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- Senior leaders, assemble.
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It is my pleasure to welcome each of you
to our virtual convocation.
On behalf of the University of Guelph,
I am delighted to congratulate the class of 2021
on joining the Gryphon alumni family.
Our alumni community is now 180,000 strong.
Graduates, you have completed your degree
during unprecedented historical circumstances
and I know you faced many challenges
as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.
I hope you take some time to reflect on the perseverance,
skill and support that have led you to your graduation.
I encourage you to rely on those same pillars
when you face both obstacles
and opportunities in your future.
The world is fortunate to have the talent
and dedication you offer.
And I encourage you to think about
how you might improve life for the world around you.
Keep in touch with us.
We want to know about your next endeavors
and how we can continue to support you.
From the administration, faculty, staff, peers,
friends, and family, always remember
that you have the entire U of G community behind you.
We are rooting for your success.
We could not be prouder
of what you have already accomplished.
Let me be the first of many today
to say congratulations to you the class of 2021.
My name is Gwen Chapman,
and I am the Provost and Vice-President Academic
of the University of Guelph.
In a few moments, we will be conferring your degrees.
Your success today was the result
of a tremendous amount of hard work and dedication,
and I know you have also been fortunate
to benefit from a great deal of motivation and support
from family, friends, mentors, and peers.
So as we celebrate you today,
we also have the chance to recognize those
that also helped you reach this moment.
You have accomplished so much,
and this is just the beginning.
Madam vice chancellor,
I have the honor to present to you these scholars
who although are unable to join us on campus today
have fulfilled the statutory requirements
laid down by the senate of the University of Guelph
that they be admitted to their degree.
- By virtue of the authority vested in me
and in the University of Guelph,
I hereby accept you in absentia
for admission to your degree with all the rights, privileges
and obligations appertaining there too.
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- 3,600 Graduates...
- Different people...
- From different backgrounds...
- Working towards different things.
- Different cultures...
- Different beliefs...
- Different goals...
- But for a short time, we all had something in common.
- The University of Guelph.
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- So, what defines the class of 2021?
- We're not masks, social distancing or virtual learning.
- We are not the forgotten class.
- We are not the victims of a global pandemic
far from it.
- Defines us is our resiliency.
- We relied on strength to meet our goals
despite the obstacles.
- We developed relationships that went well beyond Zoom.
- We developed compassion and empathy for others
and learned to ask for help when we need it.
- We focused even when everything around us was chaos.
- We came to the University of Guelph...
- From all over the world...
- With the goal to improve life.
- We came and stood beside the Gryphon Statue with pride.
(camera shuttering)
- Not all of us will create vaccines,
save animals or solve the global crisis...
- But all of us will leave the U of G as better people
and better prepared to take on what's next.
- Some call the next step after graduation,
entering the real world.
- And if that's the case...
- Then the class of 2021 is ready.
- What can the world throw at us
that we haven't already seen?
- What can't we do?
- Our future is going to be full of adventure and joy.
- Whether there will be hard times...
- And when those times hit...
- We'll remember all the things we learned at U of G...
- And what we need to do to thrive.
- That's resiliency.
- That's in the Gryphon.
- Congratulations to all of the 2021 graduates.
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- You have reached a measurable stage of progress
in your life's journey,
which calls for both recognition and celebration.
- Graduates today are well beyond
acquisition of knowledge of life skills
than any of the generations that proceeded them.
- You've had the benefit of an education,
which ranks among the finest available
on the face of this planet,
and you're about to embark on further adventure.
- Leave space in your budget or your day
to donate dollars or time to a cause.
Charitable work really does enrich your life
and the lives of others.
- Importantly, I think they've had to accept
what's in front of them.
What's here and now and be very present today
because tomorrow may be different.
- Learning is not compulsory neither is survival.
It's easy to make a buck.
It's a lot tougher to make a difference.
- Always go after your passions
and don't be governed by reason.
- Listen more than you speak.
Always be caring, but recognize that you're not equipped
and not expected to fix everything.
- Enjoy what you do and always do it better than others.
And take time to care.
- Hello, and congratulations
to all you Guelph graduates out there.
I cannot imagine what it must have been like
to go into your last year at Guelph
with all these COVID restrictions and changes.
And honestly, you guys hunkered down,
you got through it, big congratulations.
You are the toughest grads there are.
- In terms of passing along some wisdom
to the people sitting in chairs,
albeit virtually that I once sat in,
it would be to always follow the chance and serendipity
when it appears in front of you.
- I would encourage you graduates to be courageous
and to embrace every opportunity that comes your way,
because you never know where they may lead.
- I suggest not waiting for the perfect position
or the perfect job to come around
and instead take new positions that you grow
and build your skills
and that will propel you forward to where you want to be.
- If I were to tell a new graduate one thing,
it would be to pursue your passions to the fullest extent
and follow your dreams, and let nobody get in your way.
- Keep learning.
You should keep and declare to yourself.
That will make you super, super different
and unique from anyone around you.
- There's nothing more important
than being part of a great university
and showing your willingness to learn.
- Don't let anybody define what successful means for you.
You're more than your grade.
You are more than if you manage to get the job
straight out of your degree,
or whether you take some time to figure out what it is
that you really want to do.
- My wisdom to you is travel the world.
As soon as I left Guelph, I took a job in England
and then another job came up in Vancouver.
And then we just relocated to San Francisco
for my partner's dream job.
And there's such resiliency skills
and amazing adulting skills when you move around.
So take that opportunity, say yes,
and I hope you do some traveling.
- Never stop networking.
Even if you didn't do too much of it in your undergrad,
it's never too late to start.
If there's something you're after,
get out there and network for it.
Over here in Australia,
there are tons of opportunities for new grads,
and it's a very diverse workplace.
So, it doesn't matter what kind of degree
you're coming out of Guelph with,
I guarantee there's a spot for you over here.
- I'm working in one of the least developed countries
in the world, which means there are a lot of gaps to fill.
And so, whether you are in the medical field,
the environmental field, in economics teaching,
maybe some of you will end up over here
to help the country fill those gaps.
- I'm in Silicon Valley right now
and there's so many opportunities up here.
You want to work at a startup, a tech company,
social justice causes, there's so many amazing things.
It's a great hub.
- Now that you've graduated,
there are some fantastic opportunities
to pursue a higher degree in Australia.
There are 42 universities to choose from
so you're sure to find one
that accommodates your area of interest.
- Stay connected to your Gryphon grads, to your friends.
All around the world, I've seen Gryphons wherever I've gone
making a difference,
and it's the one thing that connects us all
is the passion from where we went to school
and the skills that we learned there.
- So you might be sitting there thinking,
"I've got a degree in this, I have to work in this,"
but do you know there are plenty of opportunities
that await you as you enter the world
as a graduate of the University of Guelph
and do you feel comfortable knowing
that if you take a risky chance,
the worst that can happen is it doesn't work out
and you go back to the drawing board
and what you're comfortable with
and you know and the best that can happen
is you can really go on to change life and improve lives
for a bunch of people in the world?
(gentle music)
- What's up University of Guelph.
It is the (speaks faintly),
and we just wanted to say congratulations
on this very special moment.
As University of Guelph grads ourselves,
we know how important this memory is
and how special it was to go to that school.
So congratulations.
- Enjoy this next chapter.
As she said, we went to Guelph ourselves,
So, you never know
what's coming out of it, - Yeah.
- and big things can happen.
So, enjoy this.
Congratulations.
- Go Gryphons, go. - Go Gryphons.
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- [Narrator] Your university experience
is made up of moments.
From the moment you opened your acceptance letter,
survived online enrollment and packed the moving van,
your adventure began.
From the nerves of being a first year student
who chose to make Guelph their home,
you became part of a community.
From the days you met your first roommates,
made your first university friends
and moved into your first apartment,
your social circle grew.
From the times you missed your family,
weren't sure if university was for you,
then bravely decided that it was,
you gained courage. (ball thudding)
From the late night study sessions
to the early warning exams
and finishing your projects at the very last minute,
you proved to yourself that you could do it.
From the summer jobs, the co-op terms,
and the contacts you made in your field of study,
You turned your classroom learning
into practical experience.
From the football games, (crowd cheering)
the campus clubs (crowd cheering)
and the groups you were the beating heart of,
you showed that nothing is stronger
than a Guelph connection.
From the moment you don your gown, cross the stage
and got the degree you worked so hard to earn,
you've been part of something special.
From the University of Guelph, we say thank you.
Thank you for contributing to a culture and reputation
that's unlike any university in Canada.
Thank you for innovating,
striving for excellence and helping us to improve life.
Thank you for continuing your relationship with a university
as mentors, advocates, and proud alumni.
Thank you for sharing
some of your most important moments with us.
Congratulations, and thank you (fireworks crackling)
for forever being a Gryphon. (fireworks crackling)
Welcome to the alumni family. (fireworks crackling)
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