There are 172 days in a regular school year. That’s 4,128 hours spent labouring over assignments, pleading with professors, debating with classmates, eating questionable cafeteria food, pulling all-nighters, running to class, giving presentations and making (or missing) deadlines.
For the Carleton graduates of 2010, all those moments all come down to one.
“Four years all come down to those two seconds, and you can’t help but think of what everyone has gone through together. Those are two seconds you’ll never forget,” said bachelor of journalism graduate Adam Stanley.
Carleton’s 136th Convocation took place June 8 to 11 in the Ravens' Nest, with faculty ceremonies at 9:30 a.m. and 2:00 p.m. each day. A total of 12,000 guests over the four days saw 2,455 students receive diplomas from President Roseann Runte in their respective fields, according to Brian Mortimer, marshal of convocation.
As academic leader for planning, and responsible for the flow of the ceremonies, Mortimer said he was part of a large team that worked together for months to organize the occasion. The registrar’s office, the department of university communications, the Educational Development Centre, president’s office and the music department all joined forces.
The ceremonies were co-ordinated largely in the same format as previous years, with only minor changes made to the program. Last year, for example, saw the introduction of screens in the Fieldhouse for easier viewing, as well as a live internet stream of each ceremony available online.
“We know that there were people all over the globe watching and participating with us,” said Mortimer.
Bachelor of arts graduate Antonella Ielo said it was very well planned, but it would be helpful if graduates were emailed in the days leading up to convocation to remind them about costs and times, instead of just having the website up on the front page.
Carleton issued honorary degrees to 11 notable Canadians who spoke at the ceremonies, including former Prime Minister Joe Clark, lawyer Maureen McTeer, author Maude Barlow and journalist Joe Schlesinger.
Schlesinger’s speech, which focused on his international experiences as a CBC foreign correspondent and on the state of democracy today, was a highlight, said Mortimer.
“He was a very good guest speaker who spoke on contemporary topics which were really relatable to the new public affairs graduating class,” said Stanley.
“I was happy to have accomplished something so great, but really sad it was all over and that graduation day may be the last time you see a lot of your fellow classmates,” Ielo said.
Schlesinger concluded his 15-minute address by saying we live in an age of progress and possibilities, and that only one thing is certain: we are fated to live in interesting times.
“So stay tuned. Keep your eyes, your ears, and above all — your brains — open,” he said.