Feature

BRAC University 2nd Convocation

For the two hundred or so students present in the hall room, it was at once the happiest and saddest moment of their small lives. Happiest, because in less than an hour, they would be officially declared graduates with all rights, responsibilities and privileges that come with that degree. Saddest, for it would come at the cost of bidding goodbye to the university they had known to be home for the last four years. It was the second convocation of BRAC University, where 199 students received their degree and moved on to their professional lives. President of the People's Republic of Bangladesh and Chancellor of BRAC University Professor Iajuddin Ahmed presided over the occasion. Dr. Gowhar Rizvi, Director, Ash Institute, Kennedy School of Governance, Harvard University, was the convocation speaker. The Vice Chancellor, Pro Vice Chancellor and Deans and Chairpersons of schools and departments were also present on the occasion. Governing Board President and BRAC founder Mr. Fazle Hasan Abed graced the occasion with his presence.

Dr. Gowhar Rizvi in his speech reminded the graduates of their good fortune in being able to pursue higher education, and how it is now incumbent on them to give something back to society. He specially thanked the parents for the sacrifices they must have made to ensure education for their children and wards, and said that society shall be grateful to them for this gift of another bright, educated generation of citizens. Mr. F H Abed thanked the faculty of BRAC University for their hard work, and hoped that the graduates have experienced a life-changing four years in this University. The Vice Chancellor Professor Jamilur Reza Chowdhury reminded the students of how they need to contribute to society and strive to bee a point of pride for their Alma Mater BRAC University. He thanked the parents and guardians for enrolling their children and wards in BRAC University when it was still at incipient stage, and hoped that their expectations have been met.

The first session concluded with the speech by the two valedictorians Fahim Muhammad Hasan and Raisa Iffat Afsana, and the presenting of the Chancellor's gold medals. Following this was the moment all 199 hearts had been waiting for the conferment of degrees by President Dr. Iajuddin Ahmad. By permission of the Chancellor, the Vice Chancellor then presided over the second session, where the highest CGPA holders from each department were presented with the Vice Chancellor's gold medal, and individual students were handed over their degree certificates. For the parents, it was an emotionally pact experience as they saw their child walk up to the stage, amidst applause by peers and a sense of pride and adoration from their teachers, to receive their degrees from their Honorable Vice Chancellor.

As one student remarked, the feeling of that single minute was more than enough to compensate for four years of hard work. The most common sight following the handing over of degrees was probably the fresh graduate embracing his/her parents, as the teachers looked on with pride, maybe recalling fondly the first time they had met these students. The second session concluded amidst great festivity, as batch-mates were seen all around the hall, hugging each other, promising to forever maintain the bonds of friendship they had tied here. One could feel the pride of the teachers upon seeing the girls and boys they had coached into ladies and gentlemen. Students were seen roaming the wide expanses of the Bangladesh China Friendship Conference Center hours after the ceremony had ended, taking snaps, as if trying to hold on to a last vestige of their life in university.

- Star Campus desk