By Matt Gergyek
Photos by Mike Pinder
More than 1,000 students from Carleton University’s Sprott School of Business and Faculty of Engineering and Design walked across the stage of the Fieldhouse on June 14 to accept their degrees, joining a network of 140,000 alumni across the globe.
Undergraduate programs sending off their graduating students ranged from Commerce and International Business to Architecture, Engineering and Industrial Design.
Meanwhile, graduate programs included Business Administration, Biomedical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering and Sustainable Energy Engineering.
Peter Buckley, founding director of the Centre for International Business at the University of Leeds, was awarded an honorary degree at the morning ceremony for his extraordinary contributions to international business education and research.
“There has never been a better time for the advocacy of an international orientation in business and in life,” Buckley said in his address. “There is not a better place than Canada, with its history of openness and outreach, to practice internationalism.”
Gordon Hicks, CEO of Brookfield Global Integrated Solutions (BGIS), was awarded an honorary degree at the afternoon ceremony for his commitment to a sustainable low-carbon future through innovation, leadership and advocacy for the highest standards of practice in energy-efficient buildings.
“[We live in a] world where an individual’s greatest asset is their ability to learn, which is the skill that enables you to create, implement, embrace and adopt change,” said Hicks, who is also a Carleton alumnus. “This is the cornerstone of knowledge that each of you have gained here at Carleton University.”
One of Hicks’s daughters, Jaime, received a degree of her own at the same ceremony in Aerospace Engineering.
A Diverse Program
Students graduating from the Faculty of Engineering and Design had many compliments for the program and dozens of achievements to show for it.
Alex Winch, who graduated from Carleton’s Interactive Multimedia and Design stream, credits the skills he learned through the joint program with Algonquin College for helping him start his own marketing and graphic design business called Hometown Ottawa.
“It’s a very diverse program, you learn everything from graphic design to game development,” Winch said.
Graduate students Lydia Awad and Nourhan Zaky, who took home degrees in Industrial Design and Architecture respectively, had some time to chat before “Uptown Funk” by Bruno Mars began playing through the robing room, sending the graduating procession on its way.
“Even if there are bumps on the way, everything’s going to pass . . . stay patient,” the duo said when asked what advice they had for incoming Ravens.
Students from the Sprott School of Business pointed out how prepared they felt to take on the workforce.
“This program gave me all the skills I needed, it covered every aspect of what goes into running a business,” said Sayo Akinnawonu, who graduated from Carleton’s International Business program.
Degrees Leave Students Equipped to Pursue Entrepreneurship
Akinnawonu said he now feels equipped to chase his dream of becoming an entrepreneur.
Matt Dickey, who graduated from Sprott with a concentration in Finance, said the program taught him the importance of relationship building.
“The best thing you can do is network and get to know as many people as you can . . . it’s the connections you make,” Dickey said.
Priscilla Kosseim also graduated from Sprott, concentrating in Accounting.
Kosseim said her uncle, who unfortunately could not attend the Convocation ceremony, inspired her to pursue here degree.
“I would always hang out in his office after school,” she said. “I followed in his footsteps but now I’m making my own way.”
Friday, June 15, 2018 in Convocation
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