By Cassie MacDonell
Local Journalism Initiative
On Saturday and Sunday, Bishop’s University will host the largest Convocation weekend in the school’s history, with graduates from the Classes of 2020, 2021, and 2022 gathering at the school’s campus. After participating in virtual graduation ceremonies due to the pandemic, the Classes of 2020 and 2021 will return to the Bishop’s University campus for an opportunity to walk across the stage and be among former classmates.
“It’s going to be pretty busy in Lennoxville. My guess is that there’s not going to be an empty hotel room around, and the campus will be full,” said Principal and Vice-Chancellor of Bishop’s University Michael Goldbloom.
Approximately 1,000 students will walk the stage on the weekend, and an additional 3,000 guests will attend the ceremony to support the graduates. Goldbloom attributes this to the attachment Bishop’s students have with each other, and to their experiences at Bishop’s. “Convocation is a really significant moment for our university and for our students. One of the things that has impressed me every year is the number of students who come back to convocation on a normal year,” said Goldbloom, “when you think about it, you don’t actually have to attend convocation to get your degree.”
Planning four Convocation ceremonies is rewarding, Goldbloom explained, since witnessing the former students’ enthusiasm about attending an in-person ceremony makes the hard work worth it. “It is a big organizational challenge for a small university and a small team to put this together, but it’s a work of the heart,” said Goldbloom. “(Convocation) is an important event for our students who are graduating, and for our whole community who is invested in the success of our students. In many ways, it is the most joyous and significant day of the university.”
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