A total of 668 graduates crossed the stage to receive their degrees from University of British Columbia President and Vice-Chancellor Stephen Toope during today’s Spring Convocation ceremonies at UBC Okanagan.
“I hope that already, only a few days or weeks after the end of your degree, you are beginning to sense the freedom that a university education provides,” President Toope told graduates. “When I talk to our UBC alumni, which I do all the time and all around the world, so many tell me that they realize that university changed the world for them.”
In a morning ceremony, 309 graduates from the Barber School of Arts and Sciences received their degrees. Graduates from the faculties of Creative and Critical Studies (96 grads), Education (115 grads), and Health and Social Development (148 grads) received their degrees in an afternoon ceremony.
Students graduating this year represent the following faculties and degree programs:
Irving K. Barber School of Arts and Sciences
| Master of Arts | 3 |
| Master of Science | 3 |
| Bachelor of Arts | 199 |
| Bachelor of Science | 104 |
| Total | 309 |
Faculty of Creative and Critical Studies
| Master of Fine Arts | 1 |
| Bachelor of Arts | 63 |
| Bachelor of Fine Arts | 32 |
| Total | 96 |
Faculty of Education
| Master of Arts (EDUC) | 3 |
| Master of Education | 17 |
| Bachelor of Education, Elementary | 65 |
| Bachelor of Education, Secondary | 30 |
| Total | 115 |
Faculty of Health and Social Development
| Master of Science in Nursing | 1 |
| Master of Social Work | 4 |
| Bachelor of Science in Nursing | 90 |
| Bachelor of Social Work | 53 |
| Total | 148 |
Combined Total 668
Among this year’s graduates is UBC Okanagan’s first Master of Science in Nursing graduate, Vida Yakong. After earning her Bachelor of Science in Nursing in Kelowna several years ago, Yakong returned to her home country of Ghana, Africa, where she worked as a nurse practitioner. Two years ago, she returned to UBC Okanagan on a scholarship supported by School of Nursing faculty and community residents. Her master’s degree research examined how women in Ghana’s rural north receive reproductive health care services.
One of the world’s leading neuroscientists, Dr. Bryan Kolb, accepted an honorary Doctor of Science degree at the morning ceremony. Among his many discoveries and achievements, Dr. Kolb was the first to show how the growth of new brain cells can restore psychological and behavioural function. Dr. Kolb and his team have discovered that we have the power to grow new brain cells. His research has spurred new treatments to help victims of stroke, those living with Alzheimer’s Disease, or afflicted by drug abuse or head injuries. He is currently a Professor of Psychology and Neuroscience at the University of Lethbridge.
This is the third convocation for UBC Okanagan, which opened in July 2005. This year’s graduates join the community of 9,000 UBC alumni in the Thompson-Okanagan region and 250,000 worldwide.
“Among that body have been parliamentarians and pop singers, architects and artists, teachers, doctors, broadcast journalists — it’s hard to imagine a profession in which UBC graduates have not made a significant impact, both in Canada and around the world,” said President Toope. “Now it’s your turn to make a choice and a contribution, and to use your education, not only for your own benefit, but for the benefit of society as a whole.”
Both the morning and afternoon convocation ceremonies were recorded and the video will be available online at www.ubco.tv later this month. Watch the website http://graduation.ubc.ca for more information about the online video.
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