BU grads express gratitude

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This article was published 02/06/2023 (902 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

The first day of Brandon University’s 2023 convocation was largely a celebration of patience and persistence, with graduating students having overcome all manner of obstacles over the last several years of school.

Even though the World Health Organization declared early last month that COVID-19 is no longer a global health emergency, the pandemic loomed large over Thursday’s festivities at the Healthy Living Centre, with students from the Faculty of Science, Faculty of Education and School of Music all being impacted by the ripple effects of shifting to online learning in 2020.

“Let’s just be blunt, it’s been a very rough, long haul these last few years,” Faculty of Science valedictorian Kieran Taylor said during the morning portion of Thursday’s ceremony.

“But it’s for this very reason that I have such admiration for every graduate sitting here today, because … each of us have overcome these challenges in different ways and each of us has a unique story to tell.”

No one knows the true quality of patience more than graduate Gabrielle Pelletier, who finally received her bachelor of science degree on Thursday after seven years at BU.

Pelletier told the Sun that her path toward graduation went down some lengthy detours due to a combination of academic struggles and personal issues, with everything hitting a major roadblock when the COVID-19 pandemic emerged in early 2020.

Not being able to find her footing in an environment where COVID requirements were changing all the time, Pelletier waited until BU dropped all restrictions on campus last year before finally finishing her studies, although she believes that the wait was worth it in the end.

“Crossing the stage is something that you will never regret experiencing,” she said after receiving her diploma. “Having your parents and family there supporting you is very, very reassuring that you made the right choice, even if it took you half a decade or more.”

School of Music valedictorian Azaria Neuschwander hit on some similar notes during her official address to Thursday’s crowd at the Healthy Living Centre, having belonged to a program that was uniquely impacted by the move to remote learning.

Despite not being able to perform alongside her fellow musicians for a lengthy period of time, Neuschwander still managed to graduate with the highest academic standing in her class’s Bachelor of Music program and is now planning to pursue a master’s degree in vocal performance.

“These years were tough, but they showed us just how strong we are, and they also showed us how strong we can be when we work together and when we help one another,” the valedictorian said.

“I urge you to remember the reason you decided to pursue a degree in music, either to perform, to help others or to help the next generation. And never ever let that fire go out inside of you.”

Despite the collective struggles that BU’s Class of 2023 endured, Thursday’s ceremony struck an optimistic tone, with Faculty of Education valedictorian Andrew Brereton-Waller closing out the afternoon with a story about overcoming his own personal demons.

During his time on stage, Brereton-Waller revealed that he lost his father at the age of 12 and struggled for years to find another male role model to guide him into the future.

However, Brereton-Waller eventually realized that he had to take matters into his own hands and act as his own role model, with BU’s Bachelor of Education program offering him a clear path forward to becoming a mentor for youth.

“I can confidently say that Brandon University and its amazing educators have taught me the leadership, empathy, communication skills and dedication … required to be a person little Andy would be proud of,” he said.

In terms of what these graduates will be facing outside of the university bubble, BU president David Docherty admits that the world is in a precarious state right now.

With issues like the ongoing war in Ukraine, environmental degradation and a resurgence in book banning sentiment hitting close to home in Westman, Docherty said these grads will contend with an uphill battle as they attempt to carve out some space in their respective fields.

However, the BU president is confident that the school’s Class of 2023 will be able to confidently tackle these problems head on, since they’ve already endured a lifetime of challenges within a few short years under COVID.

“Humanity depends on you and I know humanity is in good hands,” Docherty said.

BU’s Class of 2023 consists of 559 overall graduates, with students representing the Faculty of Health Sciences and the Faculty of Arts scheduled to receive their diplomas during two ceremonies today.

» kdarbyson@brandonsun.com

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