About 1200 new undergraduate students, all dressed in academic gowns, attended a Commencement ceremony at the University of New England on Monday that marked their entry into the University community.
It was the first ceremony of its kind at UNE. In illustrating aspects of the centuries-old tradition that links UNE with universities ancient and modern, it helped the newcomers to appreciate the significance of their move to UNE and Armidale as on-campus students.
The Chancellor, the Hon. Richard Torbay, welcomed the new students and, speaking afterwards, said it had been “a wonderful ceremony”.
The Vice-Chancellor, Professor Jim Barber, acknowledged the “heart full of hope” with which each of the students was embarking on their degree program, and said: “Our job is to help you realise your dreams.”
“We take an interest in you and your dreams, and we work with you to help them become a reality,” he said.
The ceremony began with a traditional Academic Procession, and the Deputy Chair of UNE’s Academic Board, Associate Professor Nick Reid, emphasised the students’ active role within the University’s “community of scholars and teachers”. “You’ll have plenty of opportunities to voice your opinions,” he said. “We want to hear from you.”
The Commencement ceremony opened a week-long program of Orientation activities at UNE this week.
