University of Guelph-Humber students, faculty, staff and alumni came together at the 17th annual Last Lecture to celebrate the achievements of this year’s graduating students. The live virtual event was an opportunity for the class of 2022 to celebrate their successes and reflect on their experiences during their time at UofGH.
The evening of festivities, hosted by Community Social Services ‘21 alum Stefan Thomas, was filled with heartwarming and encouraging messages, including messages from former Vice-Provosts Michael Nightingale and Dr. John Walsh.
Alumni Speaker Dilshan Jayasinghe, who graduated from the Business program in 2019, shared advice with the soon-to-be graduates and welcomed them into the UofGH alumni community.
“Sometimes it takes more than one attempt to reach your goals, and when things get rough, remind yourself of the journey,” Jayasinghe said. While this year’s graduating class had an unusual university experience due to the pandemic, Jayasinghe urged students to remember the moments they had and to take the time to celebrate their success.
Fourth-year Media and Communications Studies student and IGNITE Board of Director member Gabi Rana was this year’s Student Speaker. Rana congratulated her peers for their accomplishments during such a challenging time.
“We are graduating amidst a pandemic which changed our lives significantly—yet we kept working towards finishing our programs and getting our degrees,” Rana said, highlighting the resilience of the graduating class.
Several individuals were also recognized with awards throughout the evening.
The Michael Nightingale Community Enrichment Award was presented to Business student Justin Mihaly for his significant contributions to the UofGH community. Sharing Michael Nightingale’s commitment to enriching the student experience, Mihaly is an active member of several UofGH societies, a Student Senator, a member of the Academic Management and Programs Committee, and the first UofGH student to sit on the University of Guelph Board of Governors. Mihaly also recently spoke on behalf of all U of G and UofGH students at the installation of President Charlotte Yates.
Kinesiology instructor Dr. Laelie Snook was the recipient of the Outstanding Mentorship Award. Dr. Snook was recognized by graduating students for her dedication to teaching as well as guidance throughout students’ academic journey. One student nominee said, “Dr. Snook’s welcoming demeanor and positive attitude make her such a bright light in the Guelph-Humber community.”
As the class of 2022 wrap up their time at UofGH and prepare for Convocation, Last Lecture was a reminder to the graduating class of how much they have accomplished throughout their university experience.
"Last Lecture has become a Guelph-Humber tradition,” said Interim Vice-Provost Dr. George Bragues. “It was wonderful, once again, to celebrate the achievements of our graduating students."