The 'vote of thanks' from a graduate representing the student body at graduation ceremonies is a longstanding tradition.

"Chancellor, Fellow Graduates and Guests,

Time at University is a time for personal growth. This is not to say that personal growth cannot be achieved without university education, not at all!

However, at universities there is a higher exposure to knowledge then we would face in the outside world. We are taught how to think critically, how to question the many assumptions that we are met with in our lives and how to make responsible choices.

I believe this is done in the hope that as a new generation of graduates we will be better adapted to succeed in shaping our world. It is especially important in a diverse culture like Australia to be individual unbiased thinkers and question assumptions.

The current social climate of multicultural Australia displays some unrest. To stop it, it is important to understand as much as we possibly can about each others cultures and beliefs.

More people should attend university and talk to people from various backgrounds whilst on the common ground of being tertiary students. This common level of association would help to establish a common ground between people who may never under other circumstances have that opportunity.

Universities provide a very important forum for learning about cultural diversity. I am not only referring to the multitude of degrees which take a particular interest in managing diversity such as Human Resource degrees.

At a more basic and universal level we learn appreciation and we gain important cultural knowledge about each other through group work and social interaction. We are a vastly culturally diverse University, it is impossible for anyone not to interact with all racial backgrounds at some stage. This interaction and forming of friendships leads to abolishing some stereotypes on a friendly level.

All of you students, you would know what I am talking about. How many of your assumptions were challenged in your time here?

I know that many of my own stereotypical beliefs were broken down and not by someone preaching to me about equality, but by working together with classmates and understanding the simple truth that deep down we are all the same people.

Such a simple realisation but it is the lack of this attitude that steers racial conflict around the world.

Universities aim to do more than just give us a piece of paper with our qualifications.

There is a huge potential to further our personal learning in any area we see fit. we get to meet interesting people, people with similar ambitious goals to our own. Frequently we’ll get teachers who encourage us and inspire us to go further, excel in our fields.

There is a common saying amongst students the “P’s get degrees”.

To me it shows the great variety of how we can approach our time here. We can do the minimum and get through it with a pass and that is fine, our accomplishment will still be recognised, we’ll graduate. Or we can strive for excellence and be recognised for that.

Enter honours programs, PhD’s or remain at Universities in our search for knowledge and a passion for teaching.

The opportunities of how we wish to approach our education here are many and we should be thankful.

So whether you had come here to get that piece of paper on your way to that fantastic job, or because you’re parents had made you, or because you had that dream, we have all learnt so much.

Whether we realise it or maybe not yet, I believe that we are wiser, more open minded people for being here and surely that is an accomplishment in itself.

Thankyou!"

Contact: Skaidy Gulbis

Phone: +61 2 9850 4774