An Ag celebration

Memorable: noteworthy, significant, worthy of remembering….

“Memorable” has to be the best word to describe the Faculty of Agriculture convocation ceremony, held this past Friday, May 3 on the Dalhousie Agricultural Campus in Truro.

Nearly 200 degrees, certificates and diplomas were presented at what was the first Dalhousie ceremony on the Agricultural Campus. It was also the first convocation ceremony this spring. (The remaining ceremonies begin in Halifax starting on May 21.)

More information: Convocation website

Celebrating the past and the future

The day brought with it a mixture of nostalgia, some new and old traditions and an overwhelming sense of pride.  

The Agriculture Class of 2013 is made up of students who spent three of the past four years as part of the former Nova Scotia Agricultural College. Celebrating their heritage, members of the Class of 2013 donned NSAC Freshman beanies as they made their way into the Langille Athletic Centre led by bagpiper George Macintosh. Macintosh is a 22-year alumnus of NSAC who piped in his graduating class back in 1991 and hasn’t stopped since.

“Personally, I felt an overwhelming sense of pride when I, along with most of the Class of 2013, wore the beanies,” said Robyn McCallum, from Tabusintac, N.B., who was elected as class president. “The beanies represented growth in our bodies and minds since first year, to become the people we are today. They also demonstrated our respect for our past and NSAC, yet showed we are willing to move forward as the Faculty of Agriculture.”

“As Life President, I am proud to represent such a caring and compassionate group of students who will always honor their past as they move forward in the future,” she added.

Blending traditions

Graduates paraded under the sun across campus to the Langille Athletic Centre led by the University Beadle, Registrar Asa Kachan, who carried the mace that signals the start and end of the ceremony. Graduates also kneeled on a bench and were capped by Chancellor Fred Fountain when receiving their degrees. Dalhousie student Zhenyi Li proudly accepted his master’s degree in Plant Science along with his three-week-old daughter, Phoebe Yuechen Li.

Convocation 2013 saw the first graduates of the Bachelor of Agriculture in International Food Business cross the stage. These graduates received degrees from both Dalhousie University and CAH Dronten University of Applied Sciences in The Netherlands.

Another ceremony highlight was the presentation of an honorary degree to NSAC alumnus Hans Christian Jost, renowned for the success of Jost and Gaspereau Vineyards.

"Hans Christian Jost’s unparalleled contribution to the wine industry in Nova Scotia makes him a deserving recipient of this prestigious honour,” said Harold Cook, dean of the Faculty of Agriculture and principal of the Agricultural Campus. “His leadership and enthusiasm for the region have created a new agricultural industry where there was none and have inspired one of the fastest-growing industries in the province. His untiring dedication to improving the rural and provincial industry and economy sets an example for other Nova Scotia business owners.”

Sharing experiences

The Class of 2013 also included Dalhousie’s 87th Rhodes Scholar Paul Manning, who delivered a moving valedictory address during the ceremony – a longstanding tradition on the Agricultural Campus.

“Class of 2013… as we go our separate ways today, I hope that you will all continue to act as ambassadors of our Agricultural Faculty. We will always be the small school with big spirit and a bigger heart. We are something incredibly special and unique within the greater Dalhousie mosaic,” he said.
 
“I leave it in your hands to share your experiences of your time spent on campus. Share the stories of the people you met, the lessons you learned and opportunities you explored. Share with others your sense of being home. Encourage others to experience the magic and excitement of one of the most unique and dynamic places to study in Canada. Let’s keep encouraging creative and kind people to walk through these doors. They will leave a little older, a little wiser, confident and educated. Most importantly, they will graduate feeling like we do today: ready to take on whatever should come our way next!”

(Danny Abriel and Nick Pearce photos)