Bumper crop of graduates celebrate success

More than 655 Otago Polytechnic graduates will cross the stage at the Dunedin Town Hall on Friday 14 March, spread over two graduation ceremonies.

The split celebrations help accommodate the large numbers, with 305 graduates at the 12:30pm ceremony, and 350 graduates at the 3:30pm event. (Another 54 of our students will graduate in absentia).

We're delighted to be hosting two high quality guest speakers at the ceremonies.

Former professional Tongan rugby player Uili Kolo'ofa'i now leads Talanoa Ola, a Pacific Cultural resource at the Ministry of Social Development, and will speak at the first ceremony.

Fashion graduate and Dunedin-based designer Tara Viggo is the guest speaker at our second ceremony, and will share the guiding pillars that have been central to her journey.

"Graduation is a wonderful time to celebrate hard work and success - the feeling of pride that's in the air is wonderful. 

The graduation ceremonies together with our Pasifika, Māori, and school pre-graduations are an amazing and emotional roller-coaster, as you often hear and see people’s stories of hardship in pursuit of completing their qualification. It’s an honour to be a part of it, but it’s also a humbling experience."

"As the vocational sector undergoes ongoing change and pressure, this graduation week is a welcome reminder of why we're here and what we’re all here for."

- Megan Pōtiki 

Graduates from both ceremonies will march through central Dunedin as part of the traditional street parade on Friday morning, starting from outside the University of Otago Dental School.

The first ceremony includes programmes in Beauty Therapy, Bicultural Competency, English Language, Foundation Studies, Hairdressing, Health Bridging, Massage Therapy, Midwifery, Nursing, Occupational Therapy, Social Services, Sport, Study and Career Preparation, and Teaching.

The second ceremony includes programmes in Applied Management, Automotive, Arboriculture, Architecture, Art, Business, Carpentry, Cookery, Construction Management, Culinary Arts, Design, Digital Media and Design, Electrical Trades, Engineering Technology, Game Design, Game Development, Hospitality, Information Technology, Mechanical Trades, Photography, Plumbing, Vet Nursing & Animal Healthcare, and Work-Based Learning.

Several schools have been holding their own pre-graduation events this week, to celebrate with their successful students in a smaller and less formal environment. (The School of Nursing's event is pictured above). Pre-grad events this week include Pasifika, Māori, Nursing, Animal Health, Midwifery, and Occupational Therapy.

TIP: The two graduation ceremonies will be livestreamed via Otago Polytechnic’s YouTube channel. You can find the link to the livestream on the Otago Polytechnic homepage. The livestream begins about 15 minutes before each ceremony.