UOIT marks largest graduating class in school history
The Hon. Sarabjit Marwah, members of the Senate of Canada, speaks to students during one of four convocations held by the University of Ontario Institute of Technology (UOIT). Marwah also received an honorary Doctor of Law from the university during the June 9 ceremony. (Photo by Dave Flaherty).
Dave Flaherty/The Oshawa Express
University of Ontario Institute of Technology (UOIT) graduates came together one last time before heading onto their next chapter.
UOIT hosted its annual convocation ceremonies at the Tribute Communities Centre on June 8 and 9.
Approximately 2,200 students from the faculties of Energy Systems and Nuclear Science, Engineering and Applied Science, Education, Health Sciences, Business and Information Technology, Science and Social Sciences and Humanities received their degrees, making it the largest convocation ceremony in the university’s history.
During the morning ceremony on Friday, The Hon. Sarabjit Marwah, a member of the Senate of Canada, was awarded an honorary Doctor of Law degree.
Marwah then addressed students, speaking to them about the roles they will play in the future of Canada.
“Education is a resource that never falls in value,” Marwah said, telling students a quality education will grant them an invitation to “every table that matters.”
Marwah spoke about diversity, noting he saw just that when looking out at the graduates.
“Diversity is one of Canada’s biggest strengths,” Marwah told The Oshawa Express in an interview after the ceremony. “There is no better reflection of that diversity than the university”.
“It is going to be a global world. What people don’t realize is they [students] compare themselves to a kid growing up in some small town in the southern United States – they’ve never been out of the state, they don’t know any better,” Marwah said. “These kids know everything. If they are sitting beside [somebody] it doesn’t matter what their background is…you pick up small nuances about how they do business. It’s an enormous natural advantage they don’t even know they have.”
Honorary Doctor of Law degrees were also awarded to Jeanette Southwood, vice-president of strategies and partnerships at Engineers Canada, Shirlee Sharkey, president and chief executive officer at St. Elizabeth Health Care and Shirley Williams, Professor Emertia at Trent University.