The students at Commencement.

Expose yourself!

Commencement is the first formal dinner of the academic year. It begins with a Service and presentation of academic awards in the Una B. Porter Chapel and is followed by Dinner in Sugden Hall.

From our University Chaplain, Denise Liersch and from Phil Honeywood MP, our Guest Speaker at the Dinner, the message was clear - expose yourself!

Phil urged students to be open to new experiences and relayed tales of his own time as a student. Phil learnt a lot about his own country by taking a year out and living in Japan. This also gave him the opportunity to teach English to the Japanese princes who now, he assures, speak English with an Aussie accent and a lisp! Likewise he made the most of the opportunities and activities on offer at university. It was Phil’s participation in debating that sparked his interest in a political career.

Denise Liersch spoke about what it meant to be a whole person and said, “We can’t be whole unless we are part of a community”.

College life provides the perfect opportunity to develop a supportive network of friends and to get involved in the myriad of activities on offer.

Phil Honeywood, MP.

University Chaplain, Denise Liersch.