[00:00:00] 
[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. 
Bagpipes can be clearly heard. 
A bagpiper in green and black kilt, jacket, and hat can be seen approaching from the left-hand of the screen. He leads the Graduand Procession down the stairs. The audience stands. The banner on the screen reads “Maury McCrillis. Piper.”
Graduates receiving their Bachelor of Arts degrees wear dark green gowns with waist-length sleeves and white and dark green hoods. 
The view shifts several times to show the audience and Graduand Procession.]
[00:01:03]
[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.]
[00:01:29] 
[The piper is shown standing and playing while graduates continue to take their seats. The banner on the screen reads “Maury McCrillis. Piper.”
The view shifts between the audience and Graduand Procession.]
[00:04:56] 
[The piper finishes 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.]
[00:06:24] 
[The Academic Procession is shown taking their seats. They sit at the right-hand side of the stage.]
[00:07:57] 
[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. This is Chancellor Don Tapscott.]
Don Tapscott:
Good afternoon everyone. Please be seated.
[00:08:07] 
[The view changes to focus on the large lectern at the centre-right of the stage. A sign language interpreter stands to the right of the lectern. The banner on the screen reads “Don Tapscott. Chancellor.”] 
I’m Don Tapscott and I’m the Chancellor of Trent University and a graduate of this great institution. This is a special day for everyone here, especially the students, and I’m delighted to share it all with you. Heartfelt congratulations to each of you on achieving this important milestone. I now declare convocation open.
[Applause and cheers in the audience. 
Don Tapscott sits.]
[00:08:37] 
[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 afternoon. My name is Leo Groarke. I have the privilege of being the eighth President of Trent University. 
In keeping with Trent tradition, I want to begin by respectfully acknowledging that we are on the traditional territory of the Mississauga Anishinaabe. We offer our gratitude to our First Peoples for their care for and teachings about our land and our relations. May we always honour those teachings. 
I’m very pleased to welcome our graduates, their parents and families, spouses, partners, and friends to today’s ceremony. I know that some of you come from close by, some of you from across Canada and some of you from around the world. 
I would like to take a moment to recognize a couple of special guests. Peter Raymond, Councillor for Trent Lakes and Andy Dufresne of the President of the Metis Nation of Ontario Peterborough and District Wapiti Metis Council. 
We might as well get warmed up here, so how about a round of applause for our special guests.
[Applause in audience and on stage.]
I’d like to preface the awarding of degrees by saying something about the convocation ceremony today. I’ve been thinking about it, and I like us to have a convocation ceremony that is like Trent as a university. This reminds me of a recent report that was done on Trent University which described Trent and this is a quote, as a “prestigious and elite small university but one that is approachable and friendly.” And I like this very much because I think this really is our personality. 
And in keeping with that, I want to mention two components of this ceremony. One that it’s a bit of a formal ceremony. It’s the formal moment when our students graduate from the university, it recognizes the successful completion of their degrees. But we want it to be approachable and friendly. So, I want to say that convocation is intended to be a celebration. It’s a party. It’s a party we’re hosting to celebrate the successes of our students. If you are a parent, you may want to treat it as a party to celebrate the fact that they finally have their degree.
With that in mind, I want to open this convocation by giving you all permission to applaud, to shout, to say embarrassing things about your children, to embarrass your spouse. Enjoy yourself. This is a moment to be happy.
[Hooting from the audience.
Leo Groarke laughs.]
As you do celebrate, we want you to be comfortable. And I have a note here that I’m to tell you that we have shade hats available. That’s the good news. The bad news is that we don’t have umbrellas but I would say that the clouds have been playing hide-and-seek for the last two days and so far, they have treated us very well.
I would also say that I tried to get the organizing committee to provide you all with a hat that looks like mine and the Chancellor’s, but they wouldn’t go for it.
To our visitors, I will say that I hope you will enjoy Trent’s deep sense of community. I also hope our graduands will take some time to show you some of our beautiful, really spectacular campus here in Peterborough. I hope you’ll walk across the Faryon Bridge and visit some of the places they have lived and studied. They might not want to show you all the places they’ve been and to tell you about all the things they have done there. 
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 from the Athletics Centre and you can paddle down the river, though as President, I’ve been instructed to tell you that if you decide on that option, please sign a liability waiver.  
[Scattered laughter in the audience.]
As a university, we like to brag that we have more canoes per student than any university in the world. 
Let me end my opening remarks by saying to our graduands that you are joining a prestigious Trent family. It includes Nobel Prize winners, famous authors, Rhodes scholars, Governor General and Academy Award winners. This family also 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 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 consequence and a purpose that is uniquely your own.
Please, a round of applause for our graduands please.
[Applause in the audience and on stage.] 
 [00:14:41]
It’s now my great pleasure to introduce an individual whose remarkable contributions will be recognized with an Honorary Doctor of Laws degree. 
A highly respected Canadian architect of innovative private and public-sector buildings ranging from museums and civic buildings to downtown condos, Stephen Teeple is the principle of Teeple Architects, a Toronto-based company founded in 1989. On display around the world and across Canada, his artistic works are conscious of environmental and cultural sustainability while paying close attention to the special experience. 
Closer to home, you can find Mister Teeple’s award-winning designs on this very campus. They are some of the most striking components of the campus. Mister Teeple is the master architect who designed the award-winning Trent University Child Care Centre in 1994, the Physics Building in 1999, the Chemical Sciences Building in 2008, and most recently our wonderful new Student Centre just last year. 
Outside of his work with the company, Mister Teeple is a prominent member of the Canadian arts and design community who is committed to active and ongoing engagement in all aspects of discourse regarding design and creativity in the public realm. He is an architectural critic, author, Fellow of the Royal Architectural Institute of Canada, and a member of the Royal Canadian Academy of Arts. His contributions to Canadian architecture have earned him great recognition, including six Governor General’s Medals in Architecture, the highest honour for a Canadian architect. He has also received the Ontario Association of Architect’s Award, sustainable architecture and design awards, and the Diamond Jubilee Medal in 2013 for outstanding contribution to Canadian culture and service to the Royal Canadian Academy of Arts. 
Mister Chancellor, I call upon you to present Mister Teeple with his Doctor of Laws degree.
[Applause in the audience.
The Registrar, a woman in dark green and white academic robes and a round green beefeater-style hat, carries a large framed certificate to the centre of the stage. A man in a navy and silver gown steps to the centre of the stage along with the Chancellor. This is Mister Stephen Teeple.
The Registrar hands the framed certificate to the Chancellor. She then places an academic hood of navy and silver over Stephen Teeple’s head to lay over his shoulders.
The Chancellor shakes Doctor Teeple’s hand and the two pose with the framed certificate at the centre of the stage. There are is applause from the audience.]
Congratulations Doctor Teeple. It’s now my honour to invite you to address convocation.
[Leo Groarke sits.]
[00:17:46]
[Doctor Stephen Teeple stands at the large lectern. The banner on the screen reads “Stephen Teeple. Honorary Degree.”]
Stephen Teeple:
Mister Chancellor, Mister President, members of the graduating class, faculty, family and friends.
Firstly, I would sincerely like to thank Trent University and just to emphasize how much this truly means to me.
Different people are fulfilled in different ways and this honour is particularly important to me because of the long connection I’ve had with Trent University. It really got us started as a young architectural firm working on the Child Care Centre. It was a key moment in our early architectural life and I remember it as thought it was yesterday. I still remember the interview in great detail. And it was a long time ago.
It was our very first Governor General’s Award-winning project and it stands out in my mind as an important life experience. I was also reflecting, sitting here, how having some rather long meetings on the Student Centre, our group of students sat under those cedars with my dog Shaymin and entertained them for a couple of hours while we were in meetings and he loved this place and loved to come and visit.
Your education here at Trent has given you not only an appreciation for knowledge, for the beauty of thought, but important tools as you become absorbed in the next period of your life and work stuff, life stuff, the tools of critical thought – especially here at Trent – the understanding of worldviews, evolving worldviews, changing ideas through history, give you to the potential to glimpse beneath the surface of what you hear and see in the world and to analyze and understand, and I think also not to take people for granted. Not to judge quickly for people have different life experiences. 
All people see the world a little bit differently. And some of these views may not seem very reasonable or comprehensible but my advice is to use your tools to question assumptions. Don’t assume what everyone’s saying isn’t equally meaningful to what you’re saying. Take what you observe around you as meaningful hints, clues, it’s not whether they are correct or incorrect but it’s the insights behind them that is what they offer. Rather than dissociate from every day, you know ‘that’s all kind of banal,’ embrace the every day. Embrace these ideas that at first you might not find interesting. See them as inspiration. See them as an inspiration that can be reprocessed into understanding and potentially into new outcomes and new ideas. The starting points from which the imagination reinvents our reality.
A good example is actually in architecture. It’s very key that architecture remains very connected to every day reality. To very basic stuff – to purpose, to site, to place. And when it’s not connected to it, it becomes meaningless and well, not only useless but not meaningful to people. But it is also equally important that design is not a simple reflection. It’s not just ‘oh it has to be like that because that’s what we need.’ It is a reprocessing of this into an imaginative construct. So, it is inspired by the everyday – by the existence of a river – but it is a transformation into a new idea. And that’s your job. Not to overlook the everyday but to appreciate it in an imaginative way and as you navigate the world in the next phase of your life, appreciate everyday experience through a filter of critical thought and one that can inspire poetic and beautiful responses.
Thank you very much.
[Cheers and applause from the audience and stage.
Doctor Teeple sits.]
 [00:22:09]
[Leo Groarke stands at large lectern.] 
Thank you Doctor Teeple for those inspiring words.
Mister Chancellor, Professor Moira Howes, Dean of Arts and Science - Humanities, will now present the candidates for 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, your name will be read, you will come across the podium and be congratulated by the Chancellor, then by myself, then by the Registrar, Tracy Al-Idrissi.
[00:22:47]
Moira Howes:
Mister Chancellor, I am pleased to present for the degree of Bachelor of Arts in the Honours Program, for the Trent/Loyalist Journalism 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.
[The view changes to show a woman in purple and blue academic robes with a blue tam. This is Moira Howes.
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.]
[00:23:06] 
[Applause can be heard after each name is read.]
Dariya Baiguzhiyeva
Joseph Irwin Santiago Carin
Lindsey Marisa Cooke
Leah Nicole Den Hartogh
Cali Doran
Jenna Leslie
Vanessa Lynn Stark
Daniel Jeffrey Taylor
Madeleine Esme Villa
Please join me in congratulating the recipients of Bachelor of Arts degrees in the Honours Program, Trent/Loyalist Journalism Program.
[Cheering and applause in audience and on stage. Chancellor turns towards graduates and removes his hat to bow toward them.]
[00:24:51]
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.
[Applause can be heard after each name is read.]
Maxwell Soloman Abram
Micah Adrian
Berfin Aksoy
Emily Elizabeth Allen
Leina Amutsuji
The 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 Cole Christopher Armitage. 
Morgan Rose Barcroft
Josiphine Mae Barsky
Mary Bartram-Hollingworth
Samuel James Colin Baxter
Emma Audrey Mae Benn
Spencer Walter Borotsik
Hannah Mary Bradford
Nicole Marie Brewing
Sarah Nancy Brouse
Sara Janice Brown
Nicholas Wayne Brown
Laura Buchanan
Amy Jennifer Buck
Mary Elizabeth Carswell-Gates
Marie Frances Carter
Michelle Chen
Ian Alexander Colquhoun
Hannah Susanne Copeland
Matthew Forbes Cote
Emma Katherine Cullen
Spencer Cunningham
Alyssa Anne Cymbalista
Martin Deeley
Carlos De la Guardia Garcia
Marybeth Darlene Desjardine
MacKenzie Douglas
Tumelo Jurugo Drametu
Victoria Noelle Dumo
Callista Joanne Durose-Moya
Alexander William Ecclestone
Lisa Mary Elmourne
Carly Rose Evans
Brianna Fenech
Kaitlyn Laura Anne Ferreri
Taylor Colleen Foley
Lindsay Francis-Reid
Riley Furlong
Sarah Quinn Fonte
Laura Geerlings
Aris Georgiou
Renee Morgan Goodridge
Nathaniel John-Stuart Hackett
Erin Margaret Hollands
Lesley Jarrett
Victoria Theresia Grace Kargl
Paige Ileana Keeler-Cox
Johannes Kromhout
Sara Beth Lafleur
Hannah Catherine Bennett Laginski
Nathan Edward Levine
Kristyn Mikayla Longhurst
Reagan Quinn Coates MacDonald
Amanda Teresa Maciocia
Kathryn Janine Marsh
Alexandra McCormick
Taylor Allen William McDonald
Abbie McLean
Kristal Morgan McLean
Caitlin Meehan-Thang
Erin Nicole Marie Messier
Jordan Ronald Michael Michaud
Farhiya Mohamed
Richard Moore
Madison Ann More
Alexandra Evelyn Murphy
Terumi Nakayama
Ryan Newman
Bianca Nucaro-Viteri
Adam O’Connell
Jessie Paul
Brittany Pedersen
Maryjane Natasha Proulx
Margaret Willow Marie Pugh
Adam Rafton
Kirsten Jillian Ramsom**
Sarah Nicole Ratchford
Hayley Raymond**
Hannah Sutherland Reinhardt
Asa Malachi Patterson Reynolds**
Adriana Risa
Benjamin Ethan Pye Robins
Ashley Autumn Rose
Ginevra Sadlier
Jessica Lynn Sitko
Valentina Scartapenna
Adeeb Sheikh
Alana Eveline Simons
Joseph Lawrence Spencer**
Corrina Taccone
Kate McQueen Taylor
Jenna Diane Trizzino
Alicia Lorrie-Anne Visconti
Belicia Catherine Davila
Jonathan Andrew Wallace
Megan Sandra Watson
Brittany Wells-Pantaleo
Jessica Louise Whiston
Joshuah Leonard White
Gillian Esther Rose Whitfield
Emily Mary Theresa Wieler
Holly Catherine Williams
Morgan Victoria Williams**
Lillian Mikayla Waters Wood
Chloe Victoria Woods
Alexander David Irving Wray
Lindsay Yates
Karissa Young
Amino Yusuf
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].
[00:45:57]
Mister Chancellor, I am pleased to present for the degree of Bachelor of Arts 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.
[Applause can be heard after each name is read.]
Charlotte Adele Bedlington
Kristian Lynn Croft
Renny Vivian DeGroot-MacKinnon
Julia Diotallevi
Mary Kate Edwards
Scott Gardner
Stephanie Glinos
Lindsay Haren**
Daniel Patrick Haynes
Dustin Herberman
Chantel Ember Lichty
Robert-James Maguire
Kathryn Anne Malcolm
Claudia Matchisello
Hillary Morse
Sabine Elizabeth Munro
Adam Natalizio
Everechi Nsitem
Natron Persaud
Brett Allan Gerald Peters
Marlene Audrey Petrie
Wesley John Ryan
Olga Mercedes Samayoa
Cassidy Logan Scheepers
Kelsey Rose Stuart
Masebie Fatemah Turay
Wyatt Vigeant-Sherman
Sharniya Vigneswaralingam
Jessica Weitz
Alison Elizabeth Whitman
Colin Francis Wigle
Please join me in congratulating the recipients of Bachelor of Arts 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.]
[00:52:26]
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.]
[00:52:25]
Provost and Vice President Academic Jackie Muldoon will now recognize faculty receiving special awards.
[The view shifts to the large lectern. A woman in deep red and white academic gowns with a deep red mortarboard hat moves to stand at the large lectern. The banner on the screen reads “Jackie Muldoon. Provost and VP Academic.”]
[The Chancellor moves to centre-stage. He is joined by a woman in a black academic gown with red hood with white trim. This is Deborah Kennett.]
[00:52:57]
Jackie Muldoon:
Established in 1976, the Symons Award for Excellence in Teaching is named for Professor T.H.B. Symons, the founding President of Trent University. Each year this award is conferred upon a member of the Trent faculty who demonstrates both outstanding teaching, and, in the words of Professor Symons himself, “exemplary concern for students.” 
[A woman in black academic robes with a red academic hood with white trim moves to the centre of the stage. Graduates on stage break into cheers. This is Kelly Egan.]
The 2018 recipient is Dr. Kelly Egan, assistant professor in Cultural Studies. Dr. Egan is recognized as an extraordinary teacher who is extremely knowledgeable in her field. She has a strong commitment to learning that ensures her students have the support and encouragement they need to thrive. She creates classroom environments that are motivating and inclusive, and carefully crafts each class to promote critical thinking and in-depth understanding of key concepts. She does this while also adjusting her teaching techniques to fit diverse learning styles. Her students appreciate how she is able to balance clear descriptions with complex theoretical approaches, and how she encourages and challenges students to step beyond their conceived limits. Prof. Egan praised the Cultural Studies department for sharing a devotion to fostering a deep-rooted intellectual world for students and bringing abstract theories to life. 
Mr. Chancellor, I am pleased to present for the Symons Award for Excellence in Teaching, Dr. Kelly Egan.
[The Registrar moves to the centre of the stage carrying a large framed certificate. The Registrar hands the certificate to the Chancellor. She then takes a small dark green sash with white edging and places it on the shoulder of Kelly Egan. This is the Symons Teaching Award laripipe. She steps away and the Chancellor and Doctor Egan shake hands at centre stage. They pose for a photo. The banner on screen reads “Kelly Egan. Symons Teaching Award.”]
Congratulations Kelly.
I would like to ask all past winners of the Symons Teaching Award who are the podium to stand and be acknowledge.
[Applause from the audience and cheering from the graduates.]
At this point, I would ask that all past winners of the Distinguished Research Award to stand and be acknowledged.
[The view shifts to the seating at the right of the stage and shows the past winners standing and wearing the same dark green and white laripipe.]
[00:55:09]
Mister Chancellor, Professor David Newhouse will now introduce the Honour Song.
[Jackie Muldoon leaves the large lectern.]
[00:55:20]
[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 of life.
In the Anishinaabe teachings, the sound of the drum represents the original sound of Creation. This heartbeat of Creation echoes still and infuses our being with our 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 honour the works of Stephen Teeple. 
And we offer this song 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 ladies and gentlemen, may I ask you to stand for the Honour Song if you are able. And the Honour Song this afternoon is the Wolf Song.
[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.
Mister Chancellor, I would like to invite Miss Jess Grover, President of the Trent University Alumni Association to welcome the incoming class.
[David Newhouse leaves the large lectern.]
[01:02:08]
[A woman in Trent’s dark green gown with a white and dark green hood approaches the large lectern. The banner on the screen reads “Jess Grover. President, Alumni Association.”] 
Jess Grover:
Mister Chancellor, Mister President, graduates, honoured guests. Good afternoon! First, I must say to you, our newest alumni, congratulations! And welcome to our family.
Convocation is my favourite time of year – Symons campus is full of joy and beauty. Master architect Ron Thom, the man who first designed Trent’s campus over 50 years ago, had a simple but powerful philosophy -  buildings should reflect and work with the stunning nature surrounding them while each a work of modernist beauty themselves. At once, Bata Library is nestled against the river, respecting its flow and beauty, while also strikingly strong, uncompromising in it’s structure and importance. This is the Trent way, this lesson from Ron Thom – we are tasked to be individual and unique, yet part of a greater group. And I’d like to add that today’s Honorary Degree recipient, Doctor Teeple, has created his own amazing vision of this balance. 
And today, I challenge you to embrace this balance. Each of you have unique experiences, skills, and insights – the world needs you! But you are not alone—you are a part of a community, a field, a family, the natural environment, and now, an alumni association. As you find your way in the world, we want to keep in touch and celebrate you! Take time to update your contact info today – even during this speech if you’ve snuck your phone up here – and take advantage of our benefits, awards, and events. Stay involved in Trent and get involved with Alumni – we are made better by your presence. 
We are so proud of what you’ve accomplished, and I know that each step you took to cross the podium today are representative of so many more over the past year, or three, or four, or more. Thank you for having me here, at your celebration, to be a part of it. 
Today, not only everyone here celebrates you, the entire alumni family celebrates you. On behalf of the Trent University Alumni Association, it is my honour and privilege to say welcome, and congratulations!
[Applause in the audience and on stage.
Jess Grover sits.]
[01:05:04]
[Leo Groarke stands at the large lectern.]
Leo Groarke:
Thank you so much, Jess.  As we near the conclusion of the ceremony, I like to thank some people that play a key role in the convocation ceremony. Of course, there are many who play that role, but I just want to highlight a few of them. I thought today I would highlight three people – I’m going to ask them to stand. 
One is Stephen Kylie, the Chair of the Board of Governors of Trent University. 
[Applause in the audience and on stage.]
Rosalind Jacobsen, the future Vice-Chair. 
[Applause in the audience.]
And lastly, I thought we should thank Moira Howes, the Dean of Humanities. It’s not easy reading all those names out.
[Applause in the audience and on stage.]
Graduands, I think there’s another group we should thank and those are the people who have been your support network while you have been studying at Trent University. It does not diminish your accomplishments that they were there, but there’s a group of people who provided you certainly with emotional support, maybe even sometimes financial support, maybe even a ride when you needed a ride home from somewhere. Those are the people in the audience, and I’m going to ask the graduands to stand up and give a rousing – rousing! – round of applause for your support network.
[Graduates stand at the stage and face the audience, cheering and clapping.]
Feel the love. Thank you.
Congratulations to all our alumni, including Doctor Teeple who is a fellow graduate with you today. Please join us for a reception in the Alumni Atrium in the Student Centre following the ceremony. I would say Doctor Teeple hasn’t agreed to give tours, but if you have any questions about the design or the architecture, I’m sure he’d be happy to answer them. The procession will leave the stage following the singing of ‘O Canada’ and I would ask that you remain standing if you are able until the procession has departed. Mister Chancellor, I call upon you for closing remarks.
[Leo Groarke leaves the large lectern.]
[01:07:55]
[Don Tapscott stands at the large lectern.]
Don Tapscott:
Well thank you all for being here with us today. I hope that you look back on today with fondness, not just as the end of a stage in your life, but as the beginning of an exciting new chapter. Now closing remarks like this are designed to inspire the graduating class and give some helpful ideas for the future, so let me dispense with that quickly.
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 importantly 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. Increase the proportion of vegetables in your diet. And finally, I want you to write this one down, please never show up at a job interview with your parents.
Okay, that about sums it up. Are there any questions? 
[Applause in the audience and cheering on stage.]
Good, I think we’re done here.
Seriously, I’m not going to pass along any career advice to you as you will all have successful careers. Now some of you are probably wondering if that’s true. I mean, here we have a class – Ancient Greek & Roman Studies, Canadian Studies, Cultural Studies, English Literature, Gender & Women’s Studies, History, Journalism, Media Studies, Philosophy.
[Cheers from graduates.]
Humanities – it worked for me!
But I’m sure in the last few years, at least someone has said what kind of careers exist in this area? Couldn’t you maybe take something more practical? I’d like to take that head-on because my view is that there’s no better way to equip yourself for a knowledge economy than to learn how to think.
[Cheers from the graduates.]
And the research shows that you will all actually get good jobs and you will use not just your knowledge but the capabilities you’ve acquired at Trent to solve problems, to put things into context, to research, to collaborate, and most important hopefully your passion for lifelong learning because you will surely reinvent your knowledge base multiple times as you go through life.
So, as you leave these hallowed halls, as Spock would have said ‘Live Long and Prosper.’ Build a prosperous life, for yourself and your families but let me conclude that humanity needs more of you. You see, because the world you’re entering is full of opportunities but there are many many challenges. And your generation is being called upon to ensure that the smaller world your children inherit is a better one, that it’s prosperous, it’s just, it’s sustainable. 
And there are huge changes that are underway in technology, in our economy, in our society, in the body politic. And each of you will need to step up and participate in what will be one of the greatest transformations ever.
Now I’m not suggesting that each of you go work for 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 this transformation, whether you’re an entrepreneur, or a consultant, a journalist, a business executive, an educator, researcher, a public-sector manager, politician, social innovator, or parent. 
And my hope is that you will also teach your children well and that each of you will live a principled life of consequence.  
Of course, this week is auspicious because you have an additional historic opportunity to exercise your precious right to vote. I’ve just come from some parts of the world where young people would die to get that right. Your generation is the largest voting block now in Canada and you will choose governments for most of the rest of this century. So, with great power comes great responsibility. So, changing the world is your opportunity and it starts with a vote. Please everybody, Thursday, vote! Okay? Will you promise?
[Cheers on stage.]
One more thought. When I graduated from Trent, I lost contact with the university and in hindsight, I think that was a mistake. Over the years, I started thinking about Trent and I started wondering if maybe I should try and find a way to be helpful – not out of a sense of obligation or even personal benefit, but just that this is a very important institution that deserves protecting and deserves advancing. And I became involved with the university in a number of ways and it’s re-engaging with Trent that has brought me great satisfaction. So, I hope that you listen to Jess Grover, follow up with the email, and stay in touch. We’re building a community.
So again, congratulations to all of you. Good luck. Dream big. Innovate. Be bold. Be consequential. And change the world. 
Convocation is now dismissed. 
[Cheers and applause from all.]
 [01:14:01]
[O Canada plays. It is an orchestral version without words, played over the sound system. 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.]
[01:15:13]
[O Canada ends. 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!”]