Yesterday, we came together as a community to celebrate the achievements and successes of the Humber College spring 2021 graduating class.  

For those who were not able to join us yesterday, I wanted to share a few of the thoughts from my Convocation address.  

Congratulations graduates.  

 
I have often said that convocation is one of my favourite times of year. It is an opportunity to think about the future and the changemakers that you, our newest Humber graduates, will become in communities and industries locally and around the world. 

This year, more than ever, it is also a time for hope.  

As a global community, we have been shaken by a pandemic that has extended longer and has been more far reaching than we could have imagined before March 2020. 

In April 2020, The Guardian published an article by Rebecca Solnit entitled “’The Impossible has already happened": what coronavirus can teach us about hope.” It focused on the idea that profound and positive change is possible – even during times of isolation, fear and unknowns. 

In it, Solnit writes, “Things that were supposed to be unstoppable stopped, and things that were supposed to be impossible...have already happened.” 

This is a unique time to be graduating and moving on to your career or furthering your education. Here in Ontario, we are starting to come out of a crisis. We are all trying to look ahead and imagine how things will be.  

As Solnit says, “when a storm subsides, the air is washed clean of whatever particulate matter has been obscuring the view, and you can often see farther and more sharply than at any other time...We may have a profoundly different sense of ourselves, our communities, our systems of production and our future.” 

What we have all experienced has changed us. You have persevered and completed your studies during a very challenging time. The world of work you are going out into is not the same as it was when you began at Humber. The opportunity for innovation and positive change is now.  

And what you have learned about your field of choice and the experience you have gained while at Humber will help you succeed.  

Throughout your time with us, you have also been learning about leadership, teamwork,  
strategic problem-solving, critical thinking and many key skills that will set you apart. 

You learned about systems thinking and have honed the ability to understand the connections between people, industries, challenges and solutions. This past year has brought our interconnection into sharper focus and you are ready to make a difference as a global citizen.  

Regardless of the program from which you are graduating, this year you have also learned the importance of empathy, support and giving back. I hope you take those lessons and apply them throughout your life. 

While we have all been affected by the global COVID-19 health pandemic, the world continues to grapple with issues of racism, intolerance and inequality.   

If there’s ever been a generation that can choose inclusion over division and participation over isolation it is yours. 

You are prepared to tackle issues of equity, diversity and inclusion head on – something that is needed now more than ever. 

We are on the edge of a new world, and you are ready to help shape it. It is your time to act. Be bold. We know you can do it. 

You are now one of more than two hundred and seventy-eight thousand alumni who are the college’s reputation in action. 

You are now and forever part of Humber and no matter where your journey takes you, you will always have a place to go.  

Congratulations. We can’t wait to see what you do next.