MEDIA ADVISORY: R00115, 6 June 2016

Over the next four days, the lives of 3,513 people will change forever as they walk across the Brock University Convocation stage.

Spring Convocation will run from Tuesday, June 7 to Friday, June 10 in Brock’s Ian D. Beddis Gymnasium with eight ceremonies from the University’s seven faculties.

Below is a schedule of events with a number of interesting story ideas highlighted. For more information or to confirm attendance, please contact:

Dan Dakin, Media Relations Officer, Brock University ddakin@brocku.ca, 905-688-5550 x5353 or 905-347-1970
2016 Spring Convocation Schedule:

Tuesday, June 7, 10 a.m. (Faculty of Social Science)
•    Honorary Degree to be awarded to Liz Palmieri: Recently retired as president of the Niagara Community Foundation, Palmieri is a community leader who has dedicated her life’s work to the not-for-profit sector.

Tuesday, June 7, 2:30 p.m. (Faculty of Social Science)
•    Honorary Degree to be awarded to Dr. Izzeldin Abuelaish: A Palestinian surgeon who has devoted much of his life to running free clinics in Gaza, and who went on to become a strong advocate for peace even after his own children were killed when shells destroyed their home.

Wednesday, June 8, 10 a.m. (Faculties of Humanities; Math and Science)
•    Honorary Degree to be awarded to Dr. Satish Tripathi: President of the University at Buffalo, Tripathi is a history-making leader of higher education who has helped create a new era of successful collaboration between Canadian and American researchers and students.
•    Justin Maltese, an MSc student in Computer Science, will receive the prestigious Governor General’s Gold Medal for achieving the highest academic standing at the graduate level. Maltese, of Hamilton, attained an average of 98.5 per cent.
•    Twin brothers Stuart and Colin Isnor, 23 from Hamilton, will graduate together from the combined Canadian Studies and History program in the Faculty of Humanities.

Wednesday, June 8, 2:30 p.m. (Faculty of Education)
•    Susan Mifsud had been working in the Human Resources department for 26 years at Brock University when she was an unfortunate victim of cutbacks in 2014. At age 50, Mifsud needed to start again. Her answer was education. She had been working toward a BEd in Adult Education since 2009, and in 2014 she started working on her Master of Education degree. Two years after her HR career ended, Mifsud will graduate from Brock with an MEd. She has already landed a job as a Recovery Support Worker for the Niagara Region’s Mental Health Unit and runs her own consulting business.
•    Paul Ferrara will graduate from Brock’s Concurrent Bachelor of Education Degree Wednesday afternoon. Ferrara has successfully battled thyroid cancer twice during his time at the University.

Thursday, June 9, 10 a.m. (Goodman School of Business)
•    Neal Sengupta is graduating from the BAcc program and has enhanced his education with international activities. He has travelled to more than 40 countries, speaks five languages and was awarded an international business scholarship by Export Development Canada in 2014. He did all of this while maintaining a high academic average and being heavily involved with Goodman student clubs.

Thursday, June 9, 2:30 p.m. (Goodman School of Business)
•    Sean Bouwers is graduating from the BBA program and has accepted a job in finance in China, which will start immediately following convocation. He went on exchange to The Netherlands and from there travelled to China to complete an intensive language program, leading him to land a full-time finance job there.

Friday, June 10, 10 a.m. (Faculty of Applied Health Science)
•    The two ceremonies Friday will mark the final convocations for two important people at Brock University. Barb Davis has served as the University registrar since 2003, but has helped organize convocation for 20 years. Davis graduated from Brock and then started working for the University in 1983. She will retire later this month.
•    President Jack Lightstone will preside over his final convocation ceremonies Friday. After 10 years at the helm, Lightstone’s term as president will come to an end June 30.

Friday, June 10, 2:30 p.m. (Faculty of Applied Health Science)
•    Kerri Ann Podwinski has been living on her own since the age of 14. She decided to pursue nursing after a second chance program allowed her to finish high school. She will graduate with a BSc in Nursing, having logged more than 2,500 volunteer hours during her time at Brock.

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