenges that cross borders; in unlocking and harnessing new knowledge; in building cultural and political understanding; and in modeling environments that promote dialogue and debate.”

Universities provide students with the tools to question, analyze, and solve complex problems, developing the skills of engaged citizens who will make meaningful contributions to their communities and societies.

Universities are hubs of research and innovation. They drive technological advancements, medical breakthroughs, and scientific discoveries that benefit us all.

Universities serve as engines of social mobility, offering opportunities for young people to achieve their fullest potential.

And of course, universities are cultural and community pillars. They enrich us by preserving and promoting the arts and encouraging an appreciation of our shared human heritage and the beauty of our physical environment.

This is the power of a university. And Brock is no exception.

As Niagara’s university, Brock has played a critical role in this region

Since 1964, more than 119,000 students have earned degrees from this university, becoming leaders in their communities and contributing their skills at all levels of society – here in Canada, and in countries around the world.

Brock is a catalyst for the region’s sustainable growth and development. The university integrates research, teaching, learning and service into innumerable community programs and partnerships.

Our researchers work with local industry and other partners to address issues of competitiveness, innovation, and immediate community needs.

We can truly celebrate this wonderful legacy of positive community impact over 60 years in Niagara.

Graduands, I know that you will help carry on this legacy as you leave here today and begin the next chapter in your life – no matter where life takes you, or what community you’re a part of. We look forward to marking Brock’s 60th anniversary in the fall, and we hope you will join us for that.

But today’s celebration is for you. So let’s get to it.

Congratulations on your success and best wishes for your future.

Thank you.