Students urged to 'stick to rhe rules'
FOR University of Otago graduands Leanne Walters and Karla Lawrie, today could well be the celebration you have when you are not having a celebration.
Ms Walters and Ms Lawrie will today become the first people to graduate from the university with master of teaching and learning degrees endorsed in early childhood education.
This new early childhood postgraduate study option reflects a growing focus on the importance of early childhood in overall educational progress.
Both graduands were keen to graduate in person from the Otago University College of Education, but cannot do so today because the Covid19 restrictions mean that the two planned Otago graduation ceremonies at the Dunedin Town Hall had to be cancelled.
They plan to attend rescheduled graduation ceremonies later in the year.
A May record of 1290 people are graduating from Otago University in absentia this month, most of them linked to two further ceremonies that were cancelled last Saturday, and the other
❛ I feel like it's been a huge achievement
450 graduations taking place today.
The four ceremonies had earlier been expected to inject more than $1 million into the city economy, and
Enterprise Dunedin chief executive John Christie said recently that some of that ‘‘knock’’ to the city economy could be recouped later when the university holds extra celebration events later in the year.
Ms Lawrie said that playcentre had been her background, and had ‘‘given me a really firm foundation’’.
She and her husband, Jock, and children Ellice (13) and Ossian (17) will celebrate at home this evening.
‘‘As it's a special occasion, I probably will enjoy some expensive bubbles,’’she added.
Ms Walters continued to work parttime at IDEA Services as a support worker for adults with disabilities last year, while undertaking her postgraduate studies.
‘‘I feel like it's been a huge achievement,’’ she said.
Partly because of work commitments, Ms Walters will be having a slightly more subdued celebration today, postponing her main family celebration until later.
‘‘I'll be here on my own after my job.
‘‘I might have an early night and a Milo,’’ she added.