Headlines/July 11, 1997 Convocation, continued “Unfortunately, not everyone is a participant in this learning: society. For increasing numbers of adults with low levels of | education the future holds little promise. The world seems to be: leaving the poorly educated on the sidelines while the already. = , well educated are taking the fast track to even more education. “The poorly educated enter jobs low paying jobs with few educational - requirements. Their family and friends do not-value education, may even be hostile to it. They lack information about . the opportunities and the skills to take advantage of education. ‘They are on a downward spiral.” Witter noted that over 30,000 people, many of them youth, in the UCFV region are on some form of government assistance, and that 40% of B.C. adults have difficulties with the everyday demands of reading, writing, and using numbers. “I hope that UCFV will place a much higher priority on encouraging participation from broader segments of the adult population. We need to do a better job of welcoming the full spectrum of learners. We must do what we can to make sure we » do not leave the at-risk learner on the sidelines.” The keynote speaker for the afternoon ceremony was Chief Steven Point, the elected chiefs’ representative of the Sto:lo Nation. He presented UCFV with a ceremonial drum to be used in all formal university college ceremonies. He also spoke about the need for a broad type of education that prepares students not just for a job, but to survive in an increasingly harsh natural environment. “Traditionally, we trained our people to survive in the harsh wildermess. I wonder if your education has prepared you for the harsh wildemess we are all going to face. Your survival is my survival. We are all in this together.” The student speaker at the morning ceremony was Nursing diploma graduate Bonnie Ann Penner. She drew an analogy between the hardships faced and help received by her husband’s great-grandparents when they homesteaded on the prairies in 1904, and the struggles students overcome to succeed. “When we began our studies we discovered just how daunting our task seemed to be, just like the acres upon acres of stones the: prairie settlers faced... We couldn’t have achieved our goals” ‘without hitching our oxen to those of our fellow students... Like - the early settlers, we also depended on our families for our survival. : ; “AS Great-Grandma Penner said, the-work to be done can only be known by. those who have experienced it.” In the afternoon ceremony, Bachelor of Arts graduate Taryn ’ Thomson urged audience members to recognize the value of a liberal arts education. “Of course there’s a place for high-tech programs at colleges and universities. What concerns me is when these programs are favoured over the traditional humanities programs. I’m concerned that what I’ve leamed in my educational journey is - valued less than that of a student in a high-tech program. I would ask you, which part of my journey would you eliminate? Remember, not all that appears solid is so, and not all that appears nebulous is as hazy as it seems.” Thomson was one of two major UCFV medal seinner at the ceremony. She won the Governor General’s medal, while Graphic Arts graduate Neel Trasy won the Lieutenant Governor’s medal. = ‘Two de gree graduates were also honoured by Simon Fraser University, UCFV’s partner for the Bachelor of Arts and , Bachelor of Science degrees. Kiran Pander won the Dean’s Medal for Arts graduates, and Jane Buker won the Dean’s Medal for Science graduates. Some programs also proudly acknowledged their first graduates earning UCFV degrees at the ceremony. UCFV is gradually beginning to grant its own degrees after launching them in partnership with Simon Fraser University, the Open University, and the University of Victoria. This year, UCFV recognized its first Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor of Arts in Adult Education, and Bachelor of Computer Information Systems graduates. Another proud dad: Chemistry instructor Peter Slade’s son Mike graduated . Science graduates wait for the convocation procession to begin.