FCC holds Commencement Ceremony 2011

The Forman Christian College (FCC) organised the Commencement Ceremony 2011 on Sunday. Veteran diplomat Jamshed Marker was the guest speaker at the ceremony. Marker delivered an interesting speech combining both humour and seriousness. He recalled his days at FCC, which he joined in 1940 as a 3rd year student from Quetta, with great affection. The diplomat also spoke to graduating students on the theme “History does not teach fatalism”. He encouraged students to question and challenge received wisdom and think for themselves. Introducing Marker, FCC Rector Dr Peter H Armacost said that few FCC alumni had such an impact on the world. After an already distinguished career in the Royal Indian Naval Volunteer Reserve, a cricket commentator and a highly successful businessman, Marker joined Pakistan’s diplomatic service in 1965. He spent the next 30 years as Pakistan’s ambassador in over 20 countries, including the former Soviet Union, East and West Germany, Japan, Canada, France and the US. Before retiring, Marker was appointed the UN special envoy for East Timor and diplomat in residence at Eckerd College, Florida.
Earlier, the valedictory address was given by Usman Zia Khan, the student with the highest CGPA from the graduating baccalaureate class of 2011. He told the audience that how the FCC had groomed him both academically and personally and that he was proud to be a Formanite. Zia acknowledged the hard work of faculty members in providing him with insight and core values to make him able to take up a career. He also thanked the support staff for their contribution to four years of his degree.
FCC Vice Rector Dr Marcia Grant announced awards to students who had shown outstanding performance in their disciplines. The rector, accompanied by Jamshed Rehmatullah, chairman of the FCC’s Board of Governors, gave the degrees. A total of 382 degrees were awarded on the occasion including BA (Hons) 77; BSc (Hons) 154; BCS (Hons) 19; BSc Business (Hons) 82; MBA 22; MA Economics 4; Executive MA Public Policy 9; MPhil Chemistry 10; MPhil Economics 2. Three students also graduated with the conventional 2-year BA/BSc degrees.
Earlier on Saturday, the FCC held the 2011 Honours Convocation in which graduating students were honoured for excellence in academics, practicing the core values of the college and for service to the college and wider community. Two students, Usman Zia Khan and Hafiza Madeeha Khaliq, were given the Summa Cum Laude awards. This award is given to students who have a CGPA of 3.90 or above. Around 16 students were given awards for graduating Magna Cum Laude, CGPA 3.70 to 3.89 and 20 for graduating Cum Laude CGPA 3.5 to 3.69. The awards were presented by Dr Peter H Armacost and announced by Vice Rector Dr Marcia Grant. Three award recipients, Farhan James, Bilal Ahmed and Sadia Khalid spoke about what they had learned and gained from FCC, how they had enjoyed their time at the college and the memories they would carry with them always.