Graduation Class of 2009

On May 30 2009, Vesalius College held its 19th annual Commencement Ceremony to honour the Class of 2009 in the main Aula of the Vrije Universiteit Brussel.

Graduating students, their families and friends and friends of the college joined to celebrate this momentous occasion.

The musical interludes during the Ceremony were performed by the European Jazz Trio, a group of 3 students, each of a different nationality, from the Royal Music Conservatory Brussels, the most renowned music academy in Belgium and an educational partner of Vesalius College since recently.

The Commencement Speaker at this year's graduation was be Professor Hilary Fraser FAHA, Head of the School of English and Humanities at Birkbeck, University of London, Director of the Centre for Nineteenth-Century Studies at Birkbeck, University of London and Adjunct Professor in the Ruskin Programme at Lancaster University. In her speech entitled 'Back to the Future: Learning to be at Home in the World', she reflected on the importance of a broad education, not just an education focused particular field of study.

The student with the highest grade point average, Valedictorian (literally, ‘the one who says farewell’) of the Class of 2009 was Ms. Lucy Eleanor Washburne, who entertained the graduates and gathered families with her view on the irony of giving a farewell speech during a commencement ceremony, which indicates a start.

Another graduate of International Affairs from the Class of 2009, Vladimir Dakov, gave a heartfelt speech in honour of Dr. Michael Palo, who recently retired as a history and political science professor at Vesalius College.

The new graduates were welcomed into the Vesalius College Alumni Association (VCAA) by Mr. Fang-Yu Chen, a Communications Studies graduate from the Class of 2007. He also awarded the VCAA Award for Outstanding Contribution to Vesalius College to Dr. Michael Palo who had already won the award once before in 2006.

A reception for graduates, parents and friends, students, faculty and staff closed the event in style.

Pictures courtesy of Marjolein Van de Rijt