MEDIA RELEASE: 14 June 2019 – R00105
The final of Brock University’s nine Spring Convocation ceremonies was held Friday, June 14 in front of a packed house inside Ian Beddis Gymnasium.
Nearly 400 graduating students from the Faculties of Humanities and Mathematics and Science crossed the stage to receive their degrees. It brought to an end a week of Convocation ceremonies at Brock that included 3,500 students graduating across seven Faculties.
Delivering the Convocation address Friday was Assistant Professor of Modern Languages, Literatures and Cultures Nigel Lezama, who told the students the physical degree they were about to receive holds deep meaning.
“Think back to who you were five years ago. Think about what you knew and what you thought you knew,” Lezama said. “Your degree symbolizes this intellectual growth.
“That piece of paper is a symbol of your potential to continue challenging yourselves and the systems that govern your lives,” he said.
Lezama, the Faculty of Humanities recipient for the Excellence in Teaching award, told the grads they were on the cusp of the best time of their lives.
“Many will tell you that life is short and to start your career as soon as possible,” he said. “But you’re young, you have lots of time to settle down into a career. Make the most of your freedom and the plethora of choices your education has given you.”
Friday’s ceremony included the awarding of one of Brock’s highest academic honours. Adam Tonet received the Governor General’s Gold Medal Award, given to the graduate student with the highest academic average for 2018-19. The Niagara Falls native finished his master’s degree in Computer Science with a 96 per cent overall average.
The ceremony also included an emotional presentation of a degree posthumously to the family of Jennifer Popescu, who died suddenly last month. Popescu was 21 years old and had just completed her four-year Biomedical Sciences program. She was set to begin a master’s degree at Brock this fall.
All nine Spring Convocation ceremonies are available to view online at brocku.ca/livestream Additional photos are also available upon request.
For more information or for assistance arranging interviews:
* Dan Dakin, Manager Communications and Media Relations, Brock University ddakin@brocku.ca, 905-688-5550 x5353 or 905-347-1970
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