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posted on May 31: Faculty of Social Sciences graduands celebrate Convocation today

Graduands from the Faculty of Social Sciences will be centre stage at Hamilton Place today as Spring Convocation continues. This morning's graduands hail from Anthropology, Economics, Geography, Labour Studies, Political Science, Psychology, Religious Studies and Teaching. The honorary degree recipients at this morning's ceremonies are Robert Giroux, president of the Association of Universities and Colleges of Canada and Colin Millar, retired Hamilton-Wentworth police chief. This afternoon, graduands come from the fields of Gerontology, Kinesiology, Social Work and Sociology. Honorary degrees will be awarded to retired nursing professor Mary Buzzell, who is recognized as a leader in the fields of gerontology and long-term care and Hamilton lawyer Jack Pelech. Two graduands of the Department of Religious Studies, one of the smallest departments on campus, are among those who will receive medals as the outstanding graduands in Social Sciences.

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.)