Success comes to those that work hard. Be a leader. Bring positive change to your industry and your community. These are just some of the lessons that were imparted to the over 4,300 undergraduate and graduate students, who earned their Carleton degrees this June, as they left campus to leave their imprint on the world.
Joining this year’s graduating cohorts were 15 honorary degree recipients.
“In hockey, as in life, it’s not the smartest, the toughest or the fastest that’s going to win. It’s the hardest working, the most disciplined, the most focused and the one that never, ever stops believing in themselves,” said former Ottawa Senator Daniel Alfredsson who was recognized by Carleton for his outstanding contributions to Canadian hockey and, in particular, his commitment to the community through philanthropic efforts that include mental health awareness and advocacy for equality of athletes, regardless of their sexual orientation.
Carleton’s founding principle and unifying ethos of “Here for Good” was ever present in the words that were passed on to graduates as they had their moment to walk the stage.
“Don’t wait for the end of your career to give back,” said honorary degree recipient Tom Jenkins, chairman of OpenText Corporation. “You’re going to be busy, but you can give anything: your time, your money, your network. Don’t wait because it’s the most fulfilling and satisfying thing you can do.”
Former CBC journalist Jodi White echoed that sentiment in her own convocation speech, “Values like honour, duty, respect, honesty, integrity, service, constancy, and kindness – they should be the foundation of everything you do.”
In receiving an honorary doctorate, Alfredsson, Jenkins and White were joined by His Excellency the Right Honourable David Johnston, Governor General of Canada, and his wife Sharon, Gail Asper, president and trustee of The Asper Foundation, Margaret Bloodworth, national security adviser to former prime minister Stephen Harper, Peter Coughlin, co-founder of Redbourne Properties Inc., John Ruddy, founder of the Trinity Development Group and managing partner of the Ottawa Sports and Entertainment Group, Bonnie Patterson, former president and CEO of the Council of Ontario Universities, John Daniel O’Leary, former president of Frontier College, Barbara McInnes, long-time president and CEO of the Community Foundation of Ottawa, author Jane Urquhart, visual artist Tony Urquhart and internationally acclaimed designer Karim Rashid.
Here are some photos from a spectacular few days honouring our exceptional students:
