Mixing novelty and tradition, U of T gears up for virtual convocation this spring

Ever Imafidon’s upcoming cameo in this June’s virtual convocation ceremony gave her an inside glimpse of the carefully orchestrated event – not to mention a crash course in the art of acting.

“We had very simple lines to memorize, but as soon as the crew said, ‘Action,’ I forgot all of mine,” said the U of T Scarborough student who is bound for law school following graduation.

Imafidon was one of three tri-campus welcome ambassadors who donned ceremonial regalia to participate in the university’s virtual spring convocation. She was joined by Hamza Chatila, who is representing U of T’s St. George campus, and Anushka Sokhi, who is representing U of T Mississauga. There are also 26 student ambassadors representing the university’s various faculties and divisions.

U of T’s virtual spring convocation ceremony – necessary because of ongoing public health guidelines preventing in-person gatherings – will air on the university’s convocation hub at 12 p.m. EDT on June 23. More than 15, 500 students from 105 different countries – from Afghanistan to Zimbabwe – will graduate in absentia at the event, including the first-ever cohort of students with bachelor of information degrees from the Faculty of Information.

U of T President Meric Gertler said the Class of 2021 demonstrated incredible resilience for making it to the finish line during a challenging year.

“These are truly unprecedented times and U of T students have repeatedly shown their strength of character and unwavering commitment – both in their studies and in their communities,” he said.

“They are a source of inspiration for all of us. I am delighted to celebrate this important milestone in their lives and I look forward to seeing what they will accomplish next.”

Chatila had similar praise for his fellow graduands.

“The future is bright,” he said. “We persevered, kept our heads down and pushed through it. We made it.”