Faculty of Health Studies and Faculty of Arts at BU celebrate graduates

On the final day of Brandon University’s expanded Convocation 2022, this year’s graduates from the Faculties of Health Studies and Arts officially received their degrees. Convocation also welcome back graduates from 2021 and 2020 to a long-delayed in-person celebration.

“Convocation is particularly poignant this year as we are celebrating in person for the first time after two years of virtual ceremonies due to the pandemic,” said BU Registrar Andrea McDaniel, who served as emcee for Convocation and read out the names of each graduate as they crossed the stage. “We are delighted today to celebrate graduates from multiple years [and] we are pleased to celebrate them here today with the ceremony and applause that all BU graduates have earned.”

One hundred and forty new Health Studies degrees were awarded in the morning ceremony today, followed by 149 new Arts degrees.

Health Studies valedictorian Akech Mayuom reflected on what it meant to earn a nursing degree in the midst of a pandemic.

“There is a famous South Sudanese proverb that says meth ekede meth raan eben. It translates to ‘a child is everyone’s child’. The older I get, and the more opportunities I have of watching communities gathering in support, it dawned on me that the proverb might have been meant to represent a circle of care,” she said in her valedictory address. “When I started at Brandon University, I did not realize that this community would provide me with so much more than a degree … We did not get here alone. We are here because of the circle of care we received.”

Brandon University Chancellor Mary Jane McCallum told graduates that she was humbled to be there with them.

“Being humbled means that I witness how a different experience shows its face and students rise up to the challenge on a daily and yearly basis and move beyond,” she said to the assembled graduates. “Being humbled means that I witness and acknowledge the resilience, the spirit, the power, and that spark of fire within you. In Cree that spark is Achak – the star.”

Brandon University President David Docherty also shared with graduates his thoughts on their achievements and what may lie ahead.

“You will eventually look back at your university years as your halcyon years. Time has a way of smoothing out any rough edges in your memory. It may ease the sting of that one disappointing grade, or the awkward presentation,” he said. “You may be tempted to let these struggles fade, to let time help you forget the magnitude of these challenges, and I can understand why. But I dare say that your perseverance and the success we are celebrating here today, is only magnified by what you have overcome. The academic challenges you faced leave you even better prepared for what lies ahead.”

Today’s ceremonies also included award presentations, including a Lifetime Achievement Award presented to Heather Coulter, the Senate Award for Excellence in Research, presented to Dr. Christopher Schneider, and the Board of Governors Awards for Community Service. More awards were also presented yesterday.

Brandon University returned to an in-person Convocation this year with one of its largest graduating classes ever.

More than 640 students received their degrees at Spring Convocation 2022, a two-day celebration of academic achievement with four separate ceremonies. It was the largest graduating class since 2010 and one of the largest ever.

Convocation began yesterday with ceremonies for the Faculty of Science, Faculty of Education and the School of Music, and concluded with today’s ceremonies.

Convocation is a community celebration, and all are welcome to help celebrate Brandon University’s newest grads, as they embark on the next phase of their academic journeys or enter their careers. An archive of the livestream of the Convocation ceremonies will be available at BrandonU.ca/Convocation.

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