Newest Victoria graduates celebrate success

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Thu May 14 2009 12:00:00 GMT+1200 (New Zealand Standard Time)

Newest Victoria graduates celebrate success

Thursday, 14 May 2009, 9:03 am
Press Release: Victoria University of Wellington

Almost 2,000 students will celebrate successfully completing their studies during next week’s graduation procession and ceremonies.

The traditional street parade of staff and graduands will depart from the Government Buildings Historic Reserve on Tuesday and Wednesday at noon, parading along Lambton Quay and Willis and Mercer Streets to finish in Civic Square, where they will be welcomed by Mayor Kerry Prendergast.

The first of six ceremonies will commence at the Michael Fowler Centre at 1:30pm for students graduating from the Faculties of Humanities & Social Sciences, and New Zealand School of Music.

Victoria University Vice-Chancellor Professor Pat Walsh says graduation is a time of year he looks forward to. “It is a pleasure to congratulate our students on their hard work and achievements,” says Professor Walsh.

“Joining the ranks of Victoria alumni is a significant milestone, and we look forward to following our graduates’ future successes.”

Twenty PhDs will be granted, along with approximately 2,200 degrees, diplomas and certificates.

Four Honorary Doctorates will be granted to writer Lloyd Jones, scholar and researcher Stephen Turnovsky, academic Pham Van Nang and arts administrator Sarah Billinghurst this year.

Graduation highlights include:

Father and daughter graduating together

Father and daughter Murray Petrie and Marie Petrie-Deely will both graduate from Victoria University in May, after three years of jokes and teasing.

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When Miss Petrie-Deely enrolled at Victoria University in 2006, she became a fellow student with her father, who had enrolled in 2005.

Her challenge to her father when she left New Zealand mid-year 2008 to finish her degree as an exchange student at an American University was to complete his thesis by Christmas—a challenge he took on so they could graduate together.

Miss Petrie-Deely (currently an Honours student and recipient of a Victoria Graduate Award) will graduate with a Bachelor of Biomedical Science on 20 May and her father graduates with a PhD in Public Policy on 21 May.

Former opera singer changes career

Strategic studies and music aren’t usually mentioned in the same breath, but former opera singer Joanna Heslop will soon have Master’s degrees in both subjects.

Ms Heslop will graduate with a Master’s in Strategic Studies (with distinction) from Victoria University on 21 May.

She developed an interest in strategic culture when based in St Petersburg, Russia as an operatic soloist of the Academy of Young Singers of the Mariinsky Theatre.

Ms Heslop joined the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade while completing her thesis and is currently working in the International Security and Disarmament Division.

61-year-old gets PhD with advice from daughter

Sixty-one year old Vivien van Rij will graduate with a PhD from Victoria University after six years of writing her thesis and working full-time.

Her thesis was mostly completed while working full-time at the Victoria University Faculty of Education—aside from a six month study grant from the faculty.
Mrs van Rij will take her place as a staff member on the stage after receiving her certificate alongside her supervisor Dr Kathryn Walls, as well as her daughter Inge, who is a lecturer in musicology at the New Zealand School of Music.

Inge also has a PhD, and in a role-reversal situation was able to give her mother some helpful advice throughout the writing of her PhD.

ends

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