RECORDER REPORT

KARACHI: Some 84 students were awarded degrees in their respective disciplines at the first convocation of Habib University’s first convocation that was held at its campus on Saturday.

The students got degrees in four disciplines, including BSc (Hon) Social Development and Policy, BA (Hon) Communication Design, BS Electrical Engineering and BS Computer Science.

Addressing the convocation ceremony, Sindh Governor and patron of Habib University, Muhammad Zubair, congratulated and praised the graduates and their parents for ‘making the biggest contribution to Habib University, and raising such outstanding kids.’ He then invited the top achievers to the Governor’s House to recognize their achievements.

As the valedictorian of the class of 2018 and winner of the President’s Award, graduate Saadia Pathan was invited to speak. She said: “We call ourselves Pakistan’s first Liberal Arts University but we are not just the first, we are new as well. Being new is far scarier than being first. But it is only this adventure that comes with being new that has given us the freedom to be individuals,” she said, expressing hope for its continuation. “The founders of HU are visionaries. Courage is needed to share a vision. And it requires trust that we put in them when we applied to HU and they put in us when they took us in as the first batch of HU,” she said.

In his speech, Habib University’s president Wasif A Rizvi congratulated the co-founders and remarked that it was the day of joy and humble celebration because 84 students were leaving as graduates.

In a singular fashion, the 84 students not only walked on stage to receive their degrees, but introduced themselves through unique videos stating their achievements or thesis projects. The chancellor’s Yohsin Award was awarded to the graduate Abdul Wahid Khan who not only maintained excellent grades but demonstrated the qualities and elements of the university’s philosophy of Yohsin through their meta-curricular activities on and off campus, the elements of service, passion, excellence, beauty and respect. This is the most prestigious award at the institution.