– 1,250 students will be graduating
MADAM Justice Roxane George is scheduled to deliver the feature address at the University of Guyana (UG) 44th  Convocation ceremony to be held at the university’s Turkeyen campus on Saturday from 16:30 hrs. Approximately 1,250 students from seven faculties and schools and the Institute of Distance and Continuing Education will be graduating, according to Ms. Paulette Paul, UG’s Public Relations Officer.
Chancellor, Professor Compton Bourne, will preside over the ceremony.
Of the graduating class, 778 are first degree graduands, 393 are graduating with diplomas and associate degrees, 174 with certificates, 35 with post graduate diplomas and 22 with Master’s degrees.
Ms. Paul said worthy of note is the fact that the Social Sciences graduands have declined by 189 over the previous year.
At the 43rd Convocation last year, the University – for the first time in its history – bestowed the honour of Professor Emeritus on three of its outstanding former Professors: Sister Mary Noel Menezes, Winston Mc Gowan and Doris Rogers.
On this occasion, another such award will be made. Serving Professor Joycelynne Loncke will be bestowed with the honour of Professor Emeritus.
Registrar Vincent Alexander said that, “This award is normally bestowed on an academic who by his or her performance merits acclamation at the professorial level for his or her work in academia. In that regard, Professor Loncke’s Curriculum Vitae speaks for itself.”
Another hallmark of Graduation will be the announcement of major awards to students of the graduating class, including the President Medal for the Best Graduating Student, the Chancellor Medal for the Second Best Graduating Student and the Council of the University of Guyana Prize for the student who has made the greatest contribution in other areas of university activities.
According to the Registrar, “This is all part of the University’s award scheme that sees scores of prizes funded by the University and the private and public sectors, being distributed to the graduating and continuing students for their meritorious academic and extra-curricular performances.”
In addition, Ms. Paul said the University will be reintroducing the Chancellor’s Reception which will be held today for graduands and faculty. She noted that the Students’ Society has also planned a Graduation Ball, scheduled for the Sky Seven Club on the evening of graduation.
Meanwhile, the University Council will meet for its Annual Business meeting tomorrow. This meeting will mark the second such meeting to be presided over by the current Chancellor. High on the agenda is the Vice-Chancellor’s report, the University’s financial report and its audited accounts.
The ninth Convocation of the Tain campus will be held next Saturday (November 27th) where over 172 students from the four divisions: Agriculture and Forestry, Education and Humanities, Natural Sciences and Social Sciences are expected to graduate.
The public is asked to note that in case of inclement weather, an announcement about the change of venue will be made on Saturday at 11:00 h on radio and television.