University Canada West graduating students proudly walked across the stage in front of family, friends and faculty at Convocation 2017.

The University Canada West (UCW) Class of 2017 featured 19 Master of Business Administration, 10 Bachelor of Commerce and two Bachelor of Arts graduates from diverse backgrounds.

Their countries of origin include Botswana, Canada, China, El Salvador, India, Nigeria, Iran, Saudi Arabia and Turkey.

The youngest graduate was a 23-year-old from China and the eldest was 56-year-old from Iran. Both students graduated with a Bachelor of Commerce degree.

The ceremony also included a special graduate. Fwad Naeimi completed his Bachelor of Commerce degree online.

His education was co-sponsored by Borani Global Education – a Canadian registered charity supporting qualified students, who are unable to pursue their studies due to human rights restrictions.

Convocation 2017 also included the installation of a new Chancellor. Mitchell Gropper, QC, become the new Chancellor of UCW after taking the oath of office from Catherine Vertesi –Vice-Chair of the Board of Governors.

Mr. Gropper is a successful lawyer, a dedicated community volunteer and an active supporter of higher education. Currently a senior partner at the law firm of Farris, Vaughan, Wills & Murphy in Vancouver, he spent many years with the law firm McCarthy Tetrault.

He was a professor in the Faculty of Law at Western University in London, Ontario and is actively involved with the Faculty of Law at UBC.

“It’s a great honor for me have been appointed chancellor of University Canada West,” he said during his address.

Three Academic Excellence Medals were presented at the ceremony.

They are awarded to students, who achieved the highest-grade point average within their respective degree programs.

Megan Clifton received the Medal for Academic Excellence in the Bachelor of Commerce program; Julie Sykes was presented with the Medal for Academic Excellence for Bachelor of Arts Graduates and Tammy Lynn McMullen is the Medal for Academic Excellence recipient in the Master of Business Administration program.

An honorary professorship was bestowed upon Dr. Dan Brown. He is a former, long-time member of the UCW Board of Governors.

Honorary professorships are awarded to acknowledge academics of distinction. Individuals are selected based on their ongoing track record of excellence in research, teaching or work in the community.

“I believe in this university and its mission to educate students in a career-oriented program,” he said.

Kathya Arteaga Gonzalez was named Class Valedictorian for 2017. She is originally from San Salvador, El Salvador.

She earned a law degree before moving to Canada and then progressed through UCW’s University Access Program, the MBA Foundation Program and recently completed her Master of Business Administration degree with the second highest grade point average in her class.

“I would like to congratulate each of you on your graduation,” she told the other students in her Valedictory Address. “I know this has taken hard work and many, many sacrifices.”

For more about Kathya, read her story here.

The Convocation Ceremony has held on July 14, 2017.

University Canada West is located in the heart of downtown Vancouver, British Columbia. The University offers both online and on-campus Bachelor of Commerce, Bachelor of Arts in Business Communication and MBA programs. The business-oriented university provides students with the experience to succeed in their careers and scholarships to recognize students’ academic excellence. For more information about UCW email [email protected].

WRITTEN BY BRADLEY FEHR