By Buertey Francis BORYOR
President of Academic City University College, Fred McBagonluri, has urged the 2024 graduating class of the college to commit to continuous learning and adapting in order to stay relevant and be competitive in a constantly-changing world.
“In a constantly-changing world, staying relevant is crucial. The Academic City experience has given you knowledge and skills for today’s world. By staying curious and embracing new ideas and technologies, ensure your contribution remains impactful.
“As you graduate today, I want you to reflect on the journey that brought you here and the values that would guide you in the future. Our theme today includes empathy, grit, patience, relevance, perseverance, skills and self-awareness – seven pillars that shaped my journey, helped me overcome challenges and brought unexpected results. These pillars will be important for your journey too,” he elaborated.
Additionally, he encouraged graduates to embrace volunteerism and internship. “Sometimes a good job begins with an internship or volunteerism. It should not always be about the money. The money will eventually come, and you will be paid for the skills that you are patient enough to acquire.”
Professor McBagonluri said this at the college’s 3rd graduation ceremony held in Accra, July 27, 2024, where 67 students were conferred various degrees in their respective fields of study, including Business Administration and Communication Arts, Computational Sciences and Informatics as well as Engineering.
The following students received academic achievement awards for their outstanding performances. They include Boateng Kwabena Afari – best in Mechanical, Industrial and Systems Engineering; Cyril Faith Sobe – best in Electrical, Electronics and Computer Engineering; Dewortor Antoinette Sedinam Afi; best in Business Administration and Entrepreneurship; Adoboe Mercy Wendy; best Communication Arts; Sawyerr-Markwei Beverlyn Naa Merley – best in Computational Sciences; and Quao Michael Allen – best in Informatics.
Additionally, special awards were bestowed upon deserving students for their contribution toward the college’s success.
Moreover, founder of the university college, Dev Varyani, in a speech read on his behalf, expressed confidence in the steps and strides Academic City has undertaken to become a leading educational institution with a tremendous social impact in the country. “With our emphasis on STEM, Entrepreneurship and Ethics, we offer a winning combination for any student who enrols here,” he added.
Meanwhile, guest speaker at the event, Patricia Obo-Nai, who is the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Telecel Ghana, congratulated the graduates on reaching the latest milestone, urging them to go out and be job creators instead of job seekers.
In a moving valedictory speech, the Overall Best Student, Boateng Kwabena Afari who is also recipient of the A Citizen Special Award, shared an inspiring tale of resilience, determination and triumph over challenges posed by COVID-19 pandemic during the early days of their academic journey in 2020.
While thanking the college’s lecturers for their patience, guidance and unwavering support, he urged all graduates to go out and make their mark.
“As we move into the future, I want to hear our names in the news and feel proud to tell our children and those around us that this man or woman was in my class. I am confident that each of us will achieve excellence at every level and in every place we step foot. Let us go out there – the world is ours to claim. Let us take risks, make mistakes and ultimately succeed,” he said.
