[00:00:00] [Bagpipes can be clearly heard. A large crowd of people sit outdoors in folding chairs, forming an audience. The audience is at the right-side of the screen. Some seat beneath a large white tent. Large steps are visible behind the audience. Flags from countries around the world decorate the large concrete building. It is sunny. Bagpipers in green and white kilt and shirts can be seen leading the Graduand Procession down the stairs. The audience stands. The banner on the screen reads “Livia Mui & Nick Lasch. Pipers.” Graduates receiving their Bachelor of Arts degrees wear dark green gowns with waist-length sleeves and white and dark green hoods. Graduates receiving their Bachelor of Science degrees wear dark green downs with waist-length sleeves and gold and dark green hoods. The view shifts several times to show the audience and Graduand Procession.] [00:00:55] [The view shows the graduates entering a stage elevated by five steps at the front of the audience. It is brick. The stage is set with three sets of seats in a U formation, with all facing the centre-right of the stage. They sit first in the seats on the left-hand side of the stage, then the centre-back of the stage. There is a large lectern at the centre-right of the stage and facing the audience. It reads “Trent University.” The view shifts several times to show the audience and Graduand Procession. In the background, Trent’s Bata Library can be seen. It is large and three storeys of concrete with large glass windows and wooden awnings are visible.] [00:06:12] [The pipers finish playing. The view changes to show a group of people standing at the top of the back stairs near the flags. They are in academic and traditional Indigenous regalia of many forms. This is the Academic Procession. Nicholas Rimsky-Korsakov’s Procession of Nobles begins to play over the sound system. It is a grand, full-orchestral melody without words. The man at the front of the procession carries Trent’s Condolence Cane, the cane that is a symbolic representation of the governance power of the Haudenosaunee peoples and represents the academic governing power of the University.] [00:07:39] [The Academic Procession is shown taking their seats. They sit at the right-hand side of the stage.] [00:08:45] [A man from the Academic Procession approaches the lectern. He is in a dark green gown with elaborate gold and dark green embroidery and a round green velvet beefeater-style hat with gold tassel. The banner on the screen reads “Don Tapscott. Chancellor.”] Don Tapscott: Good morning everyone. Please be seated. I’m Don Tapscott and I’m the Chancellor of Trent University and I’m a proud graduate from this great institution. Unbelievably it was five decades ago that I hitchhiked from Orillia to check out this little start-up on the Otonabee and I took the road less travelled and, as I’m sure is true for you graduates, it’s made all the difference. I’m delighted to share this special day with you in this most spectacular venue and this glorious morning. Heartfelt congratulations to all of our graduates on reaching this important milestone. I now declare convocation open. [Applause and cheers in the audience. Don Tapscott sits.] [00:09:54] [A man stands at the lectern. He is in a dark green gown with elaborate silver and dark green embroidery and a round green velvet beefeater-style hat with silver tassel. The banner on the screen reads “Leo Groarke. President & Vice-Chancellor.”] Leo Groarke: Good morning. My name is Leo Groarke. I have the privilege of being the eighth President and Vice-Chancellor of Trent University. Before we officially begin, I did want to say that to me this feels like a very auspicious day for Trent’s science convocation because, and I’m going to assume that we are all science nerds here today, so I’m assuming you already know that yesterday NASA announced the latest findings from the Mars rover, Curiosity. And today’s the day when you can read that they have found new evidence of life on Mars, organic molecules and methane. And it strikes me that there’s a second great thing happening about science today and that is that this is the day of Trent’s science convocation. [Cheers and applause.] And this isn’t very scientific, but I’m going to take it as a great omen that those two things coincide. In keeping with Trent tradition, I want to officially begin by respectfully acknowledging that we are on the treaty and traditional territory of the Mississauga Anishinaabe. We offer our gratitude to our First Peoples for their care for and teachings about our earth and our relations. May we honour those teachings always. I’m very pleased to welcome graduates, their parents and families, spouses, partners, and friends to today’s ceremony. Some of you come from close by, some from across Canada and indeed some of you from around the world. I want to begin, or actually preface the heart of the ceremony which is the awarding of degrees with a little comment about the ceremony. I like to think that our convocation ceremony at Trent is a little bit like Trent University itself. And here I would quote from a recent review of Trent University which I like very much because I thought they got it very right. It described Trent in this way: “a prestigious and elite small university, but one that is approachable and friendly.” I think that does reflect who we are, and I want to say in keeping with that, there’s a formal but also approachable and friendly aspect to this convocation. This is the formal moment at which students receive their degrees after all their hard work and late nights studying, and writing exams and essays, but I also want to say that it’s also meant to be a celebration. It’s a party. It’s a party we are hosting to celebrate the accomplishments of our students. If you a parent in the audience and you want, feel free to use it as a party to celebrate the fact that your son or daughter has finally got their degree. With the party aspect in mind, I want our graduands and our audience to feel very comfortable about being loud. Shout if you want to. Don’t hesitate to come to the front, take photos if you want to, and above all else, don’t hesitate to embarrass your children. [Laughter and whoops in the audience.] Enjoy yourselves! As you celebrate, we want you to be comfortable. It can get very hot out here on a hot day, I see a lot of you are wearing shade hats. Shade hats are available from the volunteers and if anybody needs it, there are also shade areas that you can be directed to. I do want to tell you that I asked the organizing committee to get all of you hats like mine and the Chancellor’s, but sorry, they wouldn’t go for that. To our visitors, I want to say that I hope you will enjoy Trent’s deep sense of community. I hope too that our graduands will show you some of our beautiful campus in Peterborough. I hope you will walk across the Faryon Bridge and visit some of the places they have lived and studied. If you are adventurous, I invite you to go to the east side of the river and explore our wildlife trails. If you are very adventurous, I invite you to sign out a canoe at the Athletics Centre and you can paddle your way down the Otonabee River. The university lawyers have asked me to tell you that if you choose the second option, please fill out a liability waiver, which is available at the front desk. [Scattered laughter in the audience.] Let me end these remarks by saying to our graduands that you are joining a prestigious Trent family. It includes famous authors, Nobel Prize winners, Rhodes scholars, and Governor General and Academy Award winners. I honestly believe that some of you will join that list of accomplished alumni in the future. Our Trent family includes scientists, artists, religious and political leaders, and perhaps even more importantly, a cadre of teachers, researchers, medical practitioners, mothers, fathers, and good citizens. I believe that Trent has prepared you well for the exciting and challenging adventures that lie ahead. This is your moment, this is your day, enjoy it as an important time to imagine your future and create a life of consequence purpose that is uniquely your own. Audience, a round of applause for our graduates, please. [Applause in the audience and on stage.] [00:16:23] Mister Chancellor, Professor Neil Emery, Vice President Research & Innovation, will now present candidates for the all degrees and recognize students who have achieved remarkable success in their studies. [The view shows Chancellor Don Tapscott move to the center-front of the stage. Graduates begin to move out of their seats to line up outside of the camera’s view.] Graduands, after your name is read, you will walk across the stage, be congratulated by the Chancellor, then myself, and then by the university Registrar, Tracy Al-Idrissi. [00:16:56] [The view changes to show a man in bright blue and red academic gown with blue and gold hood and a square black hat standing at a small lectern at the far-left side of the stage. The banner on the screen reads “Neil Emery. VP Research and Innovation.”] Neil Emery: Mister Chancellor, I am pleased to present for the degree of Bachelor of Arts in the Honours Program, candidates whose names will be read, whom the Senate has duly declared worthy of the honour, that they may receive the degree at your hands. [As names are read, the named graduate walks across the stage from left to right, first shaking hands with Chancellor Don Tapscott at the centre of the stage, then the President & Vice-Chancellor Leo Groarke at the centre-right of the stage, then Registrar Tracy Al-Idrissi at the far right of the stage.] [00:17:22] [Applause can be heard after each name is read.] Jenna Watts Madison Westley Please join me in congratulating the recipients of Bachelor of Arts degrees in the Honours Program. [Cheering and applause in audience and on stage. Chancellor turns towards graduates and removes his hat to bow toward them.] [00:18:01] Mister Chancellor, I am pleased to present for the degree of Bachelor of Science in the Honours Program candidates whose names will be read, whom the Senate has duly declared worthy of the honour, that they may receive the degree at your hands. [00:18:19] [Applause can be heard after each name is read.] Oluwatosin Adegbenro Oluwabusola Adigun Huda Al Yaqoub Hassan Alsaleh Maimoona Altaf Rui An** Linn Aspelund Jordan Beatty Jake Bell Laura Berthelot Mitchell Bordash Nora Marie Bou-Chamoun Stephanie-Lee Bowskill Francini Lillian Brice Robert Briggs Sheyenne Carette Jacqueline Cavalier Victoria Melissa Chondon Eryn Acacia Maureen Churcher Shelby Alyssa Clairmont Hannah Carolynn Cooper Laura Alina Cota-Merlo Tran Cung-Le Mikaela Cybulskie Wuraola Dada-Philips Emma Deyo Alice Rose Durkin Rashaad Elliot Ebrahim Michael Elliston Ubongabasi Emah Katharina Faber Quinton John Ross Fiering Shamone Fine Jeanna Marie Finney Abraham Joseph Fischer Kyle Shawn Fisher Lauren Galek Malika Prasad Ganguli Samuel Geller Caylin Pamela Grace Graham James Douglas Gray Jessica Lee Greavette William Haines Alora Dawn Hammel Joshua Henley Katrina Hollingsworth Ryan Holt Samantha Hoover Jacob Houpt Dakota Howard Molly Hu** Brayden Hull Holly Elizabeth Anne Hunter Viktoriia Hurevych Soha Irfan Sabrina Diana Jackson Demitria Antoinette James Victoria Johnson Shreya Deepak Kasbekar Dayton John Kelly This next student is receiving the Symons Medal. The medal is named in honour of Professor Tom Symons, Founding President of Trent University and is awarded to students who achieve high overall academic standing on graduation at the honours level. Mister Chancellor, I call upon you to present the Symons Medal to Hamza Khattak. Isa Knor David Kruyk William Kuan Alina Lampic Emily Jade Landsborough Anna Olegovna Leonova Fang Rong Li Ryan William Lockett Sylvia Marie Luyben Jenna Lynn MacKenzie Alexander MacPherson Kristy Leigh Mae Leanne Mandzuk Harman Matharu Sabateeshan Mathavarajah Michaela Ann Matschke Sarah Julianna McCalllum Jacob Thomas McCarrel Grace Elisabeth Kiss McKinney Amy Mikhailitchenko Elise Nicole Millar Julia Blair Miller Kenneth Grant Mills Justine Alexander Moody Jennifer-Ann Rozlyn Morris Nia Dawn Morrison Charlene Melissa Mudford Whitney Claire Elise Nerad Alannah Michelle Niemeyer Alexandra Ogilvie Kate Leanna Oliver Azeezat Temiloluwa Oguntola Rebeka Quinn O’Regan Divine Orlu Caitlyn Elisabeth Osborn Jillian Troy Palmer Britany Andrea Park Adam Christopher Parsons Fathiyyah Alansari Brittney Anne Patterson Mallory Ellen Peak Jeff Ervin Perez Meaghan Nicole Plestid Andrea Lynn Quirion Graham Stewart Reid Hope Elizabeth Richardson Marisa Richter Kyra Christina Eloise Ritchie Branden Joseph Rodrigo Kaytlyn Rosin Colleen Ashley Ruth Elizabeth Marie Rylski Amanda Samuels Claire Sanders Tyler James Sandison Audrey Shakespeare Tianna Mary Sheppard Dmitry Shiryaev Olivia Shurtleff Sidakmeet Singh Emily Nicole Slusarek McLean Robert Smith Lindy Spirak Hannah Avalon Renee St Lawrence Kaitlyn Rose Steffler Tina Taskovic Madeline Rose Marie Trottier Malayna Jessica Valenzuela Jesse VanDenberk Morgan Lola Wilson-Smillie Emily Wright Taylor Blake Wynder Taylor MacKenzie Wynia Gillian Ann Ramos Zablan Laura June Withrow, degree granted posthumously and presented to members of her family. [Audience and graduates stand and applaud. Laura Withrow’s sister Jacqueline receives the framed degree. Jacqueline, who also received her degree in this convocation and wears a Bachelor of Science gown and hood raises her fist in dedication to her sister.] Please join me in congratulating the recipients of Bachelor of Science degrees in the Honours Program. [Cheering and applause in audience and on stage. Chancellor turns towards graduates and removes his hat to bow toward them.] [00:44:18] Mister Chancellor, I am pleased to present for the degree of Bachelor of Science in the General Program, candidates whose names will be read, whom the Senate has duly declared worthy of the honour, that they may receive the degree at your hands. [00:49:36] [Applause can be heard after each name is read.] This first student is receiving the Bagnani Medal. The medal was named in honour of Gilbert Bagnani, a founding member of Trent. It is awarded to the student who achieves high academic standing in the General Program. Mister Chancellor, I call upon you to present the Bagnani Medal to Kedija Marie Abdella. I would like to point out that bring the medal to the Chancellor is a long-time faculty member, and her father, Professor Kenzu Abdella. Sabrina Emma Addotey Samantha Samarsh Banton Brianna Lexis Bourke Mark Timothy Boyd Tuna Boylu Carlea Chapman Thomas James Paul Constanzo Devon Scott Ehler Siba Omar Hasna Amna Hasampuri** Noora Kassab Kevin Shi-Ming Li Heather Litster Patrick Tek Chand Nirula Garrett James Nodin Charlene Ortega MacKenzie Joanne Plumb Jordan Semark Evan Stutt** Ummekulsoom Syed Vanessa Olivia Thibaudeau Sarah Eden Thompson Brier Pearson Sibley Tarandeep Kaur Virdi Please join me in congratulating the recipients of Bachelor of Science degrees in the General Program. [Cheering and applause in audience and on stage. Chancellor turns towards graduates and removes his hat to bow toward them.] [00:57:15] Mister Chancellor, I ask you to confer degrees in absentia on candidates whose names are before you and who are unable to be with us today. [Chancellor holds the brim of his hat and nods.] [00:57:26] Mister Chancellor, Professor David Newhouse will now introduce the honour song. [The view shifts to the large lectern. A man in a black gown with a gold and purple trimmed hood and black mortarboard hat stands at the lectern. The banner on the screen reads “David Newhouse. Director, Chenie Wenjack School for Indigenous Studies.”] David Newhouse: Before all words can be spoken, we bring greetings to all of Creation and we give thanks for another day of life. Mister Chancellor, Mister President, honoured guests, graduates. In the custom of the first peoples of this land, we offer the sound of the drum and our voices to honor our mother, the Earth. We send our profound and deepest thanks to all of Creation and we greet the world with humility and embrace the richness, diversity, and wonder that is life. In the Anishinaabe teachings, the sound of the drum represents the original sound of Creation. It is the heartbeat of Creation that echoes still throughout the universe and infuses our beings with life. We sound the drum to connect us with all of Creation, to honour and celebrate life, and to live with humility among all living beings. We offer these words of praise to those who are graduating this day. We offer these words of thanksgiving to those who have made these accomplishments possible. We offer these words of respect to those who have come before us and who brought dignity to our lives. We offer these words to remind of the Seven Grandfather Teachings to live with respect, kindness, honesty, sharing, courage, and strength. We offer these words to accompany you on your travels. May you travel well and may your lives be filled with grace and dignity. Mister Chancellor, Mister President, honoured guests, graduates, I have the pleasure of presenting Unity. And may I ask you to stand in you are able for the Honour Song. The Honour Song is The Light Song. It’s a song sung by the Creator after the creation of the world as he gives thanks to all things that have been created. [Four women move to the front-centre of the stage. They carry traditional Anishinaabe hand-drums decorated with ribbons and played with single-head mallets. They face the audience. The audience, graduates, and Academic Procession stand. Many remove their hats. The banner on the screen reads “Unity. Honour Song.” The Honour Song is Anishinaabe vocals with harmonic melodies over rhythmic drumming. The women sway in time with the music. The song ends with whoops and applause.] David Newhouse: Thank you, Unity. You may be seated. [01:04:43] Mister Chancellor, I would like to invite Miss Karen McQuade Smith of the Trent University Alumni Association to welcome the incoming class. [David Newhouse leaves the large podium.] [01:04:55] A woman in Trent’s dark green gown with a gold and dark green hood approaches the large podium. The banner on the screen reads “Karen McQuade Smith. Alumni Welcome.” Karen McQuade Smith: Mister Chancellor, Mister President, graduates, and honoured guests, good morning. It is an honour to be here sharing this momentous day with you. To my fellow graduates – congratulations! Your years of hard work and dedication have paid off and you have achieved an important milestone. On behalf of the Trent University Alumni Association – welcome! We are delighted to have you officially join our community today. As I speak, an email is being delivered to your inbox, so you can update your contact information and stay in touch. We want to keep you informed – we have awards, benefits, and services we’d love for you to take part in. Trent is not only a part of your past but is a part of your future. Trent is more than simply a collection of buildings. It is a diverse community that is shaped by all its members. As you graduate today your relationship with Trent will change but you will always be a member of the Trent community. As you go out and start on your next adventure be it travel, additional schooling or a career, know that you will always belong at Trent. Congratulations. [Karen McQuade Smith leaves the lectern.] [01:06:12] [Leo Groarke stands at the large lectern.] Leo Groarke: Thank you, Miss Smith. As we come to the end of the ceremony, we want to take a few moments to thank some people. One of the things I’m trying to do at convocation this week is recognize some people I’m calling the ‘unsung heroes’ of convocation. It takes a community to raise a child and it takes an awful lot of volunteers to make a convocation happen. I’m just picking representatives. I couldn’t go through the list, there are so many volunteers. I want to introduce a few people and say something about them and then ask you to thank them. Melanie Buddle. Tina Fridgen. Christine Freeman-Roth. [The view shifts to show three women standing at the right side of the stage in academic gowns. Applause in the audience and cheering on the stage.] They are the academic advisors in our colleges. They come to every convocation because at every convocation, there are students from our colleges. I think there’s one last thank you that we need to extend and I want the graduates to help me with this. You’re all here because of a support network that you have behind you. They don’t write the exams and stay up late at night studying with you, or maybe they do sometimes, but what they do is provide emotional support and occasionally I suspect financial support. And I must say I’m very impressed by some of the family support shown during the convocation ceremony today. So, I’m going to ask the graduates to stand up and a real rousing round of support for your support network out there. [Graduates stand at the stage and face the audience, cheering and clapping.] Feel the love. Thank you. The procession will leave the stage following the singing of ‘O Canada.’ At that time, I would ask you to remain standing if you are able until the procession has departed. I did want to note that we have a special treat for the singing of ‘O Canada.’ For this convocation, one of our graduating students, Amanda Samuels, is going to sing the national anthem. [Cheers and applause in the audience and on stage.] She’s getting warmed up back there. Mister Chancellor, I now call upon you for some closing remarks and to dismiss convocation. [Leo Groarke leaves the large podium.] [01:09:23] [Don Tapscott stands at the large podium.] Don Tapscott: Well thank you very much everyone all for being here today and I hope that you look back with fondness on today, not just as the end of a stage in your life, but as the beginning of an exciting new chapter. Now closing remarks are designed to inspire the graduating class and give some helpful ideas for the future, so it’s kind of warm - let me dispense with that quickly. Graduates, today is the first day of the rest of your life. Good things come to those who wait, and what doesn’t kill you can only make you stronger. Turn lemons into lemonade. Buy a good suit, and more important a good shirt and good shoes – hello, it’s all about the accessories! Brush your teeth and floss – I can’t overestimate the importance of flossing. And increase the proportion of vegetables in your diet. And finally, I want you to write this one down, do not forget this, please never show up at a job interview with your parents. Okay, that about sums it up. Are there any questions? Are we done here? [Scattered laughter in the audience.] Seriously, as you leave this spectacular venue, I’m not going to give you career advice because the research shows that you will all be successful and it’s not just because of what you know, but at Trent you learned how to think, how to solve problems, how to do research, how to defend an argument, how to put things into context, how to see the big picture, how to collaborate and hopefully you developed a passion for learning lifelong because you will surely reinvent your knowledge base multiple times as you go throughout the next decades of a knowledge economy. So, by all means, as Spock – trying to be scientific here – would have said ‘Live Long and Prosper.’ Build a prosperous life, for yourself and your families but I’d like to close by suggesting that Canada and the world needs more from you than just building success for yourself. You see, the world that you’re entering is full of opportunities but also some big challenges and your generation is being called upon to fix a number of problems that my generation is leaving you – sorry about that. And to ensure that the smaller world your children inherit is actually a better one – that it’s more prosperous, it’s more just, and it’s sustainable. There are huge changes coming in technology, in our economy, in science, and the body politic. And it’s going to require each of you to step up in some new ways. I mean, as a scientist, you not only will be doing work and research, you’ll be participating in some big battles ahead. Imagine, this is 2018 and we’re having to defend the idea of science. It’s not just in the United States, but in many places including Canada, there are trends that would argue that science is not a good place to start. That maybe evolution is not a valid principle and theory. Who challenge the fundamental science of climate change – irrefutable. There’s been a fragmentation of public discourse where any crazy idea can get a following. Apparently 20% of Americans think vaccinations are a bad idea. We may need some new plagues to overcome that one. So, you will not just be workers, you’re going to be fighters. Fighters for science. Fighters for rationality. And in many ways, for the future of humanity. So, carry this mantle well. I’m not suggesting that each of you go get a placard sign, organize a demonstration, or join an NGO, or become candidate for leader of the world or something like that, but rather each of you will have a role to play in these changes going forward, whether you’re a researcher, an entrepreneur, a consultant, a business executive, an educator, a public-sector manager, politician, social innovator, or parent. And many of you will be entrepreneurs. But my hope is that you will also teach your children well and that you will live a principled life of consequence. So, congratulations to each of you. Good luck. Dream big. Innovate. Be bold. Be consequential. And fight to defend the future. Convocation is now dismissed. [Cheers and applause from all.] [01:14:44] [A graduate in a dark green gown with a gold and dark green academic hood, Amanda Samuels, stands at the large lectern to sing ‘O Canada’ acapella, switching between English and French multiple times. Audience members, graduates, and members of the Academic Procession stand as able. Most remove their hats. Some sing along to the melody. A sign language interpreter signs the words from the right-hand side of the stage. The views shift multiple times to show both audience and stage. It ends with loud applause and cheering] [01:16:17] [The Academic Procession leaves the stage, following the same order and path used to enter the stage. The Academic Procession is followed by the Graduand Procession. The banner on the screen reads “Thanks for watching. Congratulations to All!”]