Honorary degree recipients encourage potential

Although just one of the two recipients was in attendance, honorary degrees were given at Convocation June 4 to Canadian astronaut Colonel Chris Hadfield and union and feminist worker Madeleine Parent. Hadfield was not able to attend, as he was participating in Space Shuttle Discovery's mission in orbit from Mission Control. He is hoped to visit Trent in the future.

Parent, who was presented with her degree at morning Convocation, encouraged graduating students to continue learning in her address.

"Whether it is your intention to go on from here to further studies, or to concentrate on other activities or to do both, I hope you will remain students at heart. Of course, many of you have worked hard to become technologically informed and proficient and you must continue to work hard to keep abreast of constant innovations. But if, as human beings, we refuse to be satisfied with living as intelligent robots, we should also keep a working acquaintance with the humanities, throughout life.

"To extend our knowledge of history is to safeguard ourselves against confusion and the endless myths of consumer culture that assault our senses every day.

"In order to think for ourselves, to deal critically with information on current events and to form a valid opinion on important issues, we need background knowledge: we must develop a sense of history."

Parent also urged that collective concern be directed to the problem of pollution for the well-being of the young and future generations.

"Native people have an appropriate saying. I think it goes somewhat like this: 'When you're going to do something, think of the consequences for the next seven generations.'"

Accepting on behalf of Col. Hadfield were his local relatives, Trent economics professor Harry Kitchen and Chris's aunt Carolyn Kitchen.

Professor Kitchen read Hadfield's address, which offered congratulations and thoughts to the graduating class.

"You have accomplished something that most people do not, that has given you more personal depth, perspective and capability, and that will help open your future even wider to you."

In addition to suggesting thanks be given to those who helped build the graduates' foundation, Hadfield admonished them not to "ignore fate when it slaps you in the face. There are moments in life when things line up, when you will have a chance to perform, and when opportunity is suddenly there. Keep your eyes wide open, and turn those corners sharply when they come along. I look back now on key moments in my life that have made all the difference."

The address concluded with Hadfield's encouragement to view the skies at 4:20 a.m. the next day. "There, across the southern sky, streaking from West to East in the dawn light, will be a fellow Canadian university graduate [Julie Payette], floating weightless in Space Shuttle Discovery, followed swiftly by the International Space Station. It is visible evidence of the things that are barely possible, and of the unlimited potential of the human spirit."