Cheers to the Class of 2019!

Thousands of Dal graduates will be crossing the stage at Spring Convocation ceremonies this year, beginning May 10 in Truro and continuing from May 27 to June 1 in Halifax. Get to know just some of them in our Dal News profiles, shared from across the university.

(Stories are uploaded as Convocation ceremonies take place.)

Opening up a whole new world

Geneive (Charisma) Walker came to Canada from Jamaica six years ago hoping to find a new career beyond nursing. A combined honours in Social Anthropology and Psychology, plus time working as a health coach, has confirmed her gut feeling that she'll continue in a career focused on helping people through counselling or supporting marginalized groups.

Making his move

Gerald Petrash was in his late forties and living with his family in Japan when he found himself questioning the direction of his life-long career path and taking a deeper interest in science and engineering. Now, he's graduating with an Engineering degree and three co-op work terms under his belt.

Finding the “Magic” in Computer Science

A game of cards in his first year led student Elliott Darbyshire to a different degree program and a world of opportunities in computer science. Two GPA awards and an exchange to South Korea later, he’s confident it was a wise choice.

Outside the comfort zone

New grad Tiger Li made the most of his time in the Bachelor of Commerce program, participating in several co-op work terms that prepared him well for the transition from student life to the workforce.

Pressing reset on a 17‑year career

Stacy Hanninen gave up her successful 17-year career as a dietician to pursue a medical degree at Dalhousie, taking on a delicate balancing act between the responsibilities of student and family life.

Making waves, spreading love

Neuroscience grad Mark Saldanha's studies and community involvement allowed him to marry business and science and approach poverty relief from an innovative perspective, leading to many accolades along the way.

Sailing into the future

Jacob Chaplin-Saunders put his engineering studies on hold to compete with his brother in the 2016 Rio Summer Olympics, an experience he says left him better prepared to excel when he returned to Dal to complete his degree.

Fulfilling her dreams

Alison Bartlett is graduating from the School of Communication Sciences and Disorders this week, set to take on an opportunity that will empower her in her quest to provide audiological services to more rural communities.

The life of a military dentist

Each year, the Canadian Armed Forces recruits a handful of students from across Canada into the Royal Canadian Dental Corps. Ryan Tilley, Emily Burke and Dan Shirvani all applied for their own pragmatic reasons, learning along the way how proud they are to serve their country.

Driving the wheels of change

Originally from Cape Breton, Brent Young comes from an Ojibway background and was the first person from his family to attend university. Inspired by his own family doctor, he has seen first-hand the impact and unique insights a family physician can provide a community.

Finding meaning in the music

William (Liam) Clarke completed a double major in International Development Studies and Music at Dal, focussing on the representation of global poverty and development through music in NGO videos — a great example of the potential for interdisciplinarity in the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences.

Seeing risk as opportunity

Lindsay MacCormick began her Science degree at Dal with an eye on neuroscience, but soon found herself drawn to the world of mathematics and statistics — particularly, to newly launched courses in actuarial science that have given her an edge in the rapidly growing field.

From Dal campus to a rewarding career

Katie Russell is graduating with a Bachelor of Health Science focused on Respiratory Therapy, a program that has given her plenty of volunteer and clinical experience and set her up for success.

Start‑up makes waves in the ocean sector

Matt Zimola and Hossein Salimian studied in two separate grad programs in Dal's Faculty of Computer Science. What brought them together was a passion for entrepreneurship that led to the development of an exciting new aquaculture start-up.

Preparing for a life in dentistry

Receiving her Doctor of Dentistry degree will be just another step on what is becoming a much longer journey for Katherine Curry, who is set to become the first student to embark on a new internship in Oral Maxillofacial Surgery at the Victoria General Hospital in Halifax.

Bridging law and community building

For Samantha Addario, law school was as much about what happened outside the classroom as in it. She made an impact on the Weldon community — and beyond — through her activism and work with a number of student societies.

Dream big, take risks and don't settle

For Sagar Sahota, every minute of his time in the Bachelor of Management program was an opportunity: for friendship, for networking, for learning and building an exciting career.

Finding family in the library

Adjusting to a new place was a bit of a challenge for Industrial Engineering student Sarah Abdoon when she transferred to Dalhousie University in 2016, but she soon found connections through her employment with the Dalhousie Libraries.

Building community through architecture

Global travel and ample studio time have been great complements to classroom learning for Jeff Walker, who graduates this week from the Faculty of Architecture and Planning with a Bachelor of Environmental Design degree with Sexton Distinction.

Meant to be

As the first Indigenous student to graduate from Dal’s Faculty of Agriculture with a diploma in civil engineering, Kalolin Sullivan is certain she’s on the right path for her.

The experience of a lifetime

Coming to Dal from China through a joint program with the Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Qianhan Le was able to experience different cultures, meet different people and redefine herself.

A family tradition

When Jack Lynds steps on-stage this week as class valedictorian for the Faculty of Agriculture’s convocation ceremony, he’ll be following in the footsteps of his mother, an Ag Campus employee, who held the same post nearly 30 years ago.