The Graduation Events 2009

For this year's Grad Class Committee, it was the people present that made the Encaenia week activities such a success.

"It's a collective experience," says Committee Treasurer Leanne Flett. "Everyone came to all of the events, and so it was nice to see everyone's face everyday."

This shared experience started at the Alumni Annual Dinner on May 7, 2009, where many graduands dined among generations of King's alumni. The evening began with a bustling gathering in the Lodge, and soon flowed into the beautifully decorated Prince Hall for a delicious buffet and buzzing conversation. The Judge J. Elliott Hudson Distinguished Alumnus/a Award was presented to Michael J. Nichol ('68), a vice president of CIBC Wood Gundy, and Nichol was praised for his invaluable contributions to both his profession and the King's community.

The graduating class then came together in the HMCS King's Wardroom for the last Moosehead Monday of the year on May 11, an event that commemorated a long-standing tradition, says Grad Class Committee President Stephany Tlalka.

"Our experience of nightlife at King's started with Moosehead Monday during Frosh Week," she says. "Over the four years, I've gone to quite a lot, and I know a lot of people who have gone, and loved it. We wanted to do it one last time for everyone."

The next day, typical Nova Scotian grey weather relocated Tuesday's BBQ from the Quad to the Wardroom, but the afternoon activity drew another large crowd. Sponsored by the Alumni Association, the indoor BBQ was attended by alumni, grads and families and kept bellies and ears happy with treats and tunes.

The day before Enaenia, graduates filled up the Cathedral Church of All Saint's for the rehearsal, an event, though overlooked by some, that took top marks for Tlalka.

"So many people were there, and everyone just seemed to be friends with one another," she says, adding that everyone cheered for each other as Registrar Elizabeth Yeo called out the graduands' names. "It was a nice warm feeling."

A reception in the Wardroom and the President's Dinner in Prince Hall followed the rehearsal, and the grad class and their families filled up both spaces with excited smiles and proud grins. Dr. Henry Roper, who received an honorary degree from King's at this year's Encaenia ceremony, addressed the 2009 graduating class during the traditional dinner, offering a look at the College's past and highlighting many of its moments of transformation.

Acknowledging the beloved Dr. Angus Johnston's July retirement, Dr. William Barker brought the Prince Hall crowd to silence, and then a subsequent roar of laughter, when he stripped down—with all the right wiggles—to an Angus Johnston stencil T-shirt beneath his shirt and tie. In addition to the comical show, the President thanked Johnston for his contributions to the College, in particular to the Foundation Year Programme, and presented the professor's wife with a handsome bouquet of flowers.

Beautiful weather served as the backdrop to graduation day, which began with a multi-denominational Baccalaureate Service in the King's College Chapel on Thursday morning. The service featured both the Chapel Choir and an address by Rt. Rev. Michael Hawkins, who later received a Doctor of Divinity honorary degree. The graduates then collected for the annual library steps photo, smiled for the camera, and began the traditional piper-lead procession down University Avenue. At the Encaenia ceremony, honorary degree recipient Dr. Stephanie Nolen addressed the graduates and guests with honesty, stating that we "learn the most from the hardest things."

Bachelor of Arts with First Class Honours recipient Eli Burnstein, who also earned university medals in Contemporary Studies and Philosophy, as well as the King's Medal, brought the ceremony to a close with his Valedictory Address, a speech onto which every member of the audience could latch. From the speaker's inspiring words, to the cheers and whistles from the crowd, Tlalka says the entire experience flooded her with a warm feeling.

"It felt like a celebration," she says. "It didn't feel like we were all stuffed in a warehouse. You felt like you were a part of something that was going on for a long time."

The Lower Deck housed the grad party that evening, and Friday morning completed Encaenia week, when the President opened his Lodge to the graduates and their families for a morning treat of coffee and cinnamon rolls.

Congratulations again to all members of the Graduating Class of 2009, and please keep us in the loop on all your adventures. Send your news to kingsalumni@ukings.ns.ca.