Daily News

posted on May 31: Short urges graduands to shoot for the stars

He mixed comedy with common sense, wit with wisdom. McMaster's newest honorary degree holder offered Humanities and Arts & Science graduands advice, best wishes, even a nine-step program, all wrapped in his humourous dead-pan style. McMaster alumnus Martin Short delivered the Convocation address yesterday to about 1,500 graduands and their families and friends gathered at Hamilton Place. While the speech was punctuated with satire and sendups, Short conveyed congratulations and a heart-felt message to McMaster's newly minted alumni to pursue their dreams. "Don't be afraid of trying, of dreaming," said Short, who received a Doctor of Letters. At a news conference held prior to Convocation, Short reflected on the impact of his years at McMaster. His dream was to become a doctor. "By the time I left I was an actor," said Short. "When I think of McMaster I think of four years of absolute new experiences, a separate existence, expressing all aspects of life and leaving on a totally new journey. If it hadn't have been for Mac, I wouldn't have gotten into the business." Short said in his early 20s, the idea of hailing from Hamilton and becoming an actor seemed "highly unrealistic." Short credited the people, the encouragement he received and the opportunities to experiment with helping him launch his acting career. "I don't think I would have had the nerve to do it," he said. "The atmosphere of Mac at the timethere was an active theatre scene, it encouraged the students to take more on their shoulders. It was a very creative period." In his speech to graduands, Short quoted Walt Whitman, Aldous Huxley and Winston Churchill, reiterating his theme to take risks to achieve goals. Dr. Short: Martin Short listens while President Peter George introduces him to the audience at yesterday's Convocation. Photo: Ron Scheffler (Editor's note: See Martin Short's Convocation Address for the full text of his remarks.)

posted on May 30: McMaster’s 2001 Spring Convocations begin today

For 3,000 McMaster students, graduation day will be one of celebration and achievement. For their parents, families and friends it will be a day filled with pride and joy. Over the next three days (May 30, 31 and June 1) some 2,700 graduates will take home degrees from the six ceremonies, McMaster's 377th-382nd Convocations, held in the Great Hall of Hamilton Place. These grads, along with some 275 others who received their degrees earlier this month at Convocation ceremonies for Divinity College (May 8) and the Faculty of Health Sciences (May 11), will become the University's newest alumni. Bachelor's, master's and doctorate degrees will be conferred on students in the Faculties of Business, Engineering, Humanities, Social Sciences, Science and the Arts & Science Program. At the ceremonies, McMaster will award honorary degrees to captains of industry, humanitarians, scientists, scholars and a comedian. The Faculty of Business Convocation takes place this morning with former professional referee Ron Foxcroft giving the Convocation address. World renowned comedian Martin Short will give the address at the Faculty of Humanities and Arts & Science Program ceremony this afternoon. This year's honorary degree recipients are: Anthony Fell and Ron Foxcroft* (Business); William Sinclair and Joseph Wright* (Engineering); Pierre Conlon and Martin Short* (Humanities and Arts & Science Program); Robert Giroux*, Colin Millar, Mary Buzzell and Jack Pelech* (Social Sciences, morning and afternoon); and James Bruce and David Strangway* (Science). Also recognized at Convocations will be: Phillip Weicker, winner of the Governor General's Medal; John Brash, University Professor; Jean Wilson, winner of the 2001 President's Award for Excellence in Instruction (an article on Wilson appeared on the Daily News last month); and Karinne Chan, Alex Mazer, David Sandomierski, Wai-Yin Shum and Meaghan Stovel, winners of the President's Awards of Excellence (Student Leadership).

posted on May 29: President’s student leadership award winners announced

Five McMaster students -- including two from engineering and two from the Arts & Science Program -- are the recipients of this year's President's Awards of Excellence (Student Leadership). The five awards are the highest number ever given out since the awards were introduced. The award acknowledges the contributions made by sutdents who play a significant role in improving and developing the intellectual, social, cultural and/or athletic fabric of the McMaster community. Third or fourth-year students who are in their graduating year are eligible for the award. This year's winners are: Karinne Chan (Chemical Engineering & Society) was actively involved in the McMaster Engineering & Society student association, serving as its president last year. She was a member of the McMaster Engineering council and represented her Faculty on McMaster's Undergraduate Council. She served as Kipling co-ordinator for the Faculty's iron ring celebration. She was a Welcome Week representative for a campus residence, a peer helper and academic outreach co-ordinator for McMaster's Centre for Student Development, and a teaching assistant. She held many awards including the National Research Council's Women in Engineering and Science Program and the Ashbaugh Scholarship. Alex Mazer (Arts & Science and Political Science) served McMaster students as a writing clinic tutor for the Centre for Student Development, a residence program assistant and a teaching assistant. He was a reporter and freelance writer for Incite Magazine and copy editor and typesetter for The Silhouette. Mazer is also a talented musician, artist and photographer. He came to McMaster on a national award for the Canadian Merit Scholarship Foundation and served as McMaster's chapter representative for the foundation. He received the Ontario-Rhone-Alpes Scholarship and spent his third year studying in Grenoble, France. He is the lead guitarist and songwriter for the group Toothpaste/Dentifrice. David Sandomierski (Arts & Science) was captain of the Marauders varsity cross-country and indoor track teams and was twice named Canadian Interuniversity Athletic Union Academic All-Canadian. He won the national award for the Canadian Merit Scholarship Foundation in 1997 and has since been a committed volunteer for the foundation. During his third year he studied at the Universiti Lumihre in Lyon, France on an Ontario-Rhone-Alpes bursary and was the lead runner for the Universiti Lyon II at the French national championships. He has been a teaching assistant and a residence program assistant at McMaster and a volunteer for a youth drop-in centre in Hamilton. Meaghan Stovel (Commerce) co-chaired the successful 22nd McMaster World Conference for the Michael G. DeGroote School of Business. As co-ordinator of the McMaster Student Union Information Centre, she managed a staff of seven undergraduates. She served as the University undergraduate representative to the Board of Governors for the past two years. Stovel produced the sold-out production of Shakespeare's Pericles: Prince of Tyre and was actively involved with the McMaster Drama Club during her four years on campus, serving as president during her third year. She was also academic chair for the MSU Clubs executive council and a teaching assistant for the commerce program. Wai-Yin Shum (Computer Engineering & Management) placed first in an Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineering (IEEE) Computer Society international design competition in Washington, D.C., for his team's "Heart Mate" invention, a warning device for high-risk heart patients. A Dean's List scholar, Shum voluntarily introduced, developed and taught more than 15 IEEE courses to about 1,000 engineering students. He chaired the committee for the McMaster Student Professional Awareness Conference. He introduced and organized the McMaster Industry Wine and Cheese to help connect students with potential employers, and he created the first Web service on campus for students to host their Web pages. (End of story)