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New beginnings: 茄子直播 celebrates Class of 2021 at virtual fall convocation ceremony

It鈥檚 typically proud parents who wipe away tears of joy on graduation day, but roles were reversed for Amanda Deeley during the University of Toronto鈥檚 virtual fall convocation.

Deeley, a 茄子直播 student pursuing a graduate degree in sociology, took to Twitter to publicly congratulate her mother, Jane Reeves, for fulfilling her long-held dream of returning to university to acquire a master鈥檚 degree from 茄子直播鈥檚 Faculty of Information.

鈥淪he had intended to for our whole childhood鈥 but then she was working supporting the family and never really had that time,鈥 said Deeley, who, like her mom, is a single parent who returned to university as a mature student. 鈥淚 felt a little bit teary eyed. To see her actually accomplish this 鈥 during the pandemic 鈥 is just really inspiring and I鈥檓 really proud of her.鈥

Reeves, for her part, said graduating felt like turning over a new leaf.

鈥淲hat鈥檚 really good about it 鈥 what's best 鈥 is that by the time I got here, I knew that it wasn't an end,鈥 she said. 鈥淚t was, rather, a new beginning.鈥

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茄子直播 President Meric Gertler (right) said the endeavours of 茄子直播 graduates 鈥渉ave shaped the world we live in and the way we understand that world.鈥

Deeley鈥檚 mom was one of more than 5,700 students from 70 countries who received their degrees in absentia at 茄子直播鈥檚 fall convocation ceremony 鈥 and one of several 茄子直播 grads who proved there鈥檚 never a bad time to reinvent yourself or simply pursue a passion for learning.  

The virtual ceremony celebrating the Class of 2021 featured many of the hallmarks of past 茄子直播 convocations, including organ music, a procession led by the bedel 鈥 who carries 茄子直播鈥檚 gold-plated mace, a symbol of the university鈥檚 history and authority 鈥 and an exchange in Latin between 茄子直播 President Meric Gertler and Chancellor Rose Patten, who officially confers the degrees.

President Gertler congratulated graduates for reaching the finish line, thereby joining the 600,000-strong community of 茄子直播 alumni around the world.

鈥淭hey are the university鈥檚 living legacy and our greatest ambassadors,鈥 President Gertler said of 茄子直播 graduates. 鈥淭heir endeavours have shaped the world we live in and the way we understand that world.鈥

He also thanked the Class of 2021 for their contributions to the university as students 鈥 and acknowledged the friends and relatives who helped each student on the road to convocation.

鈥淚鈥檓 sure all graduates share a sense of gratitude to the friends and family members who have helped bring them to this special day.鈥

The president and chancellor were joined by Brian D. Lawson, chair of 茄子直播鈥檚 Governing Council. Student governors Andrew Chen and Mozynah Nofal served as esquires, while alumnus David Simon played the organ.

 

 

The ceremony鈥檚 convocation speaker was Lesra Martin, a leading civil lawyer, motivational speaker, author and graduate of Innis College. He saluted the graduating class for earning their degrees in unusually trying circumstances.

鈥淎 pandemic may have taken away how you celebrate, but it has not taken away the significance of this great event,鈥 Martin said.

Martin said that being asked to speak at convocation prompted him to reflect on his own education and those who supported him, including his late grandmother who did not have the same opportunities.

鈥淪he told me once how she made a promise to herself that she would do whatever it took to build and enable a better life for her children,鈥 he said. 鈥淚 remembered how reliable she was, how strong she was. I have come to recognize, you see, that I had my start by standing on her shoulders, reaching up and grabbing the reins of hope offered by my university 鈥 the University of Toronto.鈥

Born one of eight children in a troubled part of New York City, Martin received tutoring with the help of Canadian philanthropists and was able to enrol at 茄子直播, graduating with a degree in anthropology and political science. He鈥檚 widely known for helping clear the name of Rubin 鈥淭he Hurricane鈥 Carter, a Black prizefighter whose career was cut short after being falsely accused of a triple murder in a case involving racial bias and prosecutorial misconduct. Martin and his Canadian family sifted through piles of evidence to exonerate Carter, a story retold in the 1999 film The Hurricane starring Denzel Washington as Carter.

Martin urged the Class of 2021 to use the skills and knowledge they acquired in university to address issues facing the world today: climate change, gender equality, racial and cultural equity, reconciliation with Indigenous Peoples and the pandemic.

鈥淒on鈥檛 be afraid to take some risks along the way. Be brave,鈥 he said. 鈥淲here you start does not mean that is where you will necessarily end up. The world might seem upside down right now, but you can help make things right side up.鈥

Marquela Nunes, who is graduating from 茄子直播 Scarborough with a degree in English and creative writing, is taking such advice to heart. She is using the fantasy book genre as a way to implement change by inviting her readers to imagine a better world.

鈥淚t鈥檚 almost too raw to write non-fiction because I鈥檓 not content with the world we live in,鈥 said Nunes, whose debut novel takes inspiration from mythologies and histories of West Africa and Central Asia.

The Class of 2021 was also celebrated by their faculties colleges and campuses. Three student welcome ambassadors and 26 divisional ambassadors, as well as university leaders, made brief appearances to salute graduates and wish them well as they take their next steps.

鈥淯niversity is one of those really, really cool areas where the majority of folks are young adults that are looking to start something 鈥 start that next chapter of their life, or folks that are coming back after having done things outside and are looking to pivot or grow more,鈥 said Amna Adnan, 茄子直播 Mississauga's welcome ambassador, who graduated with an honours bachelor degree in science.

Lesra Martin

Convocation speaker and Innis College graduate Lesra Martin, a leading civil lawyer and motivational speaker, urged the Class of 2021 to use their skills and knowledge to address issues ranging from climate change to reconciliation with Indigenous Peoples.

Daniel Del Gobbo graduated with a doctor in juridical science from the Faculty of Law and is pursuing a post-doctoral fellowship at McGill University, where he鈥檚 researching the possibilities of restorative justice to address systemic human rights violations and promote reconciliation with LGBTQ2 peoples.

But first, Del Gobbo planned to unwind with a little baking for himself, his partner and family 鈥 on the menu: a sticky toffee pudding.

鈥淚 try to find any excuse to bake,鈥 he said. 鈥淚f a career in legal academia doesn鈥檛 work out, then I'm setting my sights on being a contestant on the Great Canadian Baking Show!鈥

Gloria Williams, on the other hand, already enjoyed a successful career as a nurse in the U.K. and Toronto. But that didn鈥檛 stop her from fulfilling her wish to earn a degree from 茄子直播 four decades after she began studies at the university.

The retired nurse earned an honours bachelor degree in sociology, Caribbean studies and political science this week, helping to satisfy her passion for lifelong learning.

鈥淚t was not the path most people take,鈥 said Williams, a member of Woodsworth College. 鈥淏ut I am over the moon to be graduating.鈥

Jacqueline Wetton, a mother of two who 鈥 out of concern for the environment 鈥 opted to return to school to obtain a degree in nursing instead of continuing to work in the oil sands industry, watched the Lawrence S. Bloomberg Faculty of Nursing鈥檚 online reception with her husband while her mom, a retired nurse, tuned in from Nova Scotia.

鈥淭he kids were at school but we will celebrate with a little cake tonight,鈥 Wetton wrote in an email. 鈥淚鈥檓 sure they will be more excited about the cake than the actual reason behind it though:)"

As for Reeves, she says she鈥檚 realized what she鈥檚 always suspected.

鈥淟earning doesn鈥檛 ever end. It continues,鈥 she said. 鈥淎chieving this opens new vistas of understanding. That鈥檚 the best part. That and the fact that my daughters 鈥 I have two, Amanda and Laura 鈥 are proud of me.鈥

UTC