Freshly Minted Graduates to Shine

FRESHLY MINTED GRADUATES TO SHINE

Newly capped EIT graduates celebrate their success in Napier on 30-31 March, parading through city streets cheered on by family, friends and well-wishers who have supported them on their learning journeys.

The academic rite of passage is a colourful annual spectacle, with graduates resplendent in traditional batwing gowns, multi-hued satin-lined hoods, sashes, korowai and tasselled trenchers.

This year’s graduation underscores several highlights for EIT Hawke’s Bay:-

* For the first time, Māori made up 42 percent of last year’s student body and increased participation is mirrored in achievement figures. EIT is awarding 180 more qualifications to Māori than for 2015. This increase is made up of 164 certificates, 17 diplomas, seven fewer degrees but six more postgraduate qualifications.

* In total, EIT Hawke’s Bay will be awarding 2584 qualifications for 2016. That’s 168 more than for the previous year – a seven percent increase.

* EIT Hawke’s Bay’s growing number of postgraduate diplomas and master degree offerings will be reflected in the awarding of 41 more level 8 and 9 qualifications.

For the fourth successive year, EIT is staging graduation as a two-day event in Napier’s Municipal Theatre. Previously, the ceremony alternated between the twin cities. However the Hastings venue, the Hawke’s Bay Opera House, requires further earthquake strengthening and has not been available for the event.

To manage the growing number of graduates, capping will once again be held as three ceremonies, each one encompassing different academic disciplines.

Business, computing, primary industries, veterinary nursing, tourism and hospitality and viticulture and wine science are to be represented on the Thursday afternoon, visual arts and design (ideaschool), education, social sciences and Māori studies (Te Ūranga Waka) on Friday morning and health, sport science and nursing in the afternoon.

The official speakers will be Dr Russell Willis, a community and general paediatrician and medical director of quality improvement and patient safety for the Hawke’s Bay District Health Board, and wine writer and senior wine judge Yvonne Lorkin.

Honoured valedictorians – Bachelor of Nursing graduate Sheila Argent, Bachelor of Viticulture and Bachelor of Wine Science graduate Anton Luiten and Bachelor of Applied Social Sciences graduate Sophia Raroa – are to represent their former classmates in delivering addresses to full houses in the theatre.

Local authority leaders and the Napier Pipe Band will join EIT Council members, senior executive and academic staff in leading the parade of graduands and graduates from Clive Square and Emerson Street to the Sound Shell on Marine Parade.

Not all of those who completed qualifications are able to attend graduation, with some mobilising to bring in the grape harvest and others managing work commitments in jobs secured locally, throughout New Zealand and overseas.

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