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Chancellor's remarks at commencement 2009
I would like to begin by recognizing our Board of Directors.
- Our Chairman, Dr. Daniel Ho
- Dr. Julie Rao
- Mr. Stephen Lee
- Professor Ellick Chen
- And here in spirit, Dr. Martin Ma
Also our full time faculty from the Virginia campus:
- Dr. Dai
- Dr. Salman
- Dr. Lee
- Dr. Kim
- Dr. Naras
- Prof. Laich
- Prof. Sououshi
Class of 2009, Congratulations on a job well done! You are the biggest graduating class in the history of UNVA Virginia.
We are also graduating in absentia your fellow students in our Prague campus.
You have witnessed the biggest transition in the history of our school. Your class is so big that the original space we rented would not even hold us. We had to move to this larger facility.
We are here today to honor you graduates. You have worked hard and made many sacrifices to earn the degrees you are about to receive.
The friends you have made and the education you have received at UNVA will give you the tools to meet the challenges you will face. You are the future leaders who will help set the direction for your communities, your countries, and the entire world. I am proud that you are a part of the UNVA family.
We all know that an accomplishment like yours is a team effort. Husbands, wives, parents and others provided support, encouragement and helped pay the bills. Graduates, I think you should stand up again and give them a round of applause too.
In World War II, after achieving a rare battlefield success Sir Winston Churchill said “This is not the end. This is not even the beginning of the end. But perhaps, it is the end of the beginning.”
His words apply here as well. Let this not be the end of your relationship with UNVA. It may be the end of the beginning but there is a lot that UNVA can still offer you and a lot that you can still offer UNVA.
You have proven that you have the commitment and perseverance to earn your degrees. Now I am going to ask you for a renewed commitment: Be an active UVNA alumnus.
- Use your UNVA email account: It is yours for a lifetime at no charge.
- Read the UNVA newsletter. Keep up with our growth and our successes.
- Maintain your contacts with your fellow students. UNVA has a powerful network world wide that will help you in your career.
In future years, you will look back to your time at UNVA and say that was when UNVA began the change from a successful small university to become a major player in American education worldwide. Every member of the UNVA staff and faculty is 100% committed to enhancing the UNVA brand. Our goal is to increase the value of your UNVA degree every year.
It has been an honor and a privilege for me to have worked with you. I look forward to hearing about your successes. Please stand up and give yourselves a round of applause.
Now, it is my pleasure to introduce Nigel Griffiths
Nigel Griffiths
"Nigel is an honours graduate of the University of Edinburgh who then trained as a teacher at Moray House College and now Chairs the London International College.
He is a former Deputy Leader of the House of Commons, and is a Parliamentary Ambassador for the British Council. Nigel has also held various Ministerial posts in Tony Blair's Government of the United Kingdom, including Minister for Enterprise, Minister for Competition Policy, Minister for Construction and Minister for Consumer Affairs.
Nigel has led overseas delegations promoting UK business and education abroad, in the USA, Japan, India, Brazil. Vietnam, Mexico, South Africa and Taiwan, as well as Russia, Hungary, the Czech Republic and Poland in Europe.
He is one of Britain’s most experienced Parliamentarians and frequently lectures on nuclear non-proliferation, global warming and economic matters."
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