The beaming faces of graduates crossing the stage reflected joy at their accomplishments, but also the diversity of age, gender, and cultural and ethnic background found in the student population at UCFV.

More than 1,300 students graduated from the University College the Fraser Valley this year. Hundreds of them took part in convocation ceremonies held June 11 and 12 in Chilliwack.

UCFV President Skip Bassford urged them all to put their new knowledge and skills to good use by giving back to their community.

"You are all now accomplished learners who have mastered a new body of knowledge and are part of a tradition of learning passed down through the centuries from Plato until now. Looking at the names in the program shows me that you also reflect the fact that Canada and the Fraser Valley are now a multi-ethnic and multi-cultural society. You are also a class made up of many different ages, backgrounds and economic classes.

"Your education will help improve your economic situation, your cultural awareness, and you as a person. But you do have to give something back, to the world, to the community, and to UCFV."

Bassford urged graduates to get involved in the new UCFV alumni association.

UCFV awarded honorary degrees to veteran bandleader Mart Kenney of Mission, horticulturalist Brian Minter of Chilliwack, and to David Diamond, artistic director of Vancouver's Headlines Theatre company.

A highlight of the Arts and Applied Arts convocation ceremony was when Diamond demonstrated the "Theatre for Living" techniques used by Headlines Theatre. Volunteers from the graduating class, the faculty, and the audience came up on stage and improvised a short theatrical piece portraying their feelings and emotions about graduation.

"We've entered a time where true dialogue is getting more difficult," said Diamond in his address to the graduating class. "We get monologues from governments and corporations, but not as much opportunity to talk back. Arts should be the foundation of helping to create dialogue. Cultural work is central to the health of a community. I hope that you've entered and completed your program because you're following a passion. I urge you to use that passion to make art, to break rules, and to make room for dialogue."

Three students also spoke at convocation.

Aviation grad June Nawrocki talked about switching from a large Ontario university to UCFV.

"My former university was a place where you'd go to a lecture with 500 people, and leave without talking to the person beside you. Nothing could be further from the truth at UCFV, where the classes had 30 students. I got my identity back, knew my professors on a first name basis, and made many friends. I urge everyone to stay in touch with those they met."

Arts grad Stephanie Hatten, who completed her degree while working as a teacher's aide and raising her three daughters as a single parent, said she was grateful for the comprehensive nature of UCFV.

"When I first came back I did some upgrading courses to get my cerebral cortex working again. It was great, as an insecure older student, to become familiar with the place before starting university studies. And I've taken so many excellent professional development courses through the Continuing Education department!"

Science grad Michael Hildebrand, who was UCFV's top student for 2001, said he'd learned humility at UCFV.

"I got several lessons in humility: when I struggled to analyze poetry in my English class, when I realized the vast knowledge that my professors have, and when I caused an explosion in my second-year organic chemistry lab because I didn't read the manual carefully. There are still black marks on the ceiling from that one!

"But what will really stick with me, as I forget facts and details, will be the ability to think critically and apply that to life. And the knowledge that a group of scholars can learn more through interaction than through working as individuals. "

All three student speakers, on behalf of all students, thanked their families and friends, as well as UCFV professors and staff, for supporting and guiding them during their studies.