Convocation is one of the most anticipated occasions in the Grebel community. It’s a time to gather together and celebrate the achievements and successes of graduate and undergraduate students who connected with Grebel during their degree. This year, we’re celebrating the accomplishments of 114 undergraduates and 27 graduates. Due to the pandemic, convocation was postponed from April to October in the hope that we could soon hold in-person events. Grebel decided to move to an online platform for this occasion. A YouTube video containing heartfelt speeches, creative student updates, and congratulatory wishes was shared widely and watched by many in the community along with pre- and post-event Zoom receptions.
One beloved Grebel tradition at convocation is when each graduate shares their plans for the future. This year, graduates submitted short videos that were compiled and added to the convocation video. With plans for school, camping, gap years, and work, the 2020 graduates are moving forward with excitement and optimism for the future.
Though this year’s convocation took place through a screen, it still held excitement and appreciation for the graduates. This year’s speakers also included a dose of the reality and state of today’s world, but not without providing some much needed hope and inspiration.
“For all of us, this is a day to celebrate the hard work that’s gone into your degree,” said President Marcus Shantz, “the hours of studying, pounding out essays and papers, the labs, the capstone projects, the recitals, and the exams.”
“You’re graduating into a world that’s anxious and fearful.” Marcus stated, “The future for all of us feels uncertain and we strain to find our hope and our optimism. One of the main things that gives me hope and optimism for the future is you. You’re interested in applying yourselves to the challenges and problems of this world—to make this world a better place than you found it. It’s been an honour for all of us at Grebel to spend the past few years with you.”
Briar Hunter was chosen as the undergraduate valedictorian. This Bachelor of Science graduate filmed her speech in the woods. “Usually at a convocation, graduates are on the cusp of a new era, foot poised to step into this new season of life. But we’ve been forced to take that step already or, for many of us, to stand uncomfortably with our foot hovering in the air as we watched all of our plans for the future come to a grinding halt. Those who kept moving had to dodge unexpected obstacles like starting a new job remotely. Regardless of whether you felt you were moving forward or not, you were because every day is another step. We’ve all progressed into the next season of life simply by finishing our undergrad degree.”
“In her book Grit, Angela Duckworth describes grit as a quality necessary for high achievement. It is composed of equal parts passion and perseverance.” Briar continued, “Today, if nothing else, we’re celebrating your perseverance.”
Briar mentioned a graduate who shared a report from their first year “describing the upcoming university years as a difficult mountain to climb, but the purpose wasn’t to summit the mountain, but rather to learn how to climb. ‘My plan,’ they said, ‘is not to one day stop climbing, but to get better at it every day.’ Today, we’re celebrating that each of us has learned how to climb. We’ve persevered and we’re still climbing, but we’re getting better at it every day.”
Katelynn Folkerts, a Master of Peace and Conflict Studies graduate, was chosen to speak as the graduate valedictorian for the Master of Theological Studies and Master of Peace and Conflict Studies students. Katelynn started with a poem by Hafiz who wrote about “this great pull in us to connect.”
“I wish I could tell you that in light of the current global situation where peace, conflict resolution, and theology is obviously desperately needed, that your job prospects are guaranteed and that you’re going to make the big bucks. I’m not sure I can say this.”
Katelynn turned to a quote from environmentalist David Orr who said, “The plain fact is this planet doesn’t need more successful people, but it does desperately need more peacemakers, healers, restorers, and lovers of every kind.”
Katelynn added, “Current standards of success can’t yet comprehend the goodness already inside you. You are peacemakers, healers, restorers, storytellers, and lovers of every kind. I hope that in your studies of peace and the divine that you’ve been able to see more clearly your own and others’ capacity for good and be exactly what the world needs in the moment. I believe that our programs have in one way or another made us very good at articulating this need to connect and creating spaces for that to happen.
The keynote speaker this year was Wendy Fletcher, President of Renison University College. “2020. What a year for you as this year’s graduates to be facing toward the world,” stated Wendy. “You are faced with challenges of a year unlike any other.” She mentioned COVID-19, systemic racism, the fear, the anxiety, and the uncertainty in the world. “2020, this is your year, this is the time to which you have been called. Seems terrifying.”
“You are graduates of Conrad Grebel,” Wendy continued. “You know about making peace. You know about making music, you know not only about justice but about beauty. What else does the world of this moment need but peace, justice, and beauty. Imprinted in you, rising in you, empowered through education in you is the possibility of this world.”
Wendy ended with this message, “Go to the world. Go and build peace. Go and make music. But most important of all, beloved graduates, go and be you.”
If you missed this celebratory day, you can still watch the whole service on YouTube.
